The Lower East Side Cherry Lime Rickey
Afternoon Nosh at the Bakery Case
Three o'clock at a Lower East Side deli counter, the lunch rush has cleared, the bakery case is mostly crumbs, and locals grab a stool at a worn linoleum counter and watch the soda jerk perform absolute magic with a high-pressure siphon. For anyone craving a real, tart bite