A Classic New York City Cocktail? It’s High Time You Considered Queens

New York City is one of the most esteemed cocktail destinations in the world — yet there’s only one borough that people really talk about when it comes time for a World’s 50 Best Bars list or an Instagram-viral Dirty Martini of the week.

We are, of course, talking about Manhattan, an island synonymous with Times Square, the Empire State Building and a world-famous cocktail made up of rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and aromatic bitters. Manhattan has rightfully earned its reputation as the beating heart of the Big Apple (or at least, its most central one), so it should come as no surprise that downtown hotspots like Superbueno and Double Chicken Please are top of the agenda when drink lovers make their pilgrimage to the city.

But any New Yorker would tell you that Manhattan is only one small piece of the story. Today, we suggest looking eastward to Queens, a borough of over two million residents widely considered to be the most ethnically and linguistically diverse urban area on Earth.

The question of Queens mixology culture was at the front of our minds when we visited Upstairs Cocktail Bar. A snug, almost speakeasy-like hideaway perched above a Korean fried chicken restaurant, Upstairs is one of dozens of bars in the maximally diverse neighborhood of Jackson Heights, the so-called global town square thought to be home to at least 160 different languages. On its left, Upstairs is flanked by a bicycle repair shop and a Chinese takeout spot; on its right, a mosque and a railroad.

Co-owner and head bartender Lee Floersch says that Upstairs fits right into the crowd, even as it tackles a new kind of experience in a neighborhood where seemingly everything is at finger’s grasp.

“Jackson Heights is arguably the most diverse ZIP Code in the U.S., and perhaps the world, with nearly every cuisine imaginable,” Floersch told us. “But finding a bar where you could get an Old Fashioned, a Manhattan, a Paper Plane, or even a well-made Martini was a bridge too far — to Manhattan. And if you wanted to enjoy a cocktail in a space where you could chat with friends without loud music drowning out the conversation, you were out of luck.”

Upstairs Cocktail Bar

To that end, Upstairs offers classic and modern classic cocktails in a cozy, old New York salon-style atmosphere refurbished with a splash of Tim Burton. Red, yellow and purple lights illuminate a menagerie of liquor bottles and decorations lining its wall. A knight’s helmet sits atop a vintage refrigerator; antique books nestle between Greek busts and miniature clocks.

We started the night with the Kentucky Cuttle, an Old Fashioned riff built around Redemption Rye and a housemade squid ink shrub. Poured into a rocks glass, it was only a couple of shades shy of pitch black. Bartender Shawn Parr explained that they created the recipe a couple of years back in celebration of Halloween. Regulars liked it, so the drink stayed.

Upstairs’ other cocktails range the gamut from playful reinvention to one-of-a-kind spectacle. My neighbor ordered an Espresso Martini topped with dalgona whipped coffee foam, the fluffed instant espresso mix that was all the rage on social media in 2021. Another guest partook in the Cherry Soda, a nostalgic sucker punch of vodka, maraschino liqueur, lemon and grenadine lined with a citric acid rim.

The Kentucky Cuttle

One menu item is listed only as the “Dealer’s Choice.” After a quick chat about preferences, the bartender served us a Branca Menta shot reimagined through the lens of a menthol cigarette. Not for everyone, perhaps, but completely delicious.

From its decor to its cocktails, Upstairs presents an eclectic mix of influences, brought to life by a hospitality veteran who can pull liberally from the best of the best. Floersch has spent his career at some of New York’s most recognizable institutions, including The Hudson River Club, Danny Meyer’s Tabla, Palladin at The Time, Fireman Hospitality’s Times Square flagship Bond 45 and the venerable Jean George, where he served as a back and front waiter.

“What really distinguishes Upstairs is that we’re first and foremost a neighborhood bar without the pretensions often associated with cocktail culture. We prioritize great cocktails, conversation and connection over distractions,” Floersch added.

“We’re happy to explain the menu or tailor a drink to their palate because we simply want them to enjoy the experience. At the same time, our cocktails are made with the same care and precision you’d expect from a first-rate cocktail bar. We’ve brought a serious cocktail program to Jackson Heights, and now you don’t need to cross a bridge or tunnel for a great cocktail, unless, of course, you’re coming to Queens.”

A recent VinePair article found that Manhattan has seven cocktails named after its various neighborhoods, spanning the gin- and pineapple-forward Harlem, the cherry-garnished Little Italy and the oddly specific East Village Athletic Club, a spin on the margarita that swaps lime juice for lemon and yellow Chartreuse. From the shipping docks of Red Hook to the brownstones of Cobble Hill, Brooklyn lays claim to at least ten neighborhood-specific tipples. The Bronx is believed to have been invented at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in the decades leading up to Prohibition, and even the Staten Island Ferry has its very own piña colada riff.

Excluding a 1930s-era recipe that was most likely named in honor of royalty, not boroughship, Queens has none. At Upstairs Cocktail Bar, it feels like that glaring omission may be fixed sooner rather than later.

Find Upstairs Cocktail Bar on the second floor of 71-22 Roosevelt Ave