The NYC outpost of Tokyo's Sushi Ginza Onodera now has cocktails.

Sushi Ginza Onodera is already a powerhouse in the world of NYC sushi spots, having been awarded 2 Michelin stars, the only Japanese restaurant to earn such acclaim in the US. With locations in Tokyo (the original), Los Angeles and London, the Manhattan outpost is a must for its killer lunch and dinner omakase menus. But now, there are cocktails, too.

Under the direction of Beverage & Service Director Yuki Minakawa, Sushi Ginza Onodera – located on Fifth Avenue, near Bryant Park – has not only expanded its wine and sake offerings but has created a brand new cocktail list. Minakawa, having previously worked at some of the city’s top Japanese restaurants including EN Japanese Brasserie and Masa, is a certified sake sommelier and brings her impressive beverage knowledge Sushi Ginza Onodera.

Japanese Old Fashioned (images: Michael Tulipan)

“When I first got my hands on the beverage program, I thought of making a great list covering regions and style best for sushi,” explains Minakawa. “Our cocktail program is inspired by seasonal ingredients and customer trends. I definitely wanted to use mostly Japanese ingredients and sake.”

Standouts from the new menu include the Sunflower, with Amabuki Sunflower Junmai Ginjo sake and homemade orgeat liqueur, The Berry 75, a mix of berry basil, gin and sparkling sake and the Japanese Old Fashioned, made with Nikka Coffey Grain, cherry liqueur and cherry.

Sunflower cocktail

“We are changing a couple cocktails for a more autumn-like list,” says Minakawa. “This is our first draft and I did a compilation of my creations from the past.”

And Minakawa certainly intends to keep things creative – and ever-evolving – at Sushi Ginza Onodera.

“We make our own Ginger syrup for ginger ale or to add spiciness to cocktails,” reveals Minakawa, adding, ”One of our unique ingredients that I haven’t found in many Japanese restaurants is Kabosu,” referring to an ingredient in the Spicy Q cocktail – one of Minakawa’s favorites on the list. “Japanese citrus closely related to Yuzu that is much more common in Japanese cuisine. Kabosu is rich in sourness with a unique fragrance.”

The Berry 75

So what else should drinkers expert from the drinks at Sushi Ginza Minakawa?

“I made a homemade Maraschino cherries and I’m working on to create a new cocktail with it,” says Minakawa, who also created the Sakura using cherries, spicy sake, bourbon, and cherry bitters. “I’m also working on a wasabi martini.”

Kanpai!