On Second Avenue in Lenox Hill, there is a bar where the drinks list reads like a short trip to Spain. If you have been searching for a cocktail bar Upper East Side neighbors can drop into without a plan, Boqueria UES is worth knowing. The bar pours Spanish-accented cocktails, vermut on the rocks, sherry from bone-dry to dessert-sweet, and gins from Barcelona and the Balearic Islands, with a kitchen right there to send out croquetas and crispy potatoes.
That pairing is the whole point. In Barcelona, a drink rarely shows up alone. Somebody orders a glass, somebody else orders a plate, and before long the bar counter is crowded with small dishes and conversation. Boqueria was built on that habit, and our Upper East Side home carries it uptown.
Below you will find the signature cocktails from the current menu explained in plain English, the classics with a Spanish twist, a short guide to vermut and sherry, zero-proof options, and simple pairings for every kind of evening. Read it before you go and you will know exactly what to ask the bartender for.
Key Takeaways
- Boqueria UES at 1460 Second Avenue is a Spanish tapas restaurant with a full cocktail program, so every drink can come with something good to eat.
- Signature cocktails from the current menu lean on Spanish ingredients such as Licor 43, fino sherry, white vermut and even paella rice.
- The drinks list goes deep on vermut (served on the rocks or with soda), sherries from Manzanilla to PX, and Spanish gins.
- Four zero-proof cocktails, including the Forget-Me-Not, give non-drinkers a real choice.
- Reservations are recommended, and bar seating is kept for walk-ins, which suits a spontaneous drink.
1. Why Boqueria Works as a Cocktail Bar Upper East Side Locals Keep Coming Back To
Plenty of neighborhood bars make a decent drink. What sets Boqueria apart is that the cocktail list and the tapas menu were made to sit side by side. Our UES location page describes it as a Lenox Hill favorite for spontaneous tapas sessions at the bar, and that phrase captures how most visits start: one drink, one plate, and then a second look at the menu.
Think of it as a Spanish cocktail bar with a serious kitchen. Stay for one stirred drink and Pan con Tomate, or let the evening turn into dinner.
The roots go back to Barcelona. Boqueria’s motto is “Inspired by Barcelona. Forged in NYC.” The first restaurant opened in 2006 on 19th Street in Flatiron, and the idea was to bring the energy of a Spanish tapas bar to New York. The Upper East Side location keeps that spirit, with a bar program that reaches beyond sangrÃa (though the sangrÃa is still here, in red, white, rosé and watermelon).
For you as a guest, that means ordering small is perfectly normal, and the Spanish names on the list (Atxa, Licor 43, Manzanilla) are an invitation to ask questions rather than a test.
2. The Signature Cocktails, Decoded
The signature list is where the bar has the most fun. Cocktail menus rotate, so treat these as examples from the current menu rather than a permanent lineup. Each one borrows something from Spain, whether it is a liqueur, a wine or a kitchen technique.
| Cocktail (current menu) | What goes into it | Try it with |
|---|---|---|
| Negroni Blanco | Ford’s Gin, Atxa White Vermut, Faccia Bruto Centerbe, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, with a paella rice wash | Pan con Tomate |
| Midnight in Madrid | Mezcal, coffee liqueur, Licor 43, mole bitters | Croquetas de Jamón |
| Happy Ending | A clarified Pornstar Martini with vodka, passion fruit, Licor 43, lemon and clarified milk | Patatinas |
| Fino What You Did Last Summer | Blanco tequila, strawberry, basil, fino sherry, lime, clarified milk | Croquetas de Setas |
| Adult Summer Camp | Mezcal, reposado tequila, apricot liqueur, lime, Aleppo pepper, thyme | Patatas Bravas |
| The Briar Patch | Rye, rum, blackberry, balsamic | Angus Beef Sliders |
A few notes to help you choose.
The Negroni Blanco is a white Negroni with a Spanish accent. White vermut from Atxa softens the bitterness, and the paella rice wash is a nod to Spain’s most famous rice dish. If you like a bitter, stirred aperitif, start here.
Midnight in Madrid is darker and smokier. Mezcal brings the smoke, coffee liqueur brings depth, and Licor 43, a golden Spanish liqueur with vanilla and citrus notes, ties it together. It is a good choice when the evening is just getting going.
