Best Lemonades in NYC for a Summer Thirst-Quencher

Summer is officially here, heat included, and the search for a cool refreshment is constantly underway. Ice cream is always a safe choice (see my post on the best ice cream in NYC), but if you are looking for something less heavy—and perhaps healthier —then lemonade is a great choice. I like my lemonade not too sweet, but obviously not  sour. I also hate it when it tastes too artificial—fresh squeezed lemonade is the best! If this sounds like you, then read on! 

Manhattan’s Upper West Side

1) Lavender Lemonade from Bibble & Sip

I’ve mentioned Bibble & Sip on West 51st Street (near 8th Ave) before in my long-ago post about the best lavender lattes in Manhattan. And while this Asian fusion bakery still serves lavender lattes, I’ve absolutely fallen in love with their lavender lemonade. 

As a summer special, the lavender lemonade is of course iced and a perfect thirst quencher. The lavender syrup adds just the right amount of sweetness while still maintaining a clear lavender flavor. Basically, you won’t choke from an over-abundance of sugar! 

I personally like to order a large (24oz), which will power me through the typical afternoon slump—perfect for a cool non-caffeinated work drink! 

2) Lavender Lemonade from Down Under Coffee

Down Under Coffee hides in the Turnstyle shopping area of the Columbus Circle subway station. You can’t miss it near the 58th street stairway exit. This coffee shop boasts quite a few lemonade flavors, but I’ve only tried the lavender lemonade. While a bit expensive, the lemonade is served very cold and has a clear sweet lavender flavor. The sweetness, however, is the maximum that I like—so think of it as more sugary than herbal flavor. 

3) Lemonade from Orwashers

Orwashers is more known as a bakery—boasting bagels, breads, and sweets among its offerings. It has locations on both the upper west side and east side of Manhattan. The upper west side location on the corner of West 81st and Amsterdam Ave. has a nice outdoor seating area, including some shade under an awning—perfect for reading a book! 

For summer, they have a strawberry lemonade special. The strawberry is unfortunately a flavored syrup rather than actual fruit, but the lemonade is a nice fresh-squeezed lemonade. You can also order the lemonade plain. I personally tend to prefer the strawberry version, as the syrup adds a bit more sweetness. 

Incidentally, Orwashers also has a lavender matcha latte as another seasonal special—which means they have lavender syrup! I had an iced lavender latte, which was really good, but I imagine you could order a lavender lemonade too! 

Brooklyn Heights

1) Lizzmonade

The Lizzmonade stand is located in Brooklyn Bridge Park, close to the Brooklyn Bridge and the Ample Hills Creamery. Closed on Sundays and Mondays, it is a seasonal shop—opening sometime in May and closing in the fall (the precise schedule seems to change every year). Lemonade is their main item and can be ordered with varying levels of added sugar. I personally like the “half naked” level, which is in between the middle regular level and the no sugar added level. 

For a small additional fee (something like 50 cents) you can add fruit to your lemonade. Each day the stand will check the add-ones available on a sign at the front. Usually not everything is available, but sometimes you luck out with too many choices! Choices can include blueberry, cucumber, strawberry, basil, mint, and many more. Keep in mind that these additions are real fruit and vegetables, which release juice to flavor the lemonade. And you still have the actual fruits floating in your cup!  I’ve personally tried the strawberry and the strawberry basil. I imagine cucumber mint or cucumber basil would be even more refreshing! The strawberry basil was fine, but that combination was a little odd to me—at least at first taste. 

2) Strawberry Lemonade from Clark’s Diner 

Another strawberry lemonade I really liked was from Clark’s Diner, located on the corner of Clark St. and Henry St.—right across from the Clark Street subway station. This diner has plenty of solid food options and is a popular brunch spot in the neighborhood—good luck getting a table in the late morning on a weekend!  

The strawberry lemonade clearly had real strawberries in it..finely chopped and distributed within the fresh-squeezed lemonade. The lemonade wasn’t overly sweet either! Overall, a solid choice. 

These five choices should give you plenty of options, particularly if you find yourself in one of these neighborhoods. As these places are reasonable walking distance to tourist attractions both in midtown and lower Manhattan, they are perfect stops for a cold summer refreshment. Take a lemonade out to Central Park or enjoy a lemonade on the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn Bridge…it’s your choice!