Frozen
A guide to the best beat-the-heat cocktails in the city right now.
Here we are, at the edge of July, about to dive into August, in full summer. I wish I didn’t feel like the earth had just reached a climate tipping point, but with the fires and the blazing unforgiving heat crisping up cities across the globe, it feels apocalyptic. How to cope? If I only knew.
In my small corner of the world in Brooklyn, I am digging into the joys we have: beaches, oceans and public pools, picnics under shady trees, slow runs in the evenings in Prospect Park, lazy bike rides around Governors’ Island, paddling a kayak on the Hudson in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge, tucking into a cold movie theater to see Theater Camp, reading a page-turner late into the night, when the kids are asleep.
There’s also a lot of time to consider the frozen cocktail, an essential beverage of summertime. Back when I was working in the restaurant business, I managed a little spot in the West Village called Miracle Grill. Maybe you remember it? Great fish tacos and thick and frosty frozen margaritas. Those were a staple of my 30s.
Now the frozen cocktail has grown up a bit since those days. The Frosé movement has given birth to a whole other realm of icy blender drinks. Here are some of my favorites to enjoy in the height of summer.
The Water Lab at Fornino
One of my favorite summertime spots is a pretty simple one: Fornino at Pier 6. It’s got delicious pizza, great drinks, and it’s an easy place to get dinner with gorgeous views of the water and the city. I was there just last week when my friend Karin was visiting from Europe with her kids. Their drink of summer is the Water Lab: Tito’s Vodka, Watermelon, Basil-Infused Simple Syrup, and Lime. It’s as good as it sounds.
The Frozen Mojito at The Rockaway Hotel Pool Bar
The Rockaway Hotel serves frozen drinks poolside, delivered straight to your comfy chaise lounge. If this statement isn’t enough to get you out from your desk and onto the next ferry out to the beach, I think we need to talk. Last year they were doing Frozen Mango Margaritas, but this year they are going the rum route with Frozen Mojitos, super refreshing, frosty slushys made from a mix of Diplomatico rum, lime, and mint. Drink it on the edge of the pool; it’s the definition of refreshing.
The Jaffa Orange at Jaffa
Chef Mike Solomonov has a little neighborhood of restaurants tucked into the Hoxton Hotel in Williamsburg, and it’s an embarrassment of culinary riches with Laser Wolf and K’Far. His latest spot, Jaffa, is an outdoor rooftop oasis, a tribute to the ancient port town just up the road from Tel Aviv. His signature cocktail highlights the oranges of the restaurant’s namesake city with The Jaffa Orange, a frozen drink that will banish memories of the 80s mall favorite, the Orange Julius, with a citrusy mix of vodka, aperol, orange and vanilla. Sip one on the rooftop overlooking the city, dig into a menu of oysters, crudo, octopus shakshuka and pull-apart challah rolls, and you won’t want to leave.
The Frozen Vietnamese Coffee at TLK
You might be leaning into the Espresso Martini craze. It’s a thing, I get it. But if you’re up for something espresso-martini-adjacent, try the Frozen Vietnamese Coffee made with Jameson Irish whiskey, Don Papa rum, fresh cocoa foam, and nutmeg at the veggie-forward Asian spot TLK in the East Village. You’ll get a little coffee buzz and feel 10 degrees cooler all at the same time. Pretty sweet deal.
Frozen Flamingo Frosé and Unicorn Margaritas
It might be a bit of a shock to learn that a Manhattan beer garden is serving some of the best frozen cocktails in the city, but this is true. I suppose when you have two outdoor gardens, like the folks at Loreley Beer Garden have, you kind of need a good frozen cocktail game. Loreley not only does Frosé (a blend of rosé, vodka and fresh pureed strawberries), but also Frozen Margaritas decorated like a summer holiday with a pineapple wedge, cherry, and umbrella. They’re also doing two cocktails served in inflated floats. There’s a Flamingo Frosé, a large Frosé served in an inflatable flamingo that you get to keep, or the Unicorn Frozen Margarita, a large blue Frozen Margarita in an inflatable unicorn! Both are available now at their Margarita Beach Club pop-up running through September 10th.
The Frozen Smoky Melon at The Roof at Park South
The ROOF at Park South has some of the best views of Manhattan’s skyline. They also have a full-on Frozen Cocktail Program, curated by Beverage Director Ivan Papic (formerly of Balthazar, Pastis, and Macao Trading Co.) Ivan is making four frozen cocktails this summer: his Famous Froze—Rosé, Singani 63, raspberry simple syrup, and lime); the Spicy Margarita—Hornitos blanco tequila, piri-piri infused agave, and lime; the Passion Fruit Daiquiri—Plantation rum, passion fruit, and lime; and the Smoky Melon—Watermelon-infused vodka, Creyente Joven Mezcal, agave, watermelon purée, and lime. Bring a crew of friends and get one of each.