The Skylark Rooftop Launches New Cocktail Program in NYC

As winter settles in, The Skylark is leaning into the season with a new cocktail program designed for colder nights, festive gatherings, and skyline views from its year-round lounge, 30 stories above Times Square.

Developed by acclaimed mixologist Samantha Casuga, whose decade-long bartending career includes shaping beverage programs at iconic venues like The Dead Rabbit and Temple Bar, the menu reflects her signature balance of sophistication and approachability. Casuga drew inspiration from The Skylark’s talented bar team and the distinct energy of the space. “They are professional, yet personable, and add an edginess to this Times Square venue,” she shares. “I love that you feel like you are spoiling yourself in the middle of the Big Apple, but also still drinking amongst the locals after their daily grinds.”

The Skylark’s indoor lounge sets the tone for winter nights with plush blue suede couches, rich brown leather seating, glimmering golden lighting, and a striking leather-wrapped bar, all framed by floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing panoramic views of the Empire State Building, Hudson Yards, and the iconic Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. It’s an inviting setting for winter gatherings, intimate nightcaps, and cozy rooftop-style moments.

Casuga describes the menu as a “treat yourself” lineup crafted for the festive winter stretch. “I want guests to feel a sense of celebration,” she says. “These are cocktails meant to be enjoyed with the illumination of Times Square’s iconic lights.”

This winter’s cocktail collection leans into warmth and indulgence with orchard fruits, spice, and Casuga’s signature interplay of fruity, bitter, and savory notes. Highlights include the Bittersweet Old Fashioned ($25) with scotch, amaro, and dark chocolate; the Boulevardier-inspired Brûléevardier ($24) with bourbon, campari, fortified wine and banana; and the nutty, aromatic Funk Off ($23) featuring pistachio, cherry, and Jamaican Rum. 

Fruit-forward and sparkling options like the Pearfect Spritz ($23) made with lemongrass, pear, cinnamon, prosecco,and Honeycrisp ($22) with gin, apple pie, lemon, maple, and prosecco, offer brightness during the darker months. While savory-sweet selections such as Me So Fancy ($23) with vodka, cranberry, ginger, miso and fee foam, showcase the bar team’s house-made syrups, including a cranberry-ginger-orange miso blend created specifically for winter.

Zero-proof drinkers or observers of Dry January will find equally thoughtful offerings, including The Sparkling Apple Cider ($16) blends crisp apple cider with fresh lemon, a touch of maple, and effervescent club soda for a refreshing, lightly sweet sip. The Cran Miso Sour ($18) offers a savory-meets-tart profile, combining cranberry and ginger with umami-rich miso and bright lemon. Rounding out the lineup, the Fig Phony Sbagliato ($18) puts a sophisticated twist on a classic, featuring balsamic and pomegranate paired with a non-alcoholic aperitif for a rich, bittersweet finish.