Keeping track of the best new bars in New York City is no easy task. New openings appear constantly, so we focused on five recent spots worth visiting: neighborhood wine and cocktail bars, an aperitivo outpost, an inventive Indian-inflected cocktail bar, and a relaxed Bed-Stuy hangout.
How we choose the best new bars in New York City
Each business below was selected independently by our editors and visited by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist. We consider both high-end and accessible places that offer standout drinks, welcoming service, a sense of place, and sustainability where applicable. “New” here means opened within about a year of publication. We’ll update this guide as more bars arrive.
Stars
Neighborhood: East Village, Manhattan
Go for: well-priced glasses and a shrimp sandwich
Stars is a compact, warmly wood-clad wine bar with just a dozen seats around a U-shaped zinc bar and a little standing room. By-the-glass wines run roughly $11–$19, with many bottles in the double digits. The small snack menu is thoughtful—highlight: a tiny shrimp sandwich on soft milk bread with melting American cheese and iceberg. It’s the latest project from the team behind Claud and Penny: casual, convivial, and designed for quick, delicious pit stops.
Dante Aperitivo
Neighborhood: West Village, Manhattan
Go for: aperitifs and seafood-forward aperitivo snacks
Dante Aperitivo is the newest sibling of Dante’s storied family, leaning into aperitif culture. The drinks menu spotlights negroni variations and lighter aperitivi—try the negroni bianco 2.0 or a pear negroni riffed with reposado. The food skews seafood-forward: crudo topped with lime-ginger granita, scallops, shrimp with tangy horseradish cocktail sauce, caviar tarts with oyster cream and Champagne pearls, and a bucatini with Maine lobster. There are also rich vegetarian options like squash agnolotti and salads, plus meat dishes such as steak tartare and fried chicken. The compact dining room feels intimate and comfortably contained.
Golden Ratio
Neighborhood: Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
Go for: nonalcoholic equivalents for every cocktail
Golden Ratio’s minimalist corner spot makes a tight, modern argument for inclusive drinking. Every cocktail—named for its core ingredient (Nasturtium, Pine, Mandarin)—can be prepared alcoholic or alcohol-free. The NA versions are thoughtfully rebuilt rather than simply stripped of spirits: one Purple Shiso appears as a Sweet Annie–tinged coupe, while the NA counterpart is effervescent with bread and lemon verbena notes. The menu simplifies choices: pick an ingredient and decide if you want it alc or none. It’s a smart evolution from the 2010s mixology boom and ideal for groups with differing preferences.
Folk
Neighborhood: South Slope, Brooklyn
Go for: Indian-inflected cocktails and biryani arancini
From the team behind Lore comes Folk, a cocktail-forward bar meant to be paired with bold, comforting plates. The menu turns South Asian flavors into bar-friendly bites: biryani arancini served with korma, curry-leaf pesto crab risotto, and a chicken tikka–filled pot pie. Cocktails ($14–$18) mirror the food’s spirit, like the Mangalorean (rum, pineapple, amchur-curried coconut cream) and a lychee-forward Hanami Bloom. The room—anchored by a green bar and a wall of decorative pink glass—feels sultry and local, with many staff and regulars from the neighborhood, making Folk feel like a community bar with inventive eats.
Don’t Call Me Shirley
Neighborhood: Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
Go for: a cash-only casual hang with a backyard for warmer months
Don’t Call Me Shirley is a laid-back, late-’70s–tinged bar that functions like a bartender’s bar. Located near other neighborhood favorites, it’s approachable and unpretentious. The centerpiece is a well-crafted sanded-wood bar with a thoughtful rail; seating includes booths, a back area with armchairs and a faux fireplace, and a disco ball that spins on weeknights. There’s also a backyard with picnic tables for spring and summer. The menu is classic and straightforward—order a cocktail, beer on tap, or a rotating selection of reasonably priced wines. It’s cash-only and already feeling like a place to become a regular.
Practical tips
– Expect limited seating at some spots (Stars, Dante Aperitivo) and consider arriving early or planning to stand and sip.
– Golden Ratio is ideal if you want excellent nonalcoholic options without sacrificing complexity.
– Folk pairs adventurous cocktails with substantial, spice-forward plates—go hungry.
– Don’t Call Me Shirley is low-key and neighborhood-focused; bring cash.
– Check websites or social channels for reservation policies, hours, and any seasonal changes (outdoor seating, special menus).
These five bars show different ways New York’s drinking scene is evolving: compact wine bars, aperitivo revivalism, inclusive NA options, regionally inspired cocktail kitchens, and relaxed neighborhood rooms. They’re each worth a stop next time you’re exploring the city.
