Robert Simonson writes about cocktails, spirits and bars for the New York Times. He is the author of The Old-Fashioned: The Story of the World's First Classic Cocktail (2014), A Proper Drink (2016) and 3-Ingredient Cocktails: An Opinionated Guide to the Most Enduring Drinks in the Cocktail Canon (2017).
Robert Simonson
Contributing Editor
The Newest Bartender Obsession: Mellow Corn
Previously unknown outside of Kentucky, Mellow Corn has become the latest bartender obsession—thanks, in large part, to its hokey label.
- story: Robert Simonson
- photo: MyBottleShop
The Mystery of the London-Style Old-Fashioned
While the Old-Fashioned experienced a dark age during the 1990s, London managed to uphold its unique—and slightly mysterious—preparation of the drink. Robert Simonson on Britain's odd interpretation of the American…
- story: Robert Simonson
- photo: Daniel Krieger
A Tour of NYC’s Historic Barroom Diaspora
For 25 years, Robert Simonson has catalogued the vestiges of New York's bygone taprooms—from neon signs to murals to bar counters themselves—proving that many bars come and go, but some…
- story: Robert Simonson
- photo: The St. Regis
Boomerang: The Secret World of Messengered Cocktails
"The first rule of boomerangs is that you don't talk about boomerangs." Robert Simonson digs into the bartender's secret ritual of covertly messengering cocktails from bar to bar via trusted…
- story: Robert Simonson
- photo: Punch Staff
The Old-Fashioned Is New Again
The Old-Fashioned is one of America's oldest cocktails, but it's never felt more new. Robert Simonson offers a peek into the drink's past and modern rebirth.
- story: Robert Simonson
- photo: Daniel Krieger
The Magic and Mythology of the Mint Julep
From building bonds between lawmen and lawbreakers to curing babies, the Mint Julep's reputation precedes it. Robert Simonson offers an ode to the mythology of America's most storied drink.
- story: Robert Simonson
- photo: Daniel Krieger
Reports of Tiki’s Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
In all of its unabashed kitsch, it's easy to dismiss tiki as a category of drinks chronically prone to passing fad. Robert Simonson makes a case for the opposite and…
- story: Robert Simonson
- photo: Daniel Krieger
