MANHATTAN BARS

Highbar

Haven
This 4,000-square-foot bi-level space straddles the line between food and drink destination, but the thoughtful cocktail program tilts the scales toward the latter. High-end tipples include the Jezebel (rose-infused gin with strawberries, basil and Meyer lemon) and Pears and Herbs (cognac, lemon, and pear puree with sage and thyme). For the holidays, try the peppermint truffle: organic Rain vodka infused with mint and bittersweet chocolate. 244 E 51st St between Second and Third Aves (212-906-9066, havennewyork.com)

Highbar
Attractive bartenders mix drinks like the elderflower lime rickey and the açai margarita amid canopied daybeds, striped couches and alabaster candles. An outdoor space may seem more suited for summer months, but the bar stays open all year—heated tents and two levels of indoor rooms keep the crowds coming. Since you were clearly wondering, the oversize, oval UFO chair was imported from Slovenia. There are only three chairs of its kind in the world, and it needed to be hoisted from 16 stories below using a crane. 251 W 48th St at Eighth Ave (212-956-1300, highbarnyc.com)

Inc. Lounge
Three mini TVs loop ’80s rock concerts (Iggy Pop, Bowie) over a dimly lit lounge clad in white, black and red. Friendly young bartenders serve cocktails like the Inc. Julep to patrons munching personal pizzas and filet mignon skewers as they recline on vinyl couches. If you stand close to the black and red wallpaper and tilt your head at the right angle, hidden nude women are noticeable within the elaborate floral pattern. Time Hotel, 224 W 49th St between Broadway and Eighth Ave, second floor (212-320-2984, thetimeny.com)

Le Cirque Wine Lounge
The 2,000-strong red-wine cellar located in the center of Le Cirque Wine Lounge is upstaged by two phenomena that’ll make your eyes cross: statuesque couples sipping $18 martinis and a menu of holiday cocktails (we love the spiked eggnog) created by chief mixologist Bill Ghodbane. 151 E 58th St between Lexington and Third Aves (212-644-0202, lecirque.com)

Salon de Ning
The main draw of this 1930s Shanghai-inspired bar in the Peninsula Hotel is its two terraces, outfitted with daybeds fashioned from ornately carved timber: One provides a Fifth Avenue vista, the other a view of the Hudson to the west. If you can’t stand the cold, come inside for holiday-themed drinks like the Poinsettia (framboise, champagne, and pomegranate liquor and juice) or the tiramisu martini, which will warm your insides with Absolut Vanilia, Kahlúa, amaretto and whipped cream. The Peninsula New York, 700 Fifth Ave at 55th St, 23rd floor (212-956-2888, peninsula.com)

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