Rachel Sugar is a writer in New York.
Meet the Invisible Force Shaping the Modern Backbar
For decades, one studio has quietly been defining the look of the most iconic spirits on the market.
- story: Rachel Sugar
- photos: Nicola Parisi
It’s Après-Ski, Minus the Skis, and It’s Everywhere
The ritual is inspiring pop-ups from Huntington Beach to Brooklyn, proximity to the slopes be damned.
- story: Rachel Sugar
- illustration: Betty Turbo
The New Vocabulary of Nonalcoholic Drinks
“Damp,” “nootropic,” “zebra striping.” The language surrounding the N/A landscape is evolving in real time. Here, a non-exhaustive guide to the current lexicon.
- story: Rachel Sugar
- illustration: Jarett Sitter
The Bloody Mary Breaks Free From Brunch at Last
At cocktail bars and restaurants across the country, the daytime staple has no qualms about staying out after dark.
- story: Rachel Sugar
- photo: Lizzie Munro
Everything Is a Cool New Modern Wine Bar Now
As bafflingly flexible as they are unmistakably distinct, these spaces have managed to recapture the anything-goes romance of simply “going out.”
- story: Rachel Sugar
- photo: Justin Sisson
A Highly Subjective, Rigorously Reported Ranking of Barstools
It’s a prime time to go out for drinks in America. Is it a prime time to sit?
- story: Rachel Sugar
- illustration: Punch
Honestly, What Is Going on With the Aperol Spritz?
TikTok’s prebiotic-fueled, sherbet-topped take on the aperitivo cocktail is not playing by the rules.
- story: Rachel Sugar
- illustration: Lille Allen
How on Earth Did the Hugo Spritz Get Dubbed the “Drink of Summer”?
The pale, inconspicuous early-aughts cocktail has, seemingly out of nowhere, taken TikTok by storm.
- story: Rachel Sugar
- illustration: Lille Allen
How About a Drizzle of Balsamic?
Beyond "Healthy Coke,” the rich vinegar is a shortcut to acidity, whether used in a shrub, reduction or syrup.
- story: Rachel Sugar
- photo: Shawn Campbell
Of Course the Dirty Tequila Martini Is a Thing
Seemingly out of nowhere, the parallel thirsts for tequila and dirty Martinis have collided in a drink at once familiar and adventurous—and altogether inevitable.
- story: Rachel Sugar
- photo: Shannon Sturgis