Happy Ending takes the fruity Pornstar Martini and clarifies it with milk, a technique that gives the drink a silky, clear finish. Passion fruit and Licor 43 keep it bright.
Fino What You Did Last Summer is the one to try if you are curious about sherry but not ready for a full glass. Fino is a dry, crisp style of sherry, and here it adds a savory edge to strawberry, basil and tequila.
Adult Summer Camp mixes mezcal and reposado tequila with apricot, lime and a pinch of Aleppo pepper for gentle heat. The Briar Patch is the bar’s take on a fruit-forward whiskey drink, with blackberry and a hint of balsamic.
3. Classics with a Spanish Twist
Not every visit calls for something new. The classics section keeps familiar drinks on the list, a few of them reworked with Spanish flavor.
Ibérico Washed Old Fashioned. This is the most Boqueria drink on the list. The bourbon is fat-washed with jamón ibérico, Spain’s prized cured ham. Fat-washing means the spirit is infused with the fat and then chilled and strained, so it picks up a rich, savory roundness without tasting like a sandwich. It is a natural match for anything salty from the kitchen.
Shishito Margarita. The menu calls it iconic, and you will find it on Boqueria menus well beyond Second Avenue. Tequila infused with shishito peppers gives it a fresh, green note, and fresh lime keeps it sharp. It is a strong opener next to Patatinas, the sweet and spicy house-made potato chips with whipped miti crema.
Espresso Martini, Lychee Cosmo, Gimlet and Aperol Spritz. These four round out the classics. They are good choices for a friend who wants something recognizable while the rest of the group explores the Spanish side of the list.
4. Vermut, Sherry and Spanish Gin: The Bar Behind the Bar
If the cocktail list is the headline, the Spanish specialties are the story underneath. This is where Boqueria UES feels most like a bar in Spain.
La hora del vermut. In Spain, and especially in Barcelona and Madrid, the vermouth hour (la hora del vermut, or l’hora del vermut in Catalan) is a traditional pre-meal aperitif. People often take it at the bar, pairing a small glass of vermouth with snacks like olives, chips or anchovies, then move on to lunch. It is less about drinking and more about slowing down before the meal. We wrote more about the custom in our post on La Hora del Vermut.
At Boqueria UES you can recreate it easily. The vermut selection includes DestilerÃas Atxa Dry, White and Red Vermut and Casa Mariol Vermut Negre, served on the rocks or with soda. Red vermut is the classic choice: sweet, herbal and a little bitter. White and dry styles are lighter and crisper. Order one alongside Patatinas and you have the Spanish ritual in miniature.
Sherry, from Manzanilla to PX. Sherry has a reputation as something your grandmother kept in the cupboard, but in Spain it is a bar staple. The list runs from Manzanilla, a pale, dry and slightly salty style, all the way to PX (Pedro Ximénez), which is dark, sticky and sweet. Dry sherries are wonderful with fried and salty food, so a glass of Manzanilla with croquetas is a very Spanish move. PX is closer to dessert in a glass and pairs naturally with Classic Churros.
Spanish gins. Spain loves a gin and tonic, and the bar carries three Spanish gins: BCN Gin, Gin Mare and Xoriguer Gin de Mahón from Menorca. Ask for one with tonic for a taste of the Spanish coast on Second Avenue.
5. Zero-Proof Drinks, SangrÃa and Pairings for Every Evening
A good cocktail bar looks after everyone at the table, including the people who are not drinking alcohol. Boqueria UES lists four zero-proof cocktails on the current menu: A Better NA Negroni, No Fizz Given, SPF Zero and the Forget-Me-Not, made with butterfly pea flower, thyme, honey, lime and ginger beer. They are built with the same care as the spirited drinks, so a non-drinker can order with the same excitement as everyone else.
Then there is sangrÃa, which has been part of Boqueria since the beginning. The UES list includes house-made red, white, rosé and watermelon sangrÃa. A glass is an easy way to ease into the evening, and a pitcher turns any table into a party.
