Drinks on Repeat: The Cocktail You Always Order vs. the One You Should Try Next
Your comfort cocktail isn’t wrong. But it might be holding you back.
We all have that drink—the one we order before even glancing at the menu. It’s familiar, it’s reliable, and it’s been there for you through late-night rants, first dates, and midweek resets.
But here’s the thing: New York bartenders are doing wild, beautiful things behind the bar right now. They’re spinning off the classics, layering global flavors, playing with textures, and rethinking what “refreshing” or “spirit-forward” even means. And if you’re always ordering the same cocktail, you might be missing your next favorite.
So, in the spirit of gentle evolution (and springtime experimentation), we asked some of NYC’s best bartenders what they’d recommend if you love X, try Y. Here’s how to break out of your cocktail routine—without losing your sense of self.
If You Always Order: An Old Fashioned
Try: A Boulevardier
You love structure, warmth, and a drink that doesn’t mess around. The Boulevardier offers that same confident silhouette—with a richer edge. It swaps gin for bourbon in the classic Negroni build: bourbon, Campari, sweet vermouth. Bold, bitter, brooding. Like a red velvet jacket on someone who usually wears gray flannel.
Where to try it: Maison Premiere or Clover Club.
If You Always Order: A Margarita
Try: A Paloma
You want something citrusy and tequila-forward, but with more lift and less syrup. Enter the Paloma: tequila, fresh lime, grapefruit soda, and a salted rim. It’s effortless. Sparkling. The friend who always knows the rooftop password.
Ask for it: At Leyenda, where they’ll likely add a housemade twist.
If You Always Order: A Negroni
Try: A Sazerac
You’re already on Team Bitter. Let’s deepen it. The Sazerac—rye whiskey, absinthe rinse, sugar, bitters—is everything the Negroni is... with more attitude. It’s drier. Stronger. A little theatrical. The kind of drink you sip while making peace with your contradictions.
Order it: At Angel’s Share or Katana Kitten, if you find a seat.
If You Always Order: An Espresso Martini
Try: A Matcha Yuzu Martini
You like clarity, energy, and a drink that feels like it has an opinion. This swap is lateral in spirit—vodka base, chilled and elegant—but the matcha adds earth, and the yuzu introduces citrus and structure. Think brunch at 10, gallery-hopping at noon.
Order it: At Bar Goto Niban in Brooklyn—or make it at home with our private class.
If You Always Order: A Gin & Tonic
Try: A French 75
You’re a gin loyalist who loves clean lines. The French 75 builds on that with lemon, sugar, and Champagne. Still crisp. But now it sparkles. Perfect for that moment between afternoon and evening when everything feels possible.
Where to sip it: Bemelmans Bar, ideally with live piano.
If You Always Order: A Moscow Mule
Try: A Dark & Stormy
Still spicy. Still bright. But this swap brings in aged rum for complexity. Think ginger, lime, and depth—less beach bar, more stormy coastline. Order it when you want to feel a little dramatic.
Bonus: Add a hit of clove bitters for intrigue.
If You Always Order: A Mojito
Try: A Caipirinha
You like mint, lime, and summer in a glass. Let’s send you to Brazil. The Caipirinha—made with cachaça, lime, and sugar—is more rustic, more punchy, and unapologetically bold. It doesn’t float through a garden party—it dances through it.
Order it: At Miss Favela or home with fresh lime wedges and intention.
If You Always Order: A Martini
Try: A Vesper
The Vesper is still elegant, but with more complexity: gin, vodka, Lillet Blanc. It’s layered. Structured. A little more secretive. The kind of drink that makes you want to start a novel—or end a conversation.
Best enjoyed: With one olive and no distractions.
If You Always Order: A Whiskey Sour
Try: A Paper Plane
Equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and lemon. It’s bright. Bitter. Slightly mysterious. And dangerously easy to drink. You get the body of whiskey, the lift of citrus, and the edge of amaro—all in a single pour.
Pro tip: It’s also a bartender’s favorite. Always a good sign.
If You Always Order: A Cosmopolitan
Try: A French Martini
Raspberry liqueur, vodka, and pineapple juice. The French Martini is softer, rounder, and maybe a bit more sophisticated. Think of it as the grown-up Cosmopolitan’s cousin who works in fragrance and only wears navy.
Order it: At Dante, then text a friend you haven’t seen in a while.
Want to Actually Try These?
At Art of the Cocktail, our mixologists don’t just make great drinks—we create drinkers who evolve. Whether you’re hosting a private event, planning a birthday, or looking to shake up your usual, we design bespoke cocktail classes and mobile bar services that introduce you to new spirits, flavors, and techniques.
Learn to make your go-to cocktail—and its next chapter
Taste your way through styles (bittersweet, stirred, shaken, highball, spirit-forward)
Custom menus for every palate and every guest
You bring the people. We bring the bottles, tools, and knowledge.
Need the Perfect Place to Sip?
Let Morgan at NYC Event Venues help you find it. From industrial-chic lofts in DUMBO to rooftop gardens in NoMad, Morgan sources New York’s most atmospheric spaces for private events of every kind—and coordinates it all with grace and precision.
Together, we’ll help you design an event where every drink is a conversation.
