At the Farm & Fisherman Tavern in Cherry Hill, Childs puts a lot of love and attention into his co*cktails. The bar program director, whose Slow Drinks column appears in Edible Jersey magazine,and Todd Fuller, the restaurant's executive chef/partner, work all year to keep the drinks menu not just seasonal and enticing, but also local and sustainable. A core mission is to fight food waste, and that extends to the bar, where Child's finds delicious uses for everything from fruit pits to vegetable peels.
At Reyla in Asbury Park, bar manager Pat Pipi incorporates a local blueberry kombucha into his favorite summer co*cktail. At Juniper Hill in Annandale, staff incorporates fresh mint from their own gardens.
And at Roosterspin in New Brunswick,Ryan McNulty, bar and beverage manager, looks to both Korean fusion and tiki bars for inspiration when creating new libations for his summer guests.
Bottom line? If you're seeking something beyond the same old mules, mojitos or IPAs this summer, New Jersey's drinks experts are working hard — and thinking outsidethe blender—to satisfy your thirst.
They Call Me The (B)Rambler, Juniper Hill, Annandale
Juniper Hill, located in the Annandale section of Clinton, is all about hyper-local eats. ChefJosh DeChellis often can be found at nearby Two Barn Farm, where he picks items to be used in dishes later that day.
This farm-to-table flair doesn't stop at the food— the drink menu has the same philosophy, including the $12 'They Call Me The (B)Rambler' co*cktail created bybartenders Cole Thompson and Amanda Robledo which, as atake on a classic bramble, is made with Bluecoat Gin, fresh blueberries fromPhillips Farms in Milford (made into a quick jam with lemon zest and a splash of Grand Marnier), mint syrup from staff members' own gardens and a bit of lemon juice.
"Our bartenders have been exploring how to use fresh ingredients in classic co*cktails recently and blueberries seemed like a natural choice because they’re so beautiful this time of year," said Julie Gray, Juniper Hill manager. "Ithas been popular because our guests are finding it to be very refreshing and not too sweet."
If you go:73 Beaver Ave., Annandale;908-335-8905,juniper-hill.com
Old Fashioned, Asbury Park Distilling, Asbury Park
There are few finer co*cktails one can find themselves sipping in the summer— or in the fall, winter or spring, for that matter— than the old fashioned.
Traditionally made with rye or bourbon with sugar, bitters and a twist of orange, this classic drink has become a fine vehicle for the folks at Asbury Park Distilling to showcase their local craft spirits.
At the distillery, you can get an old fashioned made with the Double Barrel Bourbon, the remarkable barrel-finished gin, their classic gin or aquavit, Asbury Park Distilling's take on a classic Scandinavian spirit.
If you go: 527 Lake Ave., Asbury Park;732-455-3935,apdistilling.com.
Resting Booch Face,Reyla, Asbury Park
Shared plates reign supreme at thismodern Middle-Eastern restaurant, where the dinner menu features a dozen dishes– falafel with hummus, labne with pickle rhubarb, duck with lentil puree– that are meant for passing around thetable. ($9 to $15 each, or order them all for $135.)
But you won'twant to share this new summer co*cktail, craftedby bar managerPat Pipi just before Reyla reopened in May after a monthlong renovation that added an open kitchen.His Resting Booch Face is aspritz, a co*cktail made with wine, bitters and club soda.
Looking back:Say hello to Reyla, Asbury Park's newest restaurant
The drink ($10) is a blend of two apertifs, FrenchBonal Gentiane Quina and Spanish Lustau vermouth, then "Peychaud's Bitters is added for a little more depth of flavor and (to) balance any sweetness from the kombucha," Pipi said. "We use the local Fine Health Kombucha,Blueberry Swirl, then top with a splash of club soda and finish with expressed orange."
Not a kombucha fan but looking for a new summer drink? Visit Reyla on Thursday nights, when the bar pours co*cktail flights(four for $20).
Go: 603 Mattison Ave.; 732-455-8333, heyreyla.com.
