NYC's Latest Cocktail Craze: Mexican 'Witches' Brew

NYC's Latest Cocktail Craze: Mexican 'Witches' Brew

Get ready to be enchanted by a new wave of cocktails in NYC! Brujas, a Mexico City bar named one of the best in North America, has landed in Brooklyn, bringing with them a unique blend of ancient herbalism and modern mixology.

Brujas, which means "witches" in Spanish, draws inspiration from Curanderas, or Mexican healers known for their use of herbs. The bar's founders, Gina Barbachano and Bianca "Pipa" Bertoli, are using these traditional ingredients to create offbeat cocktails that are as captivating as they are delicious.

Their recent pop-up at Leyenda, a pan-Latin cocktail bar in Carroll Gardens, showcased the magic of their creations. Using ingredients like squash blossoms, corn liqueur Nixta, and pixtle (the inner nut of a Marney), the brujas crafted cocktails that transported guests to Mexico's vibrant culinary landscape.

Leyenda's co-owner, Ivy Mix, was blown away by Brujas' unique approach: "The ingredients sourced were very specialized ingredients and unusual to find, but there is such a Latin culture in Brooklyn that we were able to make it work," she said.

A Taste of Mexico in Brooklyn

Mix describes the pop-up as a "slice of Mexico" in Brooklyn. The event featured cocktails like the Reina Yara (Mijenta reposado, Galliano, passion fruit and vanilla soda) and The Devil’s Bridge (Mijenta blanco, ruda, peppermint cordial and bubbles), both of which were featured on a recent Brujas menu.

The collaboration between Brujas and Leyenda is a testament to the shared passion for female leadership and Latin culture that both bars embody. Brujas' bartenders will be back in NYC on Oct. 20 for another pop-up at Pebble Bar in Manhattan. So, if you're looking for a unique and delicious cocktail experience, be sure to check them out!