King Cole Bar

It has been said by cocktail aficionados that the King Cole Bar in New York City was the first bar in the U.S. to serve a Bloody Mary after being originally invented at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. It’s this type of history that makes this bar, situated in the posh St. Regis Hotel, so special. The vibe is warm, dark and clubby with sophisticated touches in every corner and, most notably, the famous Maxfield Parrish mural (above), “Old King Cole.” There are few bars in New York that are so timelessly stylish and for this reason, it’s almost impossible to score a seat during prime times after work and on the weekends. Today I stopped in for a mid-afternoon, post-shopping pick-me-up–an impeccable Mimosa–and for a couple hours I felt like I somehow magically jetted to Europe for a midday jaunt. Oh, and if you are looking for their signature Bloody Mary, it’s called the “Red Snapper.”