Where NYC mixologists go for the best winter cocktails

Nobody knows cocktails like the people who create them. We asked the men and women behind some of New York’s best bars to tell us where they like to go for a cozy winter cocktail (or two).

Katie Stipe
Cocktail cred: Cocktail director at Vandaag (103 Second Ave., 212-253-0470)
Favorite winter drink: Clement’s Shrub at Prime Meats (465 Court St., Carroll Gardens, 718-254-0327)
Why she loves it: “It is a mix of Eagle Rare single-barrel bourbon, apple cider, fig preserve, cinnamon-bark syrup, and a little apple-cider vinegar served over ice in a Collins-style glass and finished with a little bit of cracked pepper. It’s a very well-balanced winter cocktail that emulates all those cozy flavors for a cold day.”

Tomas Delos Reyes
Cocktail cred: Mixologist at the Standard’s Boom Boom Room (848 Washington St., 212-645-4646)
Favorite winter drink: Peppers & Peach at the Crosby Bar and Terrace (79 Crosby St., 212-226-6400)
Why he loves it: “It’s an unlikely combination of fruit and heat. [I like] Crosby Bar for the same eclectic reason — it’s a mix of art, imagination and contemporary style.”

Greg Seider
Cocktail cred: Co-owner of and mixologist at the Summit Bar (133 Ave. C, no phone)
Favorite winter drink: Asaam Toddy at Fatty Cue (91 S. Sixth St., Williamsburg, 718-599-3090)
Why he loves it: “The spice of anise and tamarind balance out the butteriness of the cognac tea, and the mint adds a great brightness to keep the palette tempted.”

Aisha Sharpe
Cocktail cred: Created the drinks menu at the Breslin (16 W. 29th St., 212-679-1939) and is co-founder of Contemporary Cocktails Inc.
Favorite winter drink: Foreign Legion Punch at 1534 (20 Prince St., 212-966-5073)
Why she loves it: “They have the most inviting atmosphere. It is intimate without being pretentious, cozy without being stuffy, a place where the bartenders are incredibly knowledgeable but will never force-feed their wisdom to you. The drink mixes cognac with chai tea, lemon and blackberry preserve. It is perfectly balanced, with a wonderful flavor combination that is refreshing and warming at the same time.”

Joaquín Simó
Cocktail cred: Bartender at Death + Company (433 E. Sixth St., 212-388-0882) and partner at Alchemy Consulting
Favorite winter drink: Cherry Valence at Clover Club (210 Smith St., Cobble Hill, 718-855-7939)
Why he loves it: “As a huge S.E. Hinton fan, I was sold on a drink named after a key character in ‘The Outsiders.’ Just like Diane Lane — who played Cherry in the 1983 Francis Ford Coppola adaptation — this drink tempers a beguiling richness with bright acidity. Two types of sherry are used, and while both are on the sweeter side, there is still enough dryness on the finish where [it] never becomes cloying.”