Nine New Fall Cocktails to Drink Before the Season's Up

These new restaurants and bars are entering their first fall season. Here's what to drink at each one.

by Sonia Chopra@soniachopra Oct 21, 2014, 4:10pm EDT

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Park Avenue Autumn.

| Bess Adler

by Sonia Chopra@soniachopra Oct 21, 2014, 4:10pm EDT

Fall doesn't just mean lower temperatures and changing leaves— it's also the time to bring out new cocktail menus. Today, as a part of Eater's Cocktail Week, here's a look at some of the best of the boozy season from establishments that have opened in the past year. There's hyper-local maple syrup, root beer for adults, and even a tiki-inspired drink served inside a big striped squash. Got another new autumn favorite? Leave it in the comments.

SixtyFive Bar at The Rainbow Room

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This month, The Rainbow Room started serving again after a five-year closure. And with the historic restaurant— first opened in 1934— there's now new bar SixtyFive, open Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to midnight. Here, try the Room With a View ($25): rum, Cointreau, cider, and nutmeg. [Krieger]

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New York, NY

(212) 632-5000

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Empellón Al Pastor

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In mid-October, Alex Stupak and his team opened the third Empellon at the corner of St. Mark's Place and Avenue A. It's the most casual of his restaurants, and has the biggest focus on drinks. While some of the cocktails will seem familiar to patrons of his other establishments, a few drinks can currently be found only at Al Pastor. These include a not-too-sweet and pleasantly spiced agave root beer ($10) with birch-infused blanco tequila and root liqueur. [Nick Solares]

132 Saint Marks Pl, New York, NY 10009

(212) 367-0999

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The Gander

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At Jesse Scenker's The Gander, try the Cold Toddy ($14). A take on the usually hot classic, this version has seasonal flavor staples like Earl Grey, honey, and lemon, plus dandelion and burdock bitters, amaro, and the guest's choice of vodka or gin. [Krieger]

15 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011

(212) 229-9500

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Boqueria

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At the latest outpost of Spanish crowd-pleaser Boqueria, which started serving at the beginning of October on the Upper East Side, there's a seasonal sangria de manzana ($11/$39) made with Basque cider, wine, apple juice, vanilla, honey, and a whiskey-apple puree. [Photo (SoHo location)]

1460 2nd Avenue, New York, NY

(212) 343-2227

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Blenheim

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About the rye Maple Flip ($13) at farm-to-table West Village spot Blenheim, bar manager Jonathan Russell says he uses "maple syrup from the farm, reduced down with fall spices— cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, white pepper, and orange peel, as well heirloom citrus peels." Egg whites add a creaminess to the drink that's balanced out with lemon. [Bess Adler]

283 W 12th St, New York, NY 10014

(212) 243-7073

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Park Avenue Autumn

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It's decorative gourd season, and Park Avenue Autumn is getting in on the celebration with this Mai Chai ($18), a drink consisting of rum, toasted pepita orgeat syrup, lime juice, and pumpkin butter— and an umbrella. But here's the real kicker: It's served in a hollowed out delicata squash. [Bess Adler]

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360 Park Avenue, New York, NY

(212) 951-7111

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Montana's Trail House

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While some of the drinks at this Bushwick bistro have spooky names fitting for the season— "Granny Witch" and the 30-day barrel-aged "Curse Thrower" among them— only a few are new additions to the menu. Try the Cure Light Wounds ($11), a highball of rye whiskey, smoked maple syrup, Fernet Branca, and ginger beer, or the boozier, stirred Natural Twenty ($10) with brown butter bourbon and orange liqueur. [Photo]

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445 Troutman St., Brooklyn, NY 11237

(917) 966-1666

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Featherweight

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Graham Avenue's Featherweight opened last fall in a space adjacent to Sweet Science. This season, look for The Scabbard ($11), a drink made with Pimm's, aged rum, house cinnamon falernum, fresh pineapple juice, and cinnamon and pineapple to garnish. There's also a Manhattan Special ($11) named after the espresso soda: blended scotch, espresso liqueur, coconut cream, and soda with a scotch float and chocolate powder.

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135 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206

(202) 907-3372

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Bâtard

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The drink menu at Batard focuses on classics, and for the season, the bar team has swapped out warmer weather favorites like the aviation and Pimm's cup for an Applejack Rabbit ($13) with bonded apple brandy, orange juice, maple syrup, and lemon as well as the Hanky Panky with gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet Branca. [Adam Lerner]