New York, as is often the case, is the city to be in for cocktails this month, as drinkers are given the new options of film producer Baz Luhrmann’s idiosyncratic bar in the East Village, loosely inspired by the 15th century, and a venue in the same neighbourhood from former owners of the award-winning Two Schmucks.
The story of ‘proven teams branching out’ continues in other cities this February. The minds behind Thunderbolt serve innovative, zero-waste cocktails in the glow of neon light at a new spot in LA’s Hollywood Hills, while one of London’s biggest champions of Tequila and mezcal, Hacha, opens another branch as they close an old one.
Read on to discover the most exciting new bars to visit this month.
The best new bars to visit in February 2025
Schmuck
New York, US
From the brains behind Two Schmucks in Barcelona (but unrelated after a reportedly acrimonious parting of ways between owners and investors), comes Schmuck in the East Village of Manhattan. Bartenders Moe Aljaff and Juliette Larrouy have created a cocktail bar intended to feel homely; ‘the main living room’ is all-seated and offers 12 original and innovative creations influenced by gastronomy, including the FIKA, inspired by the flavours of a cinnamon bun with coffee, and the BLANKA, showcasing the flavours of a classic French winter fennel salad. A smaller room with its own entrance is ‘the kitchen table’, where different pairs of punchy flavours inspire 10 cocktails, such as the Caramelized Apple. The bar itself features Mid-Century Modern, Space Age and Brutalist design cues, plus a patchwork of vintage European furniture. Schmuck is set to be one of the hippest bars to open in 2025 and given Aljaff and Larrouy’s track record, there will be plenty of substance to back up the style.
Open now, schmucknyc.com
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Night on Earth
Los Angeles, US
From the team behind Thunderbolt, a bar voted the 64th best in the world last year, comes a new spot in the Hollywood Hills area of LA that they refer to as a ‘space-age cocktail party’. Neon light abounds in a space where many of the fittings are made from recycled material and the theme continues with cocktails made with zero waste. Drinks include the Disco Nap, a play on a blueberry Espresso Martini, the Blockbuster, a salted butter bourbon Old Fashioned and the Ay! Contact, a twist on a Miami Vice made with sotol. Lounge seating, a DJ booth and a high-quality sound system should make this a place for a great night, as well as great drinks, at the weekend.
Open now, instagram.com/nightonearth.la
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Monsieur
New York, US
Another new cocktail spot joining Schmuck in the East Village is this venture from film director Baz Luhrmann, which has already made a splash after Madonna paid a visit recently. The dark, boho interior with medieval influences (apparently a result of Luhrmann’s work on a film about Joan of Arc) is host to flickering candlelight, classic cocktails and bar snacks, some of which are inspired by pub food from England and Australia – namely sausage rolls, pies and fried olives – and some that aren’t: jamon iberico and croquettes monsieur with osetra caviar. Catherine Martin, Academy Award-winning production designer and Luhrmann’s wife, is responsible for the bar’s gothic aesthetic and sourced some of the bar’s quirky touches, such as the Jacobean revival chairs, tapestries and cardboard suit of armour on display in an aquarium case. For a low-lit drink and possibly some celebrity spotting, this is a good bet.
Open now, monsieurnyc.com
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Bar Julius
Sydney, Australia
This new bar at boutique hotel The Eve in the Redfern suburb of Sydney is open all-day and modelled on the ‘European-style bistros of New York’. You can drop by for a meal at any time but once evening arrives, a considered menu of 11 cocktails comes to the fore, including the Crystal Mimosa, made from vodka, navel orange, Prosecco, Muyu Chinotto Nero and vanilla, the Paddington Ice Tea, which mixes bourbon, marmalade, sourdough, Pierre Ferrand Orange Curacao, citrus and fizz, and the Poet’s Corner, made from Naked Malt blended Scotch whisky, pineapple, Cocchi Americano, sage, Talisker 10YO whisky and gentian. There’s also a long wine list with special bottles available by the glass via a Coravin. The interior is a classy mix of wood panelling, navy blue leather, marble and brass.
Open now, liquidandlarder.com.au/venues/bar-julius
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Hacha
London, UK
Hacha first rose to fame in Dalston after opening in 2019, taking the plaudits for its Tequila and mezcal-based cocktails, including the signature clarified Mirror Margarita. Since then, the ‘agaveria’ has won UK Specialist Bar of the Year in 2022 and 2023, and opened a second bar in Brixton, which it has just announced will be closing after 3.5 years. All is not lost for those drinkers after a taste of Mexico south of the river, however, as this week the Hacha owners revealed that they will open another venue in Bermondsey at the end of February. Set in the Bermonds Locke hotel on Tower Bridge Road, Hacha Bermondsey will have almost 100 covers inside, plus 40 more on a terrace. Nopalito, who were responsible for the foood at the closing Brixton bar, will be in the kitchen slinging tacos to accompany Hacha classic cocktails, plus a selection of new ones developed for the latest venue.
Opens 22 February, hachabar.com
