Little Branch

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The third arm of hallowed drinkslinger Sasha Petraske’s empire is a kindler, gentler, larger permutation of its predecessor: The bartenders wear suspenders and many of the old rules still apply (no talking loudly or misbehaving), but Milk & Honey’s pressed-tin aesthetic has been replaced with a warm color scheme of mustard-painted walls and low ceilings made from orange-painted sheets of corrugated steel. An old standup piano occasionally used by jazz trios also lightens up the subterranean location. Yet, although the vibe is looser, the mixology is still rigorous: The staff arrives two hours ahead of opening to squeeze fresh juice, chill glasses, and cut blocks of ice (to keep the drinks from diluting quickly). Name your favorite liquor and they’ll give you an encyclopedic list of old-fashioned cocktails and egg flips that incorporate it. Yes, they may serve the best mojito this side of Havana, but why settle for that when they also make the Trinidadian version: the Queens Park Swizzle. This ruby-colored variation uses bitters to give it a tart, eye-opening flavor. An abundance of booths makes walk-ins a cinch. But for a lesson in libations the true alcohol aficionados will stand at the bar. — Daniel Maurer

Sundays through Thursdays at around 10:30pm catch performances of different styles of jazz, from standards to Brazilian.

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