Photo Credit: Kelsey Cherry

This week’s cocktail of the week pick comes courtesy of Dandelion, my newest obsession in the West Village — and with good reason. The downtown cocktail bar from hospitality heavyweights Eytan Sugarman and Will Makris (the minds behind Zero Bond, White Horse Tavern, and more) has officially opened at 115 Christopher Street, bringing serious pedigree with it.

The cocktail program — developed by Keith Larry and John Garda — balances playful nostalgia with precision. But it’s head bartender Nikola Stankovic who brings it to life night after night behind the stick. Expect freezer martini service (complete with luxe garnishes), inventive signatures, and spirit-forward sippers with real depth. There’s even a Green Hour ritual dedicated to Chartreuse and absinthe for those who like their cocktails with a little ceremony.

Photo Credit: Kelsey Cherry

In the kitchen, chef Franco Sampogna of Michelin-starred Frevo elevates bar dining with oysters, razor clams, bluefin tuna crudo, and a prime rib-eye steak sandwich that feels decadent without trying too hard.

Design-wise, Dandelion leans cinematic: deep greens, gold accents, preserved dandelions in glass, a dramatic wall of work by Mexican artist Leopoldo Goút, and a softly lit marble bar that practically begs you to stay for one more round.

It’s intimate, transportive, and layered — much like the cocktails themselves. Which brings us to our cocktail of the week pick:  the Nocturne.

Photo Credit: Kelsey Cherry

“The idea behind creating Nocturne,” says Stankovic, “was connecting the flavors that will present it as elegant, silky, yet bold and dark – complementing Dandelion as a concept, as a cocktail bar. Hojicha, as a discreet star of the show, with its roasty, slightly savory notes, goes beautifully with Michter’s Rye, fat-washed with the toasted hazelnut oil. Maple syrup adds body; [it has a] caramelized, molasses-like flavor and only a hint of sweetness to balance out the cocktail. Angostura and Xocolatl/Mole bitters add a layered, spiced undertone, and as a final touch, I’ve used Cynar, an artichoke Amaro, for the depth, and a slight vegetal note. The garnish was carefully chosen to add to the flavor profile of the drink.”

HOW TO MAKE THE NOCTURNE
Photo Credit: Alejandro Ramos

1 dash Saline Solution

1 dash Angostura Bitters

1 dash Xocolatl/Mole bitters

0.25oz Cynar

0.25oz Hojicha/Maple Syrup

1.75oz Toasted Hazelnut Michter’s Rye

Add all of the ingredients into a stirring glass; stir lightly to preserve the flavors, then strain into a rocks glass over a large cube.

Garnish with a skewered sun-dried fig, sliced in half, dipped in maple syrup, and then into toasted sesame seeds, whose flavor profile makes a great connection with the Hojicha

Serve over a large cube in a rocks glass