Typically, the Sidecar at the Ritz Hotel in Paris – home of the original – costs a pretty penny, as the bartenders there use an 1865 Ritz Reserve cognac which is exclusive to the hotel. However, it’s not everyday that you have 800 Euros at your disposal for a cocktail, so I’ve modified the recipe.

For One Cocktail:

• 2 ounces nice cognac
• ½ ounce Cointreau

• juice of half a lemon
• twist of lime

PDT (or Please Don’t Tell) is found underground and through a phonebooth at the hot dog joint, Crif Dogs in the East Village in Manhattan. Once in, you're transported into what feels like a prohibition era speakeasy - dark, mysterious and rife with taxidermy. The added plus here is that you can order gourmet hot dogs that have as much of a twist as the drinks. Jim Meehan, the man behind the bar, concocts potions that are “seasonal, classic inspired, balanced, sessionable.”

From the PDT bar menu: Cranberries are the last seasonal berries available before winter settles into the Northeast. Around Thanksgiving, we decided to use ours to make a classic cobbler, fortified with English gin and a historic style of off-dry Sherry.

For One Cocktail:

• 1 orange wheel
• 1 lemon wedge
• ½ ounce Cranberry Simple Syrup (see recipe below)
• 2 ounces Beefeater Gin

• ¾ ounce Lustau East India Sherry
• 4 macerated cranberries (leftover from Cranberry Simple Syrup)
• mint sprig

Cranberry Simple Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

• 1 bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
• 3 ounces Beefeater Gin

Jim says this is based on the Rosy Deacon, a classic cocktail from the Stan Jones’ Complete Bar Guide. Upon sampling it, a friend suggested he “round it out” which is when the absinthe came in. As he puts it, “The Green Fairy did the rest.”

For One Cocktail:

• 1 ounce grapefruit juice
• 1½ ounces Plymouth gin

• ¾ ounce Plymouth sloe gin
• a splash of St. George Absinthe

Eric Alperin built and co-owns this cocktail lounge in downtown LA which just opened on February 24th of this year. Another hidden bar, this one’s located inside of Cole's restaurant through a secret door at the back. The vibe here is intimate and the drinks are crafted by expert bartenders including Eric himself. Order a sandwich to go at the restaurant and then make your way into the bar.

Like a White Russian that is feeling a touch of the Irish and ready for the holiday festivities to begin.

For One Cocktail:

• dash Aztec Chocolate Bitters
• ¼ ounce Licor 43
• ¼ ounce Zerbenz Pine Liqueur or a high quality coffee liquer
• ½ ounce Dolan Blanc Vermouth

• 2 ounces Powers Irish Whiskey
• a spoonful of whipped cream
• a few gratings of high quality dark chocolate

Created in a fit of exactly what the title calls for...

For One Cocktail:

• 1 ounce fresh espresso
• 1 ounce Grand Marnier Centennaire

• a spoonful of freshly whipped cream

I’ve raved about Church & State on goop before for it’s mind-blowing drinks and delectable food. It looks like the drinks here have come to a whole new level of amazingness judging by the recipes bartender Shana Street has shared. Owner Yassmin Sarmadi tells me it was the “Raising the Bar” mixology competition in LA that really got them thinking outside the box (or the glass). Below are two wintry cocktails and a bonus - The Strumble, winner of the competition.

An inventive update of a childhood favorite; now it's a grownup cocktail in a glass brimming with nostalgia.

For One Cocktail:

• 4 slices of baked apple (cut an apple into eighths; bake with butter, cinnamon and sugar at 320°F for 25 minutes)
• ¾ ounce apple cider

• 1 ounce Licor 43
• 2 ounces Elijah Craig 12-Year Bourbon
• freshly ground cinnamon and nutmeg for serving

This has been a favorite on Church & State's cocktail list and will be great through early winter when pears are in season.

For One Cocktail:

• 4 bar spoons of pear puree
• ½ ounce simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water boiled together until sugar is dissolved)
• ¾ ounce Lillet Blanc

• 2 ounces Silver Tequila
• splash of sparkling white wine
• 1 thin slice fresh pear

The inventive winner of the LA wide “Raising the Bar” competition.

For One Cocktail:

• 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 3/8 oz simple syrup
• 3/8 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur crushed ice, as needed

• a few strawberries, muddled
• a few dashes peach bitters

For Two Cocktails:

• lots of ice
• 6 ounces of your favorite vodka
• 1 cap’s worth of extra dry vermouth (I like Martini & Rossi)

• 1 tablespoon of cocktail olive brine
• 6 high quality cocktail olives (preferably stuffed with pimentos)

Download a printable version of all recipes »

New York’s Astor Wines & Spirits is a great source for some of the more obscure ingredients, and they ship! Check them out: astorwines.com. In London, Gerry’s has all the hard-to-find ingredients for when you’re in a squeeze.