Late Summertime Idylls by the Water

For the past two hundred years, summer in New York has best been spent by the water. “Circumambulate the city,” Melville writes in “Moby-Dick,” and you’ll find “thousands upon thousands of mortal men fixed in ocean reveries.” It’s true: all stripes of New Yorkers (not just men, Herman!) amble along the city’s promenades, eyes fixed on the water’s rippling surface. Frequently—and here’s another thing Melville didn’t mention—a good number of these coastal strollers have a refreshing drink in hand. Back then, maybe a hip flask with a dram of whiskey; now, you’re more likely to see a canned cocktail or brown-bagged beer. It’s no surprise, then, that with the arrival of summer also comes a wealth of seaside watering holes, from beachy burger shacks to boat bars.Illustration by Patricia BolañosP