Wine

Drink Here Now: A Little Taste of New York City Cocktail Culture With This Overstory Collab

Sip a collection of limited-edition, straight-from-NYC cocktails at the Fairmont Lobby Lounge until mid-September.

By Stacey McLachlan /

The Overstory bar in New York is a place of legend for fans of mixology. Located on the 64th floor of an Art Deco-glam Financial District building, the room overlooks the bustling city below and the 360-degree view makes the sophisticated sips all the better.

But you know what’s cheaper than a flight to New York? And easier on the vertigo than travelling 64 storeys up? Drinking those gorgeous NYC cocktails right here in our fair city.

Overstory has collaborated with Fairmont Pacific Rim bar program director Grant Sceney to bring a selection of their fan-favourite drinks to the hotel bar and summer pop-up patio. On the menu, you’ll also find just-for-us Vancouver-inspired selections, too. But whether you’re leaning east coast or west coast with your libations, they are all something special.

easy moneyEasy Money. Credit: Natalie Black. 

The Easy Money ($20) muddles vodka with fresh coconut, yuzu, and lime leaf and tops it all off with a little soda-water sparkle for a true vacation flavour; the Celibataire ($20, French for, and we’re paraphrasing here, ‘singleton getting her groove back’) is a sophisticated, savoury sipper, with cardamom and rosemary bringing a warmth and depth to a deliciously bitter Aperol-and-grapefruit base. You’ll also find oh-so-summery picks like the Sakura Sangria ($20), made with cherry blossom brandy and rosé, and the oddly refreshing Captain Kidd ($22), a take on a Michelada that swirls dill tequila and mezcal into a lemony lager.

Any one of these cocktails pairs beautifully with the lobby lounge’s happy-hour-ready menu of shareables, which are all charmingly accessible—we’re partial to the hearty cheese dip with crunchy housemade tortilla chips, or the plump shrimp dumplings—considering the upscale setting.

martiniGyokuro martini. Credit: Natalie Black

After such a long pandemic break, Lobby Lounge is obviously itching to connect and build community with other foodies—this Overstory collaboration is running simultaneously with a Saga menu at Botanist and a new sushi-chef-in-residence program starring Chef Masayoshi. But, glass in hand, a tray of dumplings in our belly, it feels like anything but overkill. Cheers to the Lobby Lounge’s foodie friends—we hope you’ll stay awhile.

overstory cocktailTerroir Old Fashioned. Credit: Peter Marquez

Overstory x Lobby Lounge cocktail menu runs ’til mid-September
lobbyloungerawbar.com