Photograph: Talia Simhi

Tea party Chamomile tea may be associated with many things—Grandma, cable-knit sweaters and bedtime all come to mind—but vodka usually isn’t one of them. At Southside Bar (41 Broadway between Kent and Wythe Aves, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-387-4921), the two make unlikely and wickedly delectable accomplices in the Golden Rule cocktail ($8). Bartender and co-owner Murray Tridder’s inspired concoction mixes chamomile Stoli with mellow pear nectar, resulting in a nuanced, soul-warming drink that balances a restrained sweetness with a pleasant alcoholic burn. Tridder and his partner Jay Cutler, refugees from the late and lamented Lotus Lounge, renovated and reopened this elegantly low-key neighborhood hangout under the Williamsburg Bridge last fall. Though Southside’s version of chamomile may not be Grandma’s cup of tea, it’s the perfect way to add heat to your winter.

—Rebecca Flint Marx

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