As futuristic as New Yorkers are, they have a strong sense of nostalgia and are quick to reawaken the past before it is lost to history. The same might be said of the restaurant and bar scene, where old haunts are being revived left and right. Examples include the storied Hemingway hangout Minetta Tavern and the boisterous Minton's Playhouse. Toby Cecchini's retrofitted bar, which replaces the Long Island Restaurant, a 1960s greasy spoon, is rooted in a revivalist attitude. The cocktail vet, however, does more than just unearth old bones; he gives the joint flesh and blood, creating a totally new person.

• DRINK THIS: A cocktail that was expertly made. The menu replaces the tortas that used to fuel the local blue-collar workers with Cecchini's well honed list of six staple drinks ($12). Cecchini, a real bartender's bartender, is somewhat of a legend in the cocktail-drinking community; in addition to inventing the modern Cosmo at the Odeon in 1987, he also owned and operated the popular bar Passerby until it closed in 2008. Such skills are on display in two cocktails: a tart gimlet with a scorching kick from ginger sliced into the lime cordial, and a stinging but balanced rye-and-Campari Boulevardier.

• GOOD FOR: A buzzy throwback to the 1950s. Even the faded cigarette burns that still cheetah-spot the dazzling Art Deco bar have been kept, along with the original interior's terrazzo floors, Formica walls, and renowned signage. The vinyl barstools, three of which memorialize past owners Emma Sullivan, Pepita, and Maruja Fernandez, are one example of how recent additions evoke the original room.

• THE CLINCHER: A far cry from the days when wharfies went to this corner place for hair-of-the-dog cure-alls, the compact barroom is a thinking man's watering hole with Cecchini's literary attention to detail and a smart, bespectacled audience reading New Yorker stories. Cecchini is as comfortable behind the bar as the diner's lit-up marquee is on that Cobble Hill corner, so it's a classy comeback for both the neighborhood landmark and Cecchini. We wish you both a warm welcome back.

Address: 110 Atlantic AveBrooklyn11201

Phone: 718-625-8908
Price: Average cocktail: $12. MC, V
Opening hours: Mon–Thu, Sun 5:30pm-midnight; Fri, Sat 5:30pm-2am

Clover Club is definitely worth a place on the list of the Best Frozen Cocktails in NYC. Each of the drinks at Clover Club is executed in an artful, tasteful manner with finesse and panache. This season of frozen drinks doesn't make an exception, and neither does its Rogue Wave. The brilliant turquoise head-turner is a blend of white rum from Belize and Jamaica, blue Curaçao, orgeat, coconut milk, pineapple, and lemon.

Intricate tile work, curving leather booths, marble tables, old sofas, and a working fireplace convey the Victorian aesthetic of Julie Reiner's standard-bearing cocktail bar. The focal point of the establishment is the 19th-century mahogany bar, where vest-clad bartenders mix and stir retro concoctions that are conveniently described on the novel-like menu. Pick from elegant punch bowls made of crystal or elegantly crafted drinks that are both traditional and modern. For a round of small meals such assosted cheeses from the nearby fromagerie Stinky Bklyn or fresh East Coast oysters to keep you tethered, place an order of house chips fried in duck fat.

Address: 210 Smith StBrooklyn11201
Phone: 718-855-7939
Price: Average cocktail: $14. AmEx, MC, V
Opening hours: Mon–Thu 4pm–2am; Fri 4pm–4am; Sat 10:30am–4am; Sun 10:30am–1am

Even while New Yorkers enjoy cold margaritas all year long, their popularity really takes off in the spring and summer. The finest in its class is Alma's. The frosty beverage, which is a light shade of lime, combines the sour citrus with tequila, triple sec, and agave. It is presented in a short glass to reduce melting before you can finish it, which shouldn't take too long while you're taking in the view of the city skyline.

Three-story Alma, a well-liked hotspot on Columbia Street's restaurant row, offers upscale regional Mexican cuisine in a fun, laid-back setting. Diners rush for a spot on the rooftop patio (open year-round!) for stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and the dazzling, unexpected beauty of cargo-loaders below, despite the fact that the ground floor bar and midlevel dining area are excellent. Old favorites like the creamy, irresistible guacamole and the fresh, cilantro-heavy salsa are served alongside more upscale meals like the airy, light red snapper with orange sauce known as huachinango a la naranja.

