Borsch, Vodka & Tears

Founded by a trio of Polish expats, this cafe, restaurant and bar has a warm bohemian atmosphere, with candle-strewn wooden tables and gilded mirrors. The menu is apt, offering Polish cuisine and over 100 vodkas from the Eastern Bloc.

The vodka infusions and varietals can be experienced straight up in delicate shot glasses, on the rocks, or made into a fantastic hot-vodka tea. Speaking of tea: if a Bloody Mary is more your cup of one, then try the venue's breakfast and bagels during the day.

The classic and house-created cocktails are well worth ordering and arrive festooned with fruit, which makes it difficult not to want to swap sips with your friends. The relaxed vibe and the quality of the food and drinks even make Borsch, Vodka & Tears worth the walk down Chapel Street on a Saturday night, though you may find yourself waiting for a table.