Drink This Now: Diana's Breakfast at Paper Daisy in NYC

When Cafe Orlin closed in 2017 after 36 years on St. Mark’s Place, the East Village mourned its loss. Now, Paper Daisy is open in the space, with big shoes to fill. Thankfully, Tommy Flynn – a Mother’s Ruin and Drexler’s alum – is at Paper Daisy as Beverage Director make sure the drinks are fantastic.

Flynn’s bar skills are on display in the creatively crafted Diana’s Breakfast, a nod to the former tenant, made with a split base of Torres 15yr brandy, rum, spiced pear liqueur, fig syrup, lime juice, and Greek yogurt.

“The name is a fun pun and a tribute to Cafe Orlin’s signature dish, Diana’s Breakfast,” Flynn tells thirsty. “This drink started with my desire to use Greek yogurt in a cocktail and I needed to add a sweeter component to combat the two acids in the yogurt and lime.”

Rum and Spanish brandy, Flynn continues “are split into a bright tiki-stylee drink with a lot of depth. St George Spiced Pear liqueur was a big influence on this drink. The Greek yogurt adds texture and a distinct mouthfeel to balance out the pear and fig. Torres 15 is a great Spanish brandy that adds a little sweetness while maintaining depth from its subtle nuttiness and was the perfect ingredient to play with the rum.”