There’s no shortage of things to do in New York City – unless you are planning to smoke a cigar. Existing cigar lounges are grandfathered in to the smoking ban there – unlike in Louisville – so the few cigar lounges that remain are the only options and no new ones can take their places should they close. Fortunately New York City has a wealth of cigar lounges – so many, in fact, that I recently went to five in one day and barely scratched the surface. Here’s the rundown of four of the great cigar shops in New York that are open to the public.

Club Macanudo
26 E 63rd St.
New York, NY 10065
www.clubmacanudo.com

This was our first cigar lounge of the day where we enjoyed a fabulous lunch, cocktails, and, of course, cigars. One thing that I found interesting here is that there is a fee for men who smoke cigars but don’t buy there, though the fee is waived for women. The cocktails were excellent and the food was great. There are also more comfortable seating options like couches and lounge chairs for those not wishing to eat. There is a dress code here, so be sure you are properly attired before you arrive.

Davidoff of Geneva
515 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10022
Us.davidoffgeneva.com

Located right in the middle of the prime shopping area, this store offers respite to anyone who gets overwhelmed by the bright colors and flashing lights of department stores. The humidor is well appointed and reasonably priced, and the lounge is small but very comfortable with leather club chairs. There is also a fabulous collection of cutters, lighters, humidors, and more as well as pipes and pipe tobacco.

Nat Sherman Townhouse
12 E 42nd St.
New York, NY 10017

Nat Sherman tobacco was founded in New York in 1930. Today it’s owned by tobacco giant Altria, but the townhouse remains a piece of a bygone era in the heart of the city that never sleeps. There’s a members only lounge downstairs and a salesperson will accompany you into the humidor to make your selections, giving you a level of service you don’t often find these days. There aren’t any comfy chairs upstairs, though a few chairs are available here and there. It lacks the conversation circles you would get with club chairs, but the shopping experience is still top-notch.

Hudson Bar & Books
636 Hudson St.
New York, NY 10014
www.barandbooks.cz/hudson

You would be hard pressed to find a more unique place to enjoy a bourbon and a cigar than this. Take a step back in time and relax in the library-colonial mashup space with bookcases and funky chandeliers while enjoying a surprisingly well-stocked whiskey bar complete with great standard whiskey cocktails. It’s a narrow space so don’t expect to get too comfortable, but there’s plenty of room for everyone. There is more of an emphasis on Scotch, though the American Whiskey list still contains dozens of bottles.

Photos Courtesy of Maggie Kimberl