New Years Eve

Champagne, a bitters-soaked sugar cube, and a cognac float — Jerry Thomas's 1862 codification, Angostura Bitters made in Trinidad since 1824.

Gin, fresh lemon, and champagne named for the WWI French 75mm field gun — documented since 1922 and cemented by Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book.

White peach purée and Prosecco — Cipriani's 1948 Harry's Bar Venice creation for a Bellini exhibition, the pale golden-pink recalling the painter's luminous amber.

Champagne and crème de cassis — the sparkling version of the Kir aperitif named for Dijon mayor Félix Kir, who promoted it at official receptions from 1945 to 1968.

Champagne and OJ — disputed between Buck's Club London (MacGarry, 1921) and Paris Ritz (Meier, c. 1925), named for Acacia dealbata whose flowers match the color.

A happy accident that became a modern classic, this lighter sibling of the Negroni swaps gin's punch for Prosecco's effervescence.

The Bellini's ruby-red sibling, honoring the great opera composer with ripe strawberry sweetness married to Prosecco's effervescence.

Absinthe and champagne — Hemingway contributed this in 1935: one jigger of absinthe, iced champagne until opalescent milkiness, drink three to five slowly.

Italy's orange-hued gift to summer drinking. Aperol, prosecco, and soda in the iconic 3-2-1 ratio. Bitter, bubbly, and impossibly refreshing. Spritz o'clock is always the right time.

The "wake me up then mess me up" cocktail that's taken over every bar menu. Vodka, coffee liqueur, and fresh espresso shaken into caffeinated elegance with a perfect foam crown.

The cocktail that put New York on the drinking map. Rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters stirred to silky perfection. Sophisticated enough for any occasion since the 1870s.

The original cocktail, unchanged since the 1800s. Bourbon, bitters, sugar, and an expressed orange peel. No bells, no whistles, just whiskey perfection in its purest form.

Sparkling wine, cranberry, and Cointreau — named for Joel Poinsett (first US Minister to Mexico, 1825–1829) who introduced the Aztec red-braced plant to the US.

Champagne and elderflower in a festive single pour — the midnight toast tradition rooted in the méthode champenoise Champagne developed in the 17th century.

Honey whiskey for midnight — the Times Square ball drop the New York Times inaugurated December 31, 1907, suspended only in 1942 and 1943 for wartime blackout.

Carbonated apple juice — Martinelli's of Watsonville (since 1868) the leading American example, its Champagne bottle allowing non-drinkers to participate in toasts.

All the peachy elegance of the Harry's Bar classic without the alcohol – white peach purée topped with sparkling water

Pomegranate juice and sparkling water — the 5,000-year-old Persian, Babylonian, and Hebrew fruit of abundance symbolism, the ruby color providing the festive visual.

Sparkling grape juice — Dr. Thomas Welch's 1869 pasteurized communion substitute, now the default non-alcoholic champagne stand-in for celebrations.

Dark berry juice and sparkling water — the 2010s trend of butterfly pea flower and activated charcoal creating near-black cocktails that drove social media ordering.

Champagne, cognac, lemon, and fruit — Clicquot and Müller's c. 1816 riddling enabling commercial availability that put the formula in Victorian household guides.

Smoky kielbasa simmered in beer and brown sugar glaze—sweet, savory, and satisfying

Fresh strawberries dipped in champagne-spiked chocolate and finished with gold shimmer

Jewel-toned pomegranate seeds with balsamic glaze on crispy toasts—festive and sparkling

Creamy Tuscan white bean spread with luxurious truffle oil on crispy crostini—earthy elegance

Tender chicken bites coated in fresh herbs and Parmesan—refined and flavorful

Crispy chicken bites glazed with sweet honey and savory garlic—irresistible crowd-pleaser

Classic deviled eggs elevated with truffle oil and chives - familiar made luxurious

Traditional buckwheat blini with crème fraîche and glistening caviar - the ultimate luxury bite

Cool cucumber rounds topped with herbed cream cheese and silky smoked salmon

Perfectly caramelized sea scallops with brown butter and crispy pancetta

A curated board of cheeses and cured meats selected to pair perfectly with champagne

Fresh oysters on the half shell with mignonette and a champagne granita

Paper-thin raw beef on crisp toasts with arugula, capers, and shaved parmesan

Medjool dates stuffed with tangy goat cheese, wrapped in salty prosciutto, and roasted

Sweet lump crab salad nestled in crisp endive leaves with lemon and fresh herbs

Golden choux puffs loaded with Gruyère, the quintessential champagne companion — a Burgundian tradition first documented in a 1571 Sens banquet menu and still made the same way half a millennium later.