Address: 187 Columbia StBrooklyn11231-14
Phone: 718-643-5400
Price: Average main course: $20.
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 5:30pm-10pm; Fri 5-11pm; Sat 11am-11pm; Sun 11am-10pm

The Sundowner, one of Sally Roots' three frozen cocktails, is reportedly the most popular. Coconut, guava, orange, pineapple, lime, and "All the Rums" are blended together. The bar's special house blend of dark, light, and overproof rums serves as the final important component. The Sundowner "fun sized" is another option; contrary to popular belief, it is a double. Alternately, you might add another All the Rums floater. It's up to you and fate if you choose to do both.

You always feel at home at Sally Roots, a laid-back neighborhood pub and eatery. We want you to feel like you're sitting at Grandma's table, surrounded by loved ones, with our welcoming ambiance and Caribbean American Barbeque, which includes classics like Braised Oxtail and Grilled Jerk Chicken. A variety of fresh juice cocktails are available at the bar, and the relaxing atmosphere and upbeat music will make you feel like you're on vacation as you drink. You will always feel at home and welcome at Sally Roots, whether you are stopping by for the first time or returning for the fifth day in a row.

Union Square has several really excellent restaurants, but the $20 desk-lunch salad places are far more numerous there. The exciting new Tacos Güey is close enough for us to include it in our U-Sq suggestions, being only two blocks and two avenues from the northwest corner of the park.

Among the upscale establishments on chef Henry Zamora's CV are Legacy Records, the exclusive restaurant 423 Park Avenue in New York City, Quince, and The French Laundry in California. His new business is located in the former Flatiron Lounge space on West 19th Street. In its current form, a long banquette is situated opposite a backlit bar that illuminates liquor bottles making them sparkle like gems. The room is lined with exposed brick.

Six different types of tacos with homemade tortillas are included on Zamora's fantastic debut menu. Orders come with radish and lime on a plate that holds two. Carnitas, carne asada, pollo asado, pescado frito, hongo asado, and lamb birria are just a few of the popular dishes offered. The guacamole is perfectly textured and seasoned with lime, the sea bass ceviche is vibrant with gooseberries and chile oil, and the potato and queso flautas have a good crisp bite with a trio of vibrant toppings. Larger plates have a tantalizing chef's selection of meats, hog ribs, and a grilled whole fish of the day, even if it's difficult to resist endless rounds of tacos.

This is a wonderful place to go without regard to dinner plans because the cocktails are also "just drinks" deserving. The This Güey, created with mezcal, Oaxacan rum, pineapple, honey, and mint, and the That Güey, with tequila, curaçao, limón, and tajn, are even two new additions to the frozen cocktail scene in NYC thanks to Güey. Along with beer and wine, other creative and traditional drinks are also offered.

Tacos Güey is open on Sunday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 11:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. It is situated at 37 West 19th Street.

Address: 37 West 19th StreetNew York10011

Phone: 212 991 8222
Opening hours: Sunday from 3pm to 10pm, Tuesday and Wednesday from 11:30am to 10pm, Thursday and Friday from 11:30pm to 11pm and Saturday from 3pm to 11pm

One of the Best Frozen Cocktails in NYC is The Special at Bunton’s World Famous. It's hardly surprising that the pub is intended to have a 1990s club vibe as it is owned by Kareem Bunton, a musician with Run the Jewels, Prefuse 73, and TV on the Radio. It's the ideal location for a dance night out, especially in the summer, with a 1400 square foot terrace and beverages by Lucas Moran from Chinatown's Mr. Fongs.

Although the interior isn't exactly huge, there is a 1400 square foot terrace with rich vegetation that might actually transport you to your preferred tropical location. Drinks will pay homage to tiki bars and the sensual sultriness of New Orleans after dark, but they will avoid the pretentiousness of the current crop of over-concepted cocktail lounges to further demonstrate the unorthodox exoticism at play here.

Despite the ominous display of two pistols discovered during the club's construction near the doorway, this laid-back downtown tavern is more sweet than cruel. When the weather permits, patrons swarm onto wooden seats or congregate on a patio covered in graffiti to down pints of Hoegaarden. Beware: What's quiet during the week may fill up on weekends, just like many downtown establishments.

Sweet and Vicious, a downtown favorite for almost 25 years, serves its seven frozen margarita variants in mason jars with cherries on top. Along with traditional, the strawberry, peach, mango, and guava flavors are made using actual fruit, while the pomegranate and jalapeo flavors are made with infused alcohol. A comfortable area to drink away from the crowds of shopping in adjacent Soho and Nolita is on the patio of Sweet and Vicious.

Address: 5 Spring St, New York10012
Phone: 212-334-7915
Price: Average drink: $7. AmEx, DC, Disc, MC, V ($25 minimum)
Opening hours: Daily 4pm–4am