The holiday season is officially in full swing: Lights are gleaming, wreaths have been hung, gifts are being purchased to the soundtrack of clacking cash registers, and there’s that signature chill in the New York air. For those of you looking to get into the holiday spirit, and those who are already in thrall to it, we’d like to recommend some distinctive sipping destinations. What follows are our favorite holiday pop-up bars.
Miracle on Ninth Street | 649 East Ninth Street
Since Miracle on Ninth Street arrived five years ago, it has grown to become one of the most celebrated pop-up bars ever. What started in earnest as a fun experiment in a single, small bar in the East Village has now grown to 80 locations around the world — three of which are only minutes from the One Manhattan Square condos. Don’t miss out on their unique cocktail creations. There’s the Snowball Old Fashioned, which uses gingerbread bourbon, the Christmapolitan, which features elderflower liqueur, and the Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel (Not Made of Clay), which is made from chocolate-gelt-infused tequila. Every inch of the space is delightfully over the top: Wrapping paper, string lights, and ornaments are everywhere. The drinks are great and the vibe is cozy and inviting. All three NYC Miracle locations are open through the end of December.
Clicquot Chalet at Mr. Purple | 180 Orchard Street, 15th Floor
From December through February, the chic, Lower East Side cocktail bar Mr.Purple is transformed into an après-ski resort sponsored by French champagne house Veuve Clicquot. There’s a frozen hot chocolate, a Rooftop Toddy made with spiced rum and hot apple cider, and, of course, a ton of stellar champagne. And the terrace is transformed into an enormous snow globe.
Winter Chalet at Industry Kitchen | 70 South Street
Head south from One Manhattan Square to find Industry Kitchen’s pop-up, Winter Chalet. From November through January, the space is entirely transformed, decked out with life-size reindeer, twinkling lights, garlands, ornaments, and two human-sized nutcrackers flanking the entrance. The themed menu includes a gingernut pizza made with candy canes, eggnog frosting, and gingerbread, as well as a spiked hot chocolate, and a frozen peppermint slide.
Donner & Blitzen’s Reindeer Lounge | 224 Franklin Street, Brooklyn
A quick cab ride over the bridge and up into Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood and you’ll find Donner & Blitzen’s Reindeer Lounge, a space that has four fireplaces, massive Christmas trees, blankets, pillows, couches, string lights on string lights on string lights, Christmas card menus, and an abundance of eggnog. From November through the end of December, one can partake of the Elf Nog, made from Fernet Branca and crème de menthe, or the Nog-Gonna Make It To Work Tomorrow, made with eggnog and aged rum, or the Feliz Navidad, which features tequila, Kahlúa, milk, and cinnamon. The atmosphere is relentlessly cozy and warm, as are the drink concoctions.