Amor y Amargo: The Bitters-and-Amaro Bar That Sparked a Revival
Amor y Amargo doesn’t run a happy hour — it’s a tiny East Village tasting room dedicated to bitters and Italian amari, and you come for the drinks, not a deal.
Opened in 2011 by Ravi DeRossi and Sother Teague, it was America’s first bar built solely around bitters and amari, helping spark the US amaro revival. The honest read: it’s standing-room-tiny (about eight stools), spirit-forward, and a destination for serious drinkers.
What to Expect
There’s no happy hour. The room holds one of the city’s deepest bitters-and-amaro collections, and the drinks are stirred and spirit-forward — the 8 Amaro Sazerac (eight amari plus two bitters in a Chartreuse-rinsed glass), the Sharpie Mustache, the Di Pompelmo. It also retails its own bitters and barware. It ranked #23 on North America’s 50 Best Bars in 2024.
The Room
A penny-tiled counter and shelves of amari, famously small — mostly standing room aside from about eight stools — at the corner of 6th and Avenue A. It returned to this original address in January 2025 after a renovation. Two blocks from the 1st Ave L. Crowd: cocktail aficionados.
Who Amor y Amargo Is For
| Occasion | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Amaro deep-dive | One of the deepest bitters-and-amaro lists anywhere. |
| Spirit-forward cocktails | Stirred, complex drinks like the 8 Amaro Sazerac. |
| A nightcap | Tiny, intense, and built for one great drink. |
| Cocktail-nerd pilgrimage | A bar that helped revive amaro in the US. |
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Amor y Amargo FAQ
Does Amor y Amargo have a happy hour?
No — it’s a spirit-forward cocktail tasting room with no happy hour.
What is it known for?
Bitters and Italian amari, and stirred drinks like the 8 Amaro Sazerac.
Where is Amor y Amargo?
443 E 6th St at Avenue A in the East Village, near the 1st Ave L.
Is it small?
Very — mostly standing room with about eight stools.
Happy hour times and deals last verified June 2026. Details can change — confirm with Amor y Amargo before visiting for a specific deal.