New Haven, CTCocktails

Ordinary occupies the former tap room of the old Taft Hotel, a downtown bar room of carved wood, molded plaster, and a big fireplace that CTbites traces back through a lineage of taverns on the site into the 1600s. Restored to its current form in 2013, it built its name on a serious cocktail program and one of New Haven's deepest beer lists. Come for a classic stirred drink at the long bar and let the age of the room do the rest.

1928 Cocktail Club in Branford leans into a 1920s speakeasy feel, and CTbites' speakeasy guide notes its 2022 founding and a mix of curated classic and modern cocktails with live entertainment. During Negroni Week 2025 CTbites flagged a spread of three to four Negroni variations poured here, a good sign of a bar that likes to riff on the canon. Settle in for a spirit-forward classic, or ask what they are shaking that night and follow the bartender's lead.

Elm City Social put itself on New Haven's craft-cocktail map with an inventive downtown list, and CTbites singled out two drinks. The Rubber Ducky is a shaken hop-infused gin cooler with basil, grapefruit, and lemon, with an actual rubber duck floating in the glass. The Old Fashioned is built on Kentucky bourbon with cherry and orange bitters and a maple-bacon garnish. The menu runs from midday into late night, so it doubles as a dinner-and-drinks room.