PSA to all New Yorkers: Christmas is less than a week away.
If that doesn’t make you want to drink, I don’t know what will. Luckily, we are in the midst of another holiday, and this one practically requires you to drink.
That’s right, December 20th is national sangria day!
We don’t discriminate; sangria made from red, white, and rosé all go down the same way.
So take a break from last-minute Christmas shopping and prepare for a Feliz Navidad with the Spanish flavor of some of the city’s best sangria.
1. Sevilla Restaurant and Bar (62 Charles Street)
This place is the real deal, a straight out of Spain, old school spot that’s been around since 1941. Waiters in waistcoats carry heaping portions of popular Paella throughout the small restaurant, but the star is the sangria.
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Served by the pitcher and made fresh to order, the traditional red sangria is strong, sweet, and goes great with their famous shrimp ajillo dish.
2. Boqueria (1460 2nd Avenue)
While Boqueria has other locations in flatiron and SoHo, their Yorkville location offers happy hour, and it includes sangria!
You can’t go wrong with either their red or white sangria for just $5 on weekdays from 3:30 - 7 p.m. If you’re feeling hungry, they offer a $40 p.p. Feast option which includes 4 tapas, 2 main courses, churros for dessert, and unlimited sangria.
3. Sala One Nine (35 West 19th Street)
This place may neighbor Boqueria’s Flatiron location, but it’s an amazing spot all its own. Can’t go wrong with the chorizo or the Manchego, but everything pairs well with the house made sangria.
Their white variation is a patron favorite and their red uses brandy like traditional recipes, but both are great, strong, and fruity ways to celebrate the holiday.
4. Pio Pio Restaurant (210 East 34th Street)
Pio Pio may be more Latin American (Peruvian, to be exact) than Spanish, but they still know their way around sangria. Strong, sweet, and tasty, a $30 pitcher typically fills 6 glasses and goes great with anything from maduros to the Matador combo.
5. Tablao (361 Greenwich Street)
Tablao is a TriBeCa treat that isn’t just a restaurant, but an experience. The name is a colloquial Spanish term for floorboard, and it refers to the display of live Flamenco dancing, which the cozy spot proudly displays.
The strong but not too sweet sangria comes with a show as well, because ordering a pitcher of either the red or white lets you watch the waiter pour in a full bottle of wine.
6. Sangria 46 (338 West 46 Street)
Sangria is in the name, how can it not be good? While it is in the tourist trap area, the restaurant itself is decorated quaintly and offers good quality and reasonable prices.
Oh, and can’t forget about the bar’s eight flavors of sangria!! They have the basic red and white, fruity ones including mango and strawberry-peach, a few Cava varieties, which is a Spanish champagne, and even one called ‘Sexy.’
7. Hotel Tortuga (246 East 14th Street)
Another non-Spanish spot, but you’ll forgive once you check out this East Village Mexican restaurant. The place is no frills, but the portions are big, the prices are cheap (for the area), and there’s even a self service chip and salsa bar.
But the real focus is on the sangria: served frozen, this grown-up slurpee is a dream come true. If you’re feeling extra saucy, you can order the El Tigre, which is frozen sangria layered atop a frozen margarita. Do it.
8. Havana Social (688 10th Avenue)
To continue on a non-Spanish wave, why not check out Havana Social, the closest thing to Cuba outside of Miami.
While the focus here is on Cuban food and coquito shots, the vibrant restaurant serves some strong and flavor sangria, including a red champagne variety.
9. Despaña (408 Broome Street)
More grocery than restaurant, this Basque SoHo staple is a one stop shop for all of your Spanish needs without a flight to Barcelona.
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Their Tapas cafe is BYOB, so pick up a bottle of authentic, straight from Spain red wine sangria in store and then sit to sample everything from their bocadillos to their jamon to their croquetas.
10. Buceo 95 (201 West 95th Street)
Tapas are always a good idea. So are $20 sangria pitchers. Strong and flavorful, the red wine sangria goes well with everything on the menu, and the rosé version is also a crowd pleaser. It’s a small spot, but it makes up for it with reasonable prices and good service.