Yanni Kehagiaras is known for having an innate sense of balance in cocktails, leaning on minimalist builds and high-quality ingredients.
• In keeping with the vibe, what you see is what you get at Stoa. But do not sleep on the food menu, which is helmed by former Nopalito chef de cuisine Joji Sumi.
NICE TO KNOW
Yanni Kehagiaras’ alma mater, Nopa, is a few steps away, and is one of the city’s quintessential restaurants, with a bar and wine program that remain top-notch. If you’re looking for something... weirder, head to Noc Noc, a magical bunker of a beer and sake bar.
NOTABLE AND NEARBY
While Stoa is a bona fide newcomer, especially in comparison to the stalwarts on this list, the bar’s pedigree has made it an instant classic. Opened by the team behind Nopalito (many of whom also spent considerable time at Nopa), Stoa exudes the confidence of a bar that’s been around for a decade or more. The drinks are the work of Yanni Kehagiaras, a longtime San Francisco luminary who is also credited with running the forward-thinking programs at Nopa and Liholiho Yacht Club. Kehagiaras is known for having an innate sense of balance in cocktails, leaning on minimalist builds and high-quality ingredients to achieve nuance over bombast (to wit: outside of called-for classics that contain it, none of the menu’s drinks feature simple syrup, instead relying on liqueurs for balance; garnishes are limited to cherries, olives and twists). Stoa is, in a way, both a trip down memory lane—a compilation of greatest hits from the bars Kehagiaras has led over the years—and, in the context of today’s more-is-more mentality, a timely argument for restraint.
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Built on a base of manzanilla sherry, Stoa’s Castaway (right) is bolstered with small measures of salted Velvet Falernum and green Chartreuse.
Around the corner on Grand Street, Fresh Kills (from Richie Boccato) has been quietly serving some of the best cocktails in Brooklyn for nearly a decade.
NOTABLE AND NEARBY
• When outdoor seating is available, the wisteria-draped garden (book ahead on Resy) might fool you into thinking you’re somewhere between Louisiana and Provence.
• While Maison excels at the A-list classics, look closely and you’ll find lovingly executed takes on B-side hits, like the Yellow Parrot and the Obituary, that make the case for revival.
NICE TO KNOW
The bar at Stoa.
The Sunshine Fix, a fan favorite from Nopa, is a blend of gin, Aperol, lemon juice and Angostura bitters, now on the menu at Stoa.