Drew and Brittany Fancher, the owners of mobile bar business the Aero Bar Atlanta, opened this cocktail bar and lounge at the Works in June. And it offers not one, but two spots to imbibe. Expect a mix of original and classic cocktails, including takes on the Hemingway daiquiri, the Sazerac, and Tuxedo and cocktails like the Sweet Symphony with gin, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto liqueur, watermelon oleo-saccharum, and lime yuzu FeverTree tonic. Snack on charcuterie and cheese boards, ceviche, lobster frites, and other dishes like meatballs all’amatriciana at the main bar and lounge, or book time in the intimate, reservation-only cocktail bar located at the end of a narrow hallway.

Little Sparrow is one of a pair of restaurants Ford Fry is opening in the former JCT Kitchen and Bar spaces, a sort of companion to his Westside Provisions District steakhouse, Marcel. Now open, Little Sparrow transforms JCT Kitchen into an old-school brasserie with a bar slinging French twists on classics such as a take on the Manhattan in the Pigalle with bourbon and calvados or the armagnac and rye-based La Boheme mixed with benedictine, combier, and chocolate bitters. People who dig the Tiny Negroni at Fry’s Decatur restaurant No. 246 will enjoy the Le Petit Martini at Little Sparrow, described as a “small yet truly exceptional ice-cold” drink made with either gin or vodka. Later this fall, Bar Blanc brings a French-themed cocktail lounge with a prix-fixe food menu to the former JCT Bar upstairs.

The wild success this Atlanta seafood restaurant now enjoys started in Poncey-Highland last year, followed by a second, larger location at the Pratt Pullman District in Kirkwood six months later. Now, a third location is open on Howell Mill Road, having taken over the former La Fonda space. Backed by restaurateurs Skip Engelbrecht and Nhan Le (So Ba, Octopus Bar) and chef Bradford Forsblom, expect a similar menu of fish dishes, ceviches, and sandwiches at the Howell Mill Fishmonger as in Kirkwood. This includes cocktails from Caleb Grubb like the saffron-laced painkiller, a take on an espresso martini made with coffee fruit vodka, and the Kamakazen mixed with Japanese whisky, yuzu dry curaçao, and sake. Poncey-Highland location is BYOB. Howell Mill and Kirkwood locations feature full bars.

Darren Carr and Eric Simpkins closed the Lawrence earlier this year on Juniper and replaced it with Rwby (pronounced “Ruby”), a low-key neighborhood restaurant offering a variety of dishes with broad appeal that also stick to the seasons. Dishes are easily shared, too, like the steamed mussels and roasted carrot dip with garlic confit or entrees of roasted acorn squash stuffed with red quinoa, kale, carrots, and fried oyster mushrooms and tangy Flemish beef cheek stew. Like the duo’s other Midtown spots, Bon Ton and the Waiting Room, cocktails don’t take a back seat to the food at Rwby. However, do expect cocktails here leaning less toward heavy, dark, and stirred drinks and into lighter, brighter, and less boozy concoctions. The Amarcord Spritz, for instance, sees Cappelletti aperitivo and melon rind-infused vermouth topped with prosecco and club soda. But if you’re seeking a Manhattan or Old Fashioned, people who’ve frequented Bon Ton or the Waiting Room know they can get stellar versions of those at Rwby, too. 

Dryver Bar opened inside Yeppa and Co. at Buckhead Village earlier this summer, and it’s definitely vibey, especially if you’re into bright neon lights and Formula One racing set off by Ferrari’s signature red hue. But even if car racing isn’t your thing, the cocktails from longtime beverage director Jose Pereira are not to be missed. Look for a tight list of ten cocktails, some using agave spirits like raicilla, sotol, and bacanora, and with names leaning into Formula One and car racing terminology. The Grand Prix mixes vodka with coconut, cocoa, and a strawberry sphere using the spherification process, which molds liquid into a perfectly round ball. The Paddock Club sees gin and mezcal mixed with St. Germain liqueur and clarified cantaloupe. Dryver Bar also serves classics like the Aviation, a cold Irish Coffee, and a Negroni, along with non-alcoholic mixed drinks and Italian beers and wines. Reservations encouraged.

This dark (emphasis on dark) and cozy cocktail lounge resides above Ladybird on the Eastside Beltline, and like its sister establishment carries a national parks theme in both its design and in its drinks. Expect cocktails inspired by a variety of recognizable American landmarks and natural wonders, like an herbaceous take on the gimlet called the El Capitan, dedicated to the vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, made with sage and cardamon-infused gin. There’s the Kalalau, a nod to the Kalalau trail along Nā Pali Coast on Kauai. This savory spin on the piña colada sees an herby blend of five spices infusing cachaca, which is then mixed with falernum and spearmint and aloe liqueur. The Thunderbolt on the menu is based on a Charles H. Baker cocktail and is akin to a peach julep, complete with pebbled ice. Sporting a record collection of over 300 vinyls, ranging from Aretha Franklin and Elvis to Muddy Waters and the Rolling Stones, you’ll likely need a reservation to get in here for now. Upon arrival, just head to the host stand in the back of Ladybird to check in and someone will lead you up to Ranger Station via a hidden staircase. Reservations highly encouraged.

Located on the second level of the Victorian, Burle’s Bar overlooks the plant shop below and features a selection of cocktails, non-alcoholic mixed drinks, beer, and natural and small production wines. Named for Brazilian landscape architect and artist Roberto Burle Marx, Burle’s Bar channels the vibe and decor of a 1960s cocktail lounge. Expect a menu filled with classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Vieux Carre, and Corpse Reviver, along with tiki-style drinks like the Painkiller, under the direction of veteran barman Ben Richardson (H. Harper Station, Staplehouse). Look for bar bites and snacks from a rotating group of Atlanta chefs to begin soon. Seating is offered at the bar, in the small lounge, and outside on the patio, easily accessed from the Eastside trail. Open Wednesday - Thursday, 3 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Friday, 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Saturday, 12 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Sunday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Low lit and at just 40 seats, this unpretentious cocktail lounge from barman Tim Faulkner (Octopus Bar) and chef Hudson Rouse is a double whammy of righteous food and righteous drinks under one roof. Open Thursday through Monday at One Moreland, pair an amaretto sour, Tuxedo, Corn n’ Oil, or any number of classic cocktails from Faulkner with delectable roast beef sandwiches topped with horsey sauce, a prime rib platter, or Southern snack tray filled with deviled eggs, pickled vegetables, and pimento cheese from Rouse. Order a square of Tarzan’s Delight for dessert — Rouse’s take on his grandmother’s chocolate mousse ice box pie.