Restaurant
Unclaimed profileZINC
New Haven, CT · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
ZINC runs a beverage program with real range: specialty cocktails at $16, an Upscale List at $20-25, a separate Zero Proof Cocktails section, and a spirits list that spans Bourbon, Rye, Scotch, agave, rum, and brandy. Wine moves from by-the-glass pours to a bottle list with Champagne and Burgundy, and beer covers local Connecticut breweries alongside imports. The depth sits in the spirits and zero-proof sections.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Zinc's Select, built on the house-select High West Bourbon with blood orange, strawberry amaro, mango chile, and a lava salt rim at $22. For a zero-proof pour, the Negroni Punch combines Ghia Berry, Ghia Aperitif, Everleaf non-gin and non-vodka with passionfruit, mango, and thyme at $14.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Anyone who wants a full spirits list alongside cocktails rather than a short bar menu, and drinkers who want a zero-proof option built with the same attention as the alcoholic list. The beer selection covers local Connecticut breweries and imported styles, so a table with mixed preferences has room to maneuver.
- When should I go?
- Happy Hour brings cocktails to $8, wine to $9, beer to $7, and house spirits to $9, with the bar menu naming a Negroni and a Margarita. The Espresso Martini Flight at $26 is listed as a dessert pairing for the end of a meal.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Specialty cocktails are $16 and the Upscale List runs $20-25. Zero Proof Cocktails are $14. By-the-glass wine ranges $12-45, with bottles $42-410. Beer is $11 per bottle or can, except Kent Falls 'Family Vines' at $22 and Ommegang N/A at $8. Spirits by the pour run $12-60.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The spirits list carries a house-select High West Bourbon barrel, and the cocktail list uses it in the Zinc's Select. Wine includes a Coravin pour of Dominus Estate 1997 at $45, and the bottle list reaches Krug Grand Cuvee and Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet. The zero-proof section is a full six-drink list rather than a token option.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
Three price tiers cover a broad specialty list, an Upscale List, and a Bartender's Weekly Special created by the mixology team. The $16 tier includes Sunrise, Dracarys Elixir, and Romeo Romeo; the Upscale List carries Zinc's Select, Special Smoke House, and Island Living. Happy Hour drops cocktails to $8 with a Negroni and a Margarita.
Menu strengths
- — Specialty cocktails at $16 sit alongside an Upscale List at $20-25 and Happy Hour cocktails at $8, giving the list real price range.
- — Several drinks use named spirits and house-made components, including Romeo Romeo with house-made cherry bitters and orange peel syrup.
Standout selections
- — Zinc's Select — Zinc Select Barrel High West Bourbon, Elsewhere Blood Orange, Daytrip Strawberry Amaro, Flamingo Mango Chile, lava salt rim, $22.
- — Special Smoke House — Banhez Destilado de Piña, Tamarelo Liqueur, Antique Bitter Liqueur, Koval Chrysanthemum and Honey, smoked glass, chili salted rim, $21.
- — Sunrise — Casco Viejo Tequila, Fruitful Papaya Liqueur, Apologue Persimmon, Bitter Queen Thai Spice Bitter, lime, egg white, $16.
Pricing: Specialty Cocktails $16; Upscale List $20-25; Happy Hour cocktails $8; Zero Proof Cocktails $14; Espresso Martini Flight $26
Wine
Wine spans sparkling, white, rosé, and red by the glass and bottle, with a separate bottle list covering sparkling, Champagne, white, red, and last call. A Sommelier Selections section carries tasting notes, and a Coravin pour of Dominus Estate 1997 sits at $45. Happy Hour lists wine at $9 with five named pours.
Menu strengths
- — The bottle list moves from $49 entry points up to $410, with Champagne, Burgundy, and international selections across sections.
- — A Coravin pour of Dominus Estate 1997 Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend at $45 makes a back-vintage red available by the glass.
Standout selections
- — Champagne Krug Grand Cuvee 170eme NV at $325 from the bottle list.
- — Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 2020 at $325 from the bottle list.
- — Dominus Estate Bottled 1997 Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend, Coravin pour at $45.
- — J. De Telmont Brut Reserve Champagne 2024 at $26 by the glass or $102 by the bottle.
Pricing: By-the-glass $12-45; bottles $42-410 on the wine page; bottle list $49-410; Happy Hour wine $9
Beer
The bottled and canned list runs from German Kolsch and California stout to Connecticut breweries and Belgian styles, with a gluten-free cider and a non-alcoholic blonde. Most bottles are $11, with Kent Falls 'Family Vines' the outlier at $22. Happy Hour lists beer at $7.
Menu strengths
- — The list mixes Connecticut breweries like East Rock and Kent Falls with imports including Reissdorf, Samuel Smith, and Duvel.
- — A gluten-free cider from Wölffer Estate and an Ommegang non-alcoholic blonde give the list two non-standard options.
Standout selections
- — Reissdorf Kolsch from Germany at $11.; Old Rasputin Stout from California at $11.
- — Kent Falls 'Super Script' IPA from Connecticut at $11.
Pricing: Bottled/canned beers $11; Kent Falls 'Family Vines' $22; Ommegang N/A $8; Happy Hour beer $7
Nonalcoholic
A dedicated Zero Proof Cocktails section lists six drinks at $14, built with non-alcoholic spirits including Undone Mezcal, Everleaf, and Ghia. Non-alcoholic wine covers a Mionetto Prosecco and a Giesen Sauvignon Blanc, and the beer list carries an Ommegang non-alcoholic blonde. Happy Hour drops the Ommegang to $6.
Menu strengths
- — Six named zero-proof cocktails at $14 use non-alcoholic spirits like Undone Mezcal, Everleaf, and Ghia rather than juice-only builds.
- — Non-alcoholic wine and beer are both listed, including a Giesen Sauvignon Blanc by the glass or bottle.
Standout selections
- — Negroni Punch — Ghia Berry, Ghia Aperitif, Everleaf non-gin, Everleaf non-vodka, passionfruit, mango, thyme, $14.
- — Pomegranate Rosemary Martini — Everleaf Marine non-vodka, rosemary, lime, pomegranate, cranberry, rosemary syrup, $14.
- — Everleaf 75 — Everleaf Mountain non-gin, lemon, organic syrup, Mionetto non-prosecco, $14.
- — Nongarita — Undone Mezcal, organic jalapeño lime, yuzu lime fizz, $14.
Pricing: Zero Proof Cocktails $14; non-alcoholic wine $11 per glass, Giesen Sauvignon Blanc $42 per bottle; Ommegang N/A $8, $6 at Happy Hour
Spirits
The spirits list spans Bourbon, Rye, Irish, Japanese, and Canadian whisky, Scotch, gin, Tequila, Mezcal, rum, and brandy or Cognac, with individual prices on each. Bourbon alone runs more than twenty deep, and the agave, Scotch, and rye sections carry allocated and aged bottles. Pours range from $12 to $60.
Menu strengths
- — The list spans Bourbon, Rye, Scotch, Tequila, Mezcal, Rum, and Brandy/Cognac with dozens of individually priced pours from $12 to $60.
Standout selections
- — Zinc Select Barrel High West Bourbon at $18.
- — Springbank 18yr Scotch at $60.; WhistlePig Old World Rye at $36.
- — Clase Azul Gold Tequila at $45.; Tesseron XO Brandy/Cognac at $60.
Pricing: Spirits by the pour $12-60; Happy Hour house spirits $9
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