Springtime lends itself to bright, refreshing flavors. Citrus, juniper, cucumber, celery, and lavender all come to mind. At the following bars, you’ll find cocktails that meet this springtime criteria and more. As a general rule, if you stick with the gin drinks this time of year, you’re going to be pretty seasonally on point.

Though people come to this delicious Thai restaurant primarily for the food, the drinks are nothing to sniff at. The Pimm’s Cel-Ray (a special, so not always on the menu) stands out this spring, and it tastes exactly how it sounds—like a perfect cross between a Pimm’s Cup and a Cel-Ray tonic (celery flavored soda, in case you’re unfamiliar with Jewish delis and Dr. Brown’s sodas). Menu regulars include a Rhubarb Blush, with aperol, gin, lime, and rhubarb bitters, and a Deviation, made with gin, Maraschino Liqueur, lemon, and amarena cherry juice. (117 Columbia St., Brooklyn; 718-923-9322)

With a regularly rotating menu, Dram always has the potential to pleasantly surprise. One of the best this spring is their drink called the Dear Chicago. Stirred and served in a coupe, this drink mixes gin and dry vermouth with the flavors of pear, anise, and celery. (177 S 4th St., Brooklyn; 718-486-3726)

 

It’s Girl Scout Cookie season, so a must-try here is the Samoa. Named after (presumably) the Girl Scout Cookies that sometimes go by the name Caramel deLites, this beverage includes Genever, bourbon, crème de coconut, and cacao, reflecting the caramel and coconut flavors of the inspirational cookie. (55 Irving Pl.)

A clean and classy springtime drink, The West 8th, kicks off the cocktail list at Analogue. With nothing but Reyka Vodka, mint, lemon, and cucumber, the cocktail is as refreshing and light as the season you’ll be drinking it in. A peach-infused bourbon drink, appropriately called the Pêche Bourbon, will also help ring in the spring with some ginger and lemon notes. (19 W 8th St.; 212-432-0200)

More of a social experience, this “speakeasy” lurks behind an average looking coffee shop—you even have to get through a web page for that coffee shop before entering the Bathtub Gin website. If you’re up for a crowd, the drinks here are certainly worth it, and you can even sit in the room’s single bathtub to drink them if you’re lucky. Since this is a gin-themed bar, you can’t go wrong in choosing a spring cocktail. One particularly interesting beverage is the Eagle’s Dream. Shaken and served in a wine glass, it’s a Tanqueray drink mixed with crème de violette, pressed lemon, lemon essence, and egg white. (132 9th Ave.; 646-559-1671)

Bea
Food may be more of the main attraction at Bea, but some drinks here just scream springtime. Take, for instance, the Lavender Monk, which brings together lavender infused vodka with yellow chartreuse, lime, and ginger beer, garnished with more lime, cherry, and a ginger candy. Beautiful and delicious. (403 W 43rd St.; 212-602-1910)

Top photo via Analogue; Two Guns Miller photo via Pouring Ribbons