With the recent debut of Bar Blondeau, the team behind the much-lauded Williamsburg brasserie, Le Crocodile, have opened their second must-try culinary destination within the Wythe Hotel. Located on the sixth floor (with killer skyline views), chefs Aidan O’Neal and Jake Leiber have again teamed up with restaurateur Jon Neidich for this French-inspired bar with the cocktail program lead by bar manager Sörine Anderson (Nitecap, Death & Co).

At this new BK bar, the name and the MO here is meant to encourage patrons to “steal back” all of that precious time lost drinking at bars during the pandemic—and all within a contemporary space inspired by ‘80s NYC. Expect signature cocktails like a perfect-for-summer Friesling (yep, that’s frozen riesling), in addition to five other offerings like the Supersonic (gin, celery shrub, cucumber ice cube) and Jalisco Garden (tomato-infused tequila, carrot, cilantro).

When you’re tired of drinking subpar wine while lazing out on your couch, head to the newly-opened Temperance Wine Bar in the West Village for some highly-curated options in a 1960s-era dining room designed by the same team who formerly did De Maria. Here, owners Jonathan Rexroat and Devin Rochford offer a list of over a hundred wines by the glass created by sommelier A.J. Ojeda-Pons (The Lambs Club, Mercado Little Spain).

As the latest sister spot to The Garret Bars, this bar from Den Hospitality is located at the former Daddy-O corner space and takes inspiration from old-school diners and dive bars. With an interior design concept based on ‘70s NYC and a cocktail program by beverage director Max Stampa-Brown, Bandits' signature drinks include the Bobby Wasabi (pineapple, wasabi orgeat, shiso) and Bradshaw on Bedford (rose petal, rhubarb, sun dried tomato).

The debut of Veranda marked chef George Mendes’ return to the NYC culinary scene since closing his celebrated Iberian-inspired restaurant, Aldea. The new eatery is located on the second floor of ModernHaus Soho (formerly The James), and in addition, includes The Bar at Veranda, an intimate cocktail destination with drinks spearheaded by Jonny Swet (The Skylark, Rogue and Cannon).

This Korean gastropub known for shareable plates, good drinks, and a large vibrant moon gracing each of their dining rooms opened their third Manhattan branch earlier this spring. It’s thankfully located on a stretch of 6th Avenue that’s in dire need of a good watering hole, making Barn Joo NoMad a neighborhood oasis. Go for signature cocktails like the Berritas Margarita (tequila, seasonal berry syrup, pomegranate vinegar) or Korean-inspired options like the Jeju Spritz.

After years of shaking up cocktails all over the country in a vintage yellow 1977 Volkswagen minivan, globally recognized bartenders Faye Chen and GN Chan permanently parked their pop-up on the Lower East Side to open Double Chicken Please. Expect to be impressed by high-caliber drinks and food, with eight “taptails” (that’s cocktails on tap for ya), three popular chicken sandwiches, and additional bar bites.

This spot from the team behind the groundbreaking Japanese bar and speakeasy, Angel’s Share, and Yoshida Restaurant Group opened in December of 2019, just a few months shy of the start of the pandemic. Located at Japan Village in Industry City, Oldies offers a more casual vibe than its pioneering predecessor, with a Japanese-inspired drink list highlighting freshly-squeezed fruits, highball variations, and more.

This sister bar to ROKC opened in late 2019 and was hitting its stride until the pandemic eventually hit. Now, Shige Kabashima’s Upper East Side spot is open and operating in all its full glory with drink and food offerings inspired by the cuisine of 19th century Japanese port towns. Similar to its sibling cocktail destination, NR offers expertly crafted drinks served within ornate presentations (but those arriving in a simple nick and nora glass are just as good, too).

Inspired by free-thinkers and wanderers of all kinds, co-owner Tarek Debira opened this hip spot near the Brooklyn Heights waterfront right before the onset of the pandemic. In addition to beer and natural wines, at Bohemien Bar, signature cocktails include the Yesterday (gin, Salers, yuzu), Butterfly (vodka, ginger, butterfly pea flower), and One Love (rum, passion fruit, coconut, turmeric). An eclectic food menu includes small plates like beet dip with labneh and walnuts.