To make ordering simple, here is how we would match a drink and a few bites to the kind of evening you have in mind.
| The evening | What to drink | What to share |
|---|---|---|
| Solo stop at the bar after work | A glass of Atxa Red Vermut with soda | Patatinas and a piece of Pan con Tomate |
| First date | Negroni Blanco and a Shishito Margarita | Croquetas de Setas and Croquetas de Jamón |
| Catching up with an old friend | Midnight in Madrid and the Ibérico Washed Old Fashioned | Patatas Bravas and Serrano Ham Grilled Cheese |
| Group of friends | A pitcher of red or watermelon sangrÃa | Angus Beef Sliders, Patatas Bravas, Pan con Tomate |
| Not drinking tonight | Forget-Me-Not or A Better NA Negroni | Croquetas and Patatinas |
| Sweet finish | A glass of PX sherry | Classic Churros with dulce de leche, hot chocolate or Nutella |
New to the food? Pan con Tomate is toasted bread rubbed with tomato, garlic and olive oil. Croquetas de Jamón are creamy ham croquettes with quince purée, and Croquetas de Setas are the mushroom version with truffle allioli (a Catalan-style garlic mayonnaise).
If anyone in your group eats gluten-free, several gluten-free options are marked on the menu, including Patatas Bravas and Patatinas. Tell your server about allergies before you order.
6. Visit Us in the Upper East Side
Boqueria UES sits at 1460 Second Avenue in Lenox Hill, an easy stop for neighbors heading home and for visitors exploring the East Side. The bar is the heart of the room, and since bar seating is kept for walk-ins, it is the natural place for an unplanned drink.
The neighborhood gives you plenty of ways to build an evening around a cocktail. One favorite plan: take an early walk through Carl Schurz Park, the leafy park along the East River promenade, then head west to Second Avenue for a vermut and a few tapas while the city lights come on. Another: meet friends for a round at the bar, then move to a table for a full spread of small plates once everyone has arrived.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Address | 1460 Second Avenue, New York, NY |
| Neighborhood | Lenox Hill, Upper East Side |
| Drinks | Signature and classic cocktails, vermut, sherry, Spanish gins, sangrÃa, zero-proof cocktails |
| Reservations | Recommended |
| Walk-ins | Bar seating is kept for walk-in guests |
| Private events | Plan cocktail parties and celebrations through our NYC events page |
Planning a gathering? Our events team can talk through private and semi-private options and family-style menus for birthdays, work celebrations and rehearsal dinners.
Prefer sangrÃa? We have a whole guide to it. Read our earlier post on the best sangrÃa on the Upper East Side for more on the red, white, rosé and watermelon pitchers.
Conclusion
The right cocktail bar on the Upper East Side should feel easy to walk into and hard to leave. At Boqueria UES, the drinks are the invitation: a Negroni Blanco washed with paella rice, a savory Ibérico Washed Old Fashioned, a Shishito Margarita with a green, peppery kick, or simply a glass of red vermut over ice the way they pour it in Barcelona. The tapas are what keep you there.
Whether you stop by for one round at the bar or settle in with friends for a long evening of small plates, you will find something new to sip on Second Avenue. See the full drinks list on the Boqueria UES location page, then reserve your table or come by for a seat at the bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Boqueria UES a cocktail bar or a restaurant?
Both. Boqueria UES is a Spanish tapas restaurant with a full cocktail program, so you can come in for a drink at the bar, a full dinner, or anything in between. Most guests start with a cocktail and a few small plates.
Do I need a reservation for drinks at the bar?
Reservations are recommended, especially for tables. Bar seating is kept for walk-ins, so if you just want a cocktail and a bite, you can stop by and grab a seat when one is open.
What Spanish drinks should I try first?
Start with a vermut on the rocks or with soda, such as the Atxa Red Vermut. If you prefer cocktails, the Negroni Blanco and the Ibérico Washed Old Fashioned both show off Spanish ingredients. Sherry fans can explore the list from dry Manzanilla to sweet PX.
Are there non-alcoholic cocktails?
Yes. The current menu lists four zero-proof cocktails: A Better NA Negroni, No Fizz Given, SPF Zero and the Forget-Me-Not, which is made with butterfly pea flower, thyme, honey, lime and ginger beer.
Can I host a cocktail party or group event at Boqueria UES?
Yes. Private and semi-private events can be planned through the NYC events page, with family-style menus available. For parties of 6 or more, a 20% service charge applies, as noted on the menu.
Does the cocktail menu change?
Cocktail menus rotate, so the signature drinks in this guide are examples from the current menu. Check the UES location page for the latest list before you visit, or ask the bartender what is new.