The latest menu at Seed Library NYC celebrates an important milestone. Opened in November 2025, Ryan Chetiyawardana’s first New York cocktail bar reached No. 66 on the extended North America’s 50 Best Bars 2026 list within just a few months of opening. The new drinks programme builds on that momentum, reflecting New York’s evolving cocktail culture while reinforcing the hallmarks of Mr Lyan’s approach: fermentation, unconventional ingredients such as koji and miso, and a style of mixology that balances technical complexity with broad appeal.
A Collaborative Creative Process
Although the vision bears Mr Lyan’s unmistakable signature, the menu is the result of a collaborative effort developed alongside Alex Lawrence, Managing Director of Lyan Group, Adrian Forde-Beggs, Head of Creative, bar manager Natasha Bermudez, and head bartender Isaiah Sergeant.
The Signature Cocktails at Seed Library NYC
Among the standout additions are the White Sazerac, Omakase Frappe, Freekeh French Martini and Musa Daiquiri.
The White Sazerac reimagines the New Orleans classic with wheated bourbon, absinthe and nixtamalised coconut, introducing distinctive mineral notes while showcasing the alkaline process traditionally used to transform corn, here applied to coconut to alter both texture and flavour.
Designed for guests who favour floral profiles, the Omakase Frappe combines Japanese whisky with jasmine tea, black cardamom, red amaranth and sushi rice clarified through enzymatic techniques. The Freekeh French Martini takes the familiar French Martini in a smokier direction, pairing Islay whisky with raspberry, pineapple and freekeh miso, while the Musa Daiquiri offers a herbaceous reinterpretation of the Cuban classic through rum, plantain mead, herbal liqueur and fresh lime.
Other highlights include the Sunflower Fizz, featuring sunflower seed orgeat and calendula, and the Pink Pear Spritz, built around grapefruit wine and prickly pear.
The Cocktails That Had to Stay
As part of the Mr Lyan portfolio, Seed Library also dedicates a section of the menu to the drinks that have defined Ryan Chetiyawardana‘s career and earned a loyal following across his bars. Eight signature cocktails return.
Among them is the Koji Hardshake, first introduced during the Dandelyan years in London, combining Scotch whisky, miso, lemon and koji-fermented sugar. Also making the journey is the BC3 Negroni, a botanical reinterpretation of the Italian classic featuring gin, arrack, aged honey, vermouth and propolis.
Completing the selection is the Coriander Seed Gimlet, which recreates the bright citrus character of a Gimlet without using lime, relying instead on gin, coriander seed syrup and white grapes.
Low- and No-Alcohol Cocktails
The growing demand for mindful drinking is reflected in a dedicated selection of alcohol-free serves. Rather than creating entirely separate recipes, Seed Library has developed non-alcoholic versions of several signature cocktails. The Boozeless Coriander Seed Gimlet pairs a non-alcoholic botanical elixir with coriander seed syrup, while the Boozeless Omakase Frappe combines a botanical spirit alternative with jasmine tea, black cardamom, red amaranth and enzymatically treated sushi rice.
The Boozeless Pink Pear Spritz blends a prickly pear distillate alternative with sparkling wine alternative, while the Boozeless Freekeh French Martini recreates the original using a non-alcoholic spirit, raspberry, pineapple and freekeh miso.
Together, they reinforce one of the central ideas behind the new menu: thoughtful, flavour-driven cocktails that deliver the same level of creativity, regardless of alcohol content.
Photo courtesy of Seed Library NYC
