Beverage Strategy & Hospitality Consulting
Build a Better Beverage Program From Concept to Execution
Manhattan Mixology provides beverage strategy and hospitality consulting in New York City & beyond, including cocktail program development, restaurant and bar openings, staff training, service systems, profitability optimization, and ongoing beverage program support.
We help restaurants, bars, hospitality groups, event companies, and brands develop beverage programs that are distinctive, operationally sound, and built to perform in the real world.
Strategy. Creativity. Execution.
15+ Years
Hospitality experience across beverage programs, bar operations, events, and guest experiences
200+ Bartenders
Trained throughout our founder’s hospitality career
Opening Leadership
Concept, beverage, staffing, training, and launch experience, including concept to opening at Scarlet NYC
NYC + Philadelphia
Hands-on experience across James Beard Award Winning restaurants, cocktail bars, events, consulting, and brand activations
Built Behind the Bar, Not Just on Paper
Many beverage concepts look great during a tasting.
The real test happens when the bar is full, tickets are printing, prep needs to be completed on time, a new bartender is learning the menu, and every drink still needs to meet the same standard.
Manhattan Mixology brings an operator-led perspective to beverage consulting.
Our experience spans cocktail development, bar operations, openings, staff training, high-volume service, luxury events, hospitality partnerships, and branded experiences. That means every recommendation is evaluated not only for creativity, but for how it will function in service.
We consider:
How quickly can the drink be produced?
Can the team execute it consistently?
What preparation is required?
Can components be batched?
Is the ingredient cost justified?
Does the menu make sense for the concept and guest?
What training and documentation will the staff need?
Does the program strengthen the overall guest experience?
Manhattan Mixology does not just develop drinks — we build beverage programs teams can actually execute.
What We Offer:
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Curated, seasonally inspired, and tailored to your venue’s atmosphere, our cocktail menus offer a unique and memorable experience for your guests.
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Whether it’s a complete overhaul or subtle refinement, we help you create a cohesive and compelling bar program that speaks to your guests’ tastes.
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We guide you in selecting the finest spirits, ensuring quality and variety while optimizing cost-effectiveness for your program.
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Our one-on-one and team training programs enhance bartenders’ skills, from basic techniques to advanced mixology, ensuring service excellence.
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Through detailed analysis and cost structures, we help you ensure your cocktail program is both profitable and sustainable.
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We focus on crafting memorable, seamless guest interactions that embody your brand’s unique luxury identity.
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Continuous support and regular audits ensure your beverage program remains fresh, profitable, and aligned with trends.
Clients
Scarlet — New York City
Bar Opening, Beverage Program & Hospitality Operations
Manhattan Mixology founder Matt Burkhardt played a hands-on role in bringing Scarlet from concept to opening, helping shape the beverage program, bar operations, staffing, training, and launch execution for the Upper West Side cocktail destination co-founded by actor Michael Imperioli.
The opening generated significant media attention, with coverage and appearances tied to outlets including People, Time Out New York, and TODAY, helping establish Scarlet as one of the more visible new hospitality openings in Manhattan.
Behind that public-facing launch was the operational work required to build a functioning beverage program: cocktail development, spirits selection, zero-proof programming, hiring, staff training, service preparation, and opening systems designed to translate the venue’s 1920s-inspired identity into a consistent guest experience.
Scope included:
Beverage concept development · Cocktail menu development · Spirits selection · Zero-proof programming · Hiring · Staff training · Opening systems · Launch execution
Laziza — Brooklyn, New York
Seasonal Beverage Program Development
Working alongside Laziza’s Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant and vinyl-bar concept, Manhattan Mixology developed an evolving beverage program rooted in the flavors, ingredients, and cultural identity of the restaurant.
A Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter development phase included extensive R&D, tastings, menu refinement, final specifications, photography support, and staff training, resulting in a new menu of regionally inspired featured cocktails.
Additional development expanded the program through a collection of traditional sharbat-inspired beverages with both alcoholic and zero-proof executions.
The work demonstrates Manhattan Mixology’s approach to building cocktails around a culinary point of view while translating creative ideas into practical recipes and service systems.
Scope included:
Seasonal menu development · Recipe R&D · Cocktail specifications · Alcoholic and zero-proof development · Batching and prep · Menu storytelling · Photography support · Staff training
Commodity, SoHo, New York
Brand-Inspired Cocktail Development
For the opening of Commodity’s SoHo flagship boutique, Manhattan Mixology translated the fragrance house’s creative identity into a custom cocktail experience.
Cocktails were developed around the artistry and sensory characteristics of the brand, connecting aroma, flavor, presentation, and storytelling to create an experience that felt distinctly Commodity.
The collaboration demonstrates how beverage strategy can extend beyond traditional hospitality and become part of a larger brand narrative.
Scope included:
Brand discovery · Custom cocktail development · Sensory storytelling · Menu development · Event beverage execution
Creative Concepts, New York City
Seasonal Cocktail Program & Production Systems
Creative Concepts engaged Manhattan Mixology to develop a comprehensive Spring/Summer beverage collection for its event business.
The project resulted in 12 seasonal cocktails developed across two collections, supported by photography, specifications, presentation materials, batching guidance, training documentation, and production recommendations.
Because the cocktails needed to work within an event-production environment, development extended beyond individual recipes. Each concept was considered through the lens of preparation, batching, repeatability, presentation, and high-volume execution.
Scope included:
12 seasonal cocktails · Cocktail R&D · Professional cocktail photography · Recipe documentation · Batching guidance · Service standards · Training materials · Production support
The Guthrie Inn — New York
Cocktail Programs, Menu Development & Hospitality Operations
The Guthrie Inn has served as both an operating environment and long-term hospitality partner for Manhattan Mixology.
Work has included seasonal cocktail development, menu strategy, hands-on bar execution, guest experience, venue programming, and the production of private Manhattan Mixology experiences within the space.
That continuing involvement provides an important foundation for Manhattan Mixology’s consulting philosophy: recommendations should work not only during development, but during an actual night of service.
Scope includes:
Seasonal cocktail development · Menu strategy · Bar operations · Guest experience · Event programming · Hospitality partnerships