Tru Blu co*cktail, Farm & Fisherman, Cherry Hill
Bar Program Director Danny Childs' special summer co*cktail draws deeply on New Jersey history, as well as the restaurant's aim to not waste food. It packs a seasonal punch with foragedPinelands blueberries and 100 proof brandy.
"So, it’s New Jersey in the summertime so we went out this morning to forage blueberries from Whitesbog out near Browns Mills and turned them into a shrub to kind of capture the flavor sort of it at its peak,'' Childs said. "We mixed that with Laird’s Jersey Lightning it is an apple brandy from Scobeyville, the oldest distillery in the country.
"We also use our Summer Amaro from 2018, we make one season and each one takes about four to six months to make. This one in particular gets its bitterness from artichoke leaves. It also has Jersey peaches, hops and sumac and herbs from the garden. And we mix that with a little bit of honey, lemon, egg white and the garnish at the end of the drink is dehydrated blueberry and a little bit of pine needles from Whitesbog.''
Go:1442 Marlton Pike East (Route 70 west),Cherry Hill. 856-356-2282;fandftavern.com/
Forgotten Boardwalk Brewing Company, Cherry Hill
Boozy seltzer is a huge trend this year, and Forgotten Boardwalkis first out of the gate with the state's first craft hard seltzer. J’aime was launched recently witha Tangerine Rose with Hibiscus and White Tea flavor. Additional flavors will follow, in cooperation withTavalon Tea of Hackensack.
More:NJ Breweries: Love hard seltzer? Forgotten Boardwalk sends you J'aime
The alcoholic seltzer is brewed using all of the ingredients using in the craft beer brewing process, owner Jamie Queli explains.
J’aime Sparked Seltzer will be available on tap and in cans at Forgotten Boardwalk, on tap at the Farm & Fisherman Tavern, Cherry Hill;Wingcraft, Atlantic City;End of Elm,Morristown;The Mohawk House, Sparta;Midland Brew House, Saddle Brook andThe Office Beer Bar & Grill, Ridgewood, and in cans at select liquor stores.
Go:1940 Olney Ave., No. 100, Cherry Hill.forgottenboardwalk.com/
Mastiha Fresh, Lefkes Estiatorio, Englewood Cliffs
Belly up to the inviting, big and well-stocked bar at this airy Greek/Mediterranean restaurant – or better still – grab a seat on the stunning all-wood patio and utter the following two words: Mastiha Fresh. Then wait for your lovely, refreshing co*cktail featuring Mastiha to make its way to your table. Haven’t heard of Mastiha? It’s a Greek liqueur flavored with mastic, the resin from a tree that grows “only in Greece.” said co-owner Georgia Dumas. According to Dumas, the resin is “very good for your health, especially good for your stomach.” You can drink Lefkes’ Mastiha Fresh for its purported health benefits, but many drink it for its cool refreshing flavors delivered by a generous amount of Bombay Sapphire rum mixed with fresh lemon juice, homemade honey syrup and a thin slice of fresh cucumber. $12
Go: 495 Sylvan Ave.,Englewood Cliffs;201-408-4444, http://lefkesnj.com/
Yacht Juice, Icarus Brewing Co., Lakewood
Lakewood's Icarus Brewing Co. has quickly become known across the state for its juice bombs, that thick and hazy India Pale Ale that's ragingly popular across the North East.
An imperial India Pale Ale introduced in Summer 2017, Yacht Juice is brewed with Citra, Columbus and Mosaic hops, clicking in at 8 percent ABV.
This juicy-yet-mellow ale is an incredibly inviting summer sipper. It's thick and complex without being heavy; rather, its depth will have you reaching for another sample— or maybe another four-pack.
If you go: Icarus Brewing, 1790 Swathmore Ave., Lakewood;icarusbrewing.com.
Pursuit of Passion at Faubourg, Montclair
The Moscow Mule is a perfect summer drink as is – considering that it has lime and ginger and lots of ice. Heck, it’s usually served in a copper mug to take on the cold temperature of all that heady liquid mixture. Faubourg, the swanky French brasserie that recently opened in Montclair, decided to make a Mule that’s even more summery and tropical that the classic, using passion fruit puree. It’s served in a highball glass -- a great co*cktail to drink on Faubourg’s spacious patio on a hot summer evening.
Go: 544Bloomfield Ave., Montclair; 973-542-7700;faubourgmontclair.com/
HarvestPeach Bourbon, Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar, Moorestown
It feels downright virtuous dining at this Moorestown restaurant and wine bar, with its focus on health fare. But don't feel limited to wine. Located at the Moorestown Mall, Harvest puts extra emphasis on seasonal menus, and that extends to the co*cktails. Currently featured on the bar menu isHarvest Peach Bourbon, made with Basil Hayden Bourbon, white peach puree, organic agave nectar and club soda. What could be more Jersey than that?
If peaches aren't your thing, sip a Summertide Gin & Tonic, created with Revivalist "Summertide" Gin, fresh lime juice, organic agave nectar and fresh cucumber. Or order aCaipirinha, a blend of Leblon Cachaça, fresh lime, organic agave nectar and soda. The restaurant also has locations throughout Pennsylvania.
Go: Moorestown Mall, Route 38. 856-581-0044;harvestseasonalgrill.com/moorestown-groups-private-dining/
Skullcrusher, Roosterspin, New Brunswick
Featuring a modern take on classic Korean dishes (Korean double-fried chicken, Buffalo Chicken Sushi Roll and Bulgogi Burger Sliders, New Brunswick's Roosterspin is all about the cutting edge, which translates to their ever-changing co*cktail menu.
Served in a skull-shaped glass and filled to the brim with a blood orange-colored co*cktail, the $13 Skullcrusher is the newest addition to the menu. The drinkmay look intimidating, but "customers say it’s nicely balanced tropical co*cktail that packs a nice punch," said Roosterspin owner Mihae Cho.
Skullcrusher includes watermelon, lime, Plantation Rum,Smith & Cross Jamaica Rum, allspice dram, simple syrup, orgeat syrup andAngostura bitters, Cho said the team at the Korean fusion eatery came up with the co*cktail when they weretoying with various Tiki-themed recipes incorporating watermelon for a refreshing tropical summer drink.
"The original idea spun off of the idea of a drink called the shrunken skull," said Ryan McNulty, bar and beverage manager."With the addition of more elements, it slowly turned into a different co*cktail, with the overflowing crushed ice triggering the name 'Skullcrusher.'"
Go:120 Albany St., New Brunswick;732-545-4500,roosterspin.com
Strawberry-Blueberry Margarita, Tortilla Press Cantina, Pennsauken
Chef-owner Mark Smith is at the Collingswood Farmer's Market every Saturday, serving quesadillas, waffles and breakfast sammys to townies in the borough where his first restaurant, the BYOB Tortilla Press, was one of the first to anchorthe town's restaurant row.
All that time in the market means Smith always knows what's in season and can get inspired by some of Jersey's freshest produce. Right now, that means local blueberries and strawberries adding a fresh twist to the classic margaritas he serves at his cantina in nearby Pennsauken.
Ifyou are diningwith adesignated driver, also try a margarita with a cabernet float!
Go:7716 Maple Ave, Pennsauken.856-356-2050;tortillapresscantina.com/
Frosato, Undici Taverna Rustica, Rumson
Frosé, or frozen rosé (think slushy, for grown-ups),was the drink of summer 2018, but have you tried frosato? What's the difference? Frosato is made specifically with Italian rosé, called rosato.
Find it at Undici Taverna Rustica($15), which serves rustic Italian cuisine alongside a very deep Italian wine list.
Rosé/frosé/rosato/frosato fans can reserve a table at one of the restaurant's two-hour Sunday rosé brunches, which includean appetizer, entree and unlimited wine, frozen or not($39).
Go: 11 West River Road;732-842-3880, undicirestaurant.com.
