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Angel's Share

New York

In 1993, Tony Yoshida opened Angel’s Share and ushered in a new era for New York. The bar introduced a generation to then-forgotten craft cocktails, as well as to Japan’s rich drinks heritage. In 2022, the upstairs lounge was forced out of its iconic downtown location; two years later, Tony’s daughter Erina Yoshida reopened Angel’s Share in new West Village quarters.

Transplanted from the original spot’s walls, a mural featuring a cherub-studded cloudscape keeps watch over the 17-seat bar. The legendary cocktail programme – delicately balanced elevations of traditional Japanese flavour profiles – also made the move seamlessly. Stalwarts of the institution's early years are represented through classics like Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (bourbon, aromatised wine, herbal liqueur, bitters, smoke); while new creations, such as the Papaya and Friends (lemongrass and makrut lime-infused tequila, papaya, pineapple, jalapeño tincture, coriander, lime cordial), are already fan favourites.

The drinks may be complex, but the atmosphere is refined and minimalist, with just enough hardwood features to represent NYC. Likewise, the smartly clad staff practice an elegant service, seemingly conjuring libations – as well as some izakaya standard snacks – from the ether. The new Angel’s Share delights in the ethos that propelled its forebearer to fame: the graceful pursuit of excellence.

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