7 Beverages You Are Likely to Find Only in New York [Videos]

I love New York. There's so much uniqueness here, from the people to the buildings to the food to the drinks. While some of the beverages below can be found in a handful of other places, many of them are exclusive to our great state. I wouldn't try some of them, but a few sound delicious! Let me know if I'm missing any!

Cel-Ray Soda

Interesting...I'm not sure what the appeal is, but hey, I guess everyone has their thang. I'm not a big fan of celery. Actually, I find it pretty gross, so I doubt this is something I would ever drink, outside of a dare. But, if you like celery and for some reason, want it in a beverage form, this sounds like the perfect accompaniment for a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup lunch on a cold New York winter day.

First produced in 19th-century Brooklyn, Cel-Ray is a kosher, carbonated celery-flavored soft drink. Derived from celery seed extract, it is commonly found in Jewish delicatessens in New York City and South Florida. ~ Wikipedia

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Aunt Rosie's & PJ's Crystal Beach Loganberry

I must admit, I've lived in Buffalo for six years and never have tried a loganberry beverage. Now that I know a bit more about it, it's on my list. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, a mad scientist hellbent on making a "better berry" created a hybrid of a blackberry and a raspberry. The loganberry, which the drinks are made from, was created in the 1800s by Judge J.H. Logan in California.

You probably know loganberry as a drink, and if you've never tried it, it's dark red, non-carbonated, caffeine-free, and a "Buffalo thing". Loganberry was originally sold in beverage form at Crystal Beach theme park over the border. The park closed in 1989, but the loganberry drink has lived on as a unique beverage in Western New York and Southern Ontario. You've probably heard of or seen Aunt Rosie's Loganberry, which is owned by Pepsi-Cola. Another popular brand, PJ's Crystal Beach Loganberry, is owned by PJ and Carolyn Davis of Sarasoda, Inc., who both grew up in Tonawanda! ~ 96.1 The Breeze

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Egg Cream

If you don't know what this drink is made of, the name can be pretty off-putting. The drink doesn't have eggs nor cream in it. Talk about misleading.

Old-school New Yorkers know the best spot for a classic chocolate egg cream is Gem Spa, a quintessential bodega in the East Village. ~ Food Insider

The recipe calls for chocolate syrup, milk or half-and-half, and club soda.

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Manhattan Special

I like espresso, I like seltzer and I like sugar, I'm just not sure if I would like a Manhattan Special. Although, I would definitely be more willing to try it than Cel-Ray soda!

Manhattan Special, made with espresso beans, seltzer water and sugar, has adorned New York City store shelves for over a century. Created in 1895 by Italian immigrant Michael Garavuso, the company's petite glass bottles were once carried to market from their Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn bottling plant by horse and buggy. ~ Wikipedia

 

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Mint Milk

I don't drink milk, but this sounds delicious.

Since 1976, Byrne mint milk has been a St. Patrick’s Day tradition. People can’t resist the delicious twist of mint flavor and fresh milk. Experience our mint milk today! ~ Byrne Dairy

 

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Vernors Ginger Soda

Good 'ol ginger ale. The antidote to every childhood ailment. Drink a glass of ginger ale and all your problems would wash away with every swig. OK, I'm exaggerating, but growing up, ginger ale was clutch for a tummy ache. I had never heard of Vernors before moving to New York, but "when in Rome," as they say.

For most of its history, Vernors was a regional product available throughout Michigan and in major regional cities such as Toledo, Cleveland, and Buffalo. It is also popular in Canada, having been sold at Ontario soda fountains from the 1920s onward, and with bottling facilities, soda fountains and outlets located in Southwestern Ontario.[26] It was not mass distributed nationally in the U.S. until the 2000s. ~ Wikipedia

 

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Nutcracker (Alcoholic)

Let's get the party started! A nutcracker is an illegal alcoholic beverage sold in New York City, particularly during the summer. When you are out and about having a great time in the park, at the beach, or on the block, a nutcracker is the prefect adult refresher.

Nutcrackers are illegal, generally homemade liquor & juice drinks sold by New York City street vendors. You might hear bootleggers hawking their wares (shouting "Nutcracker!") at city beaches. ~ Wikipedia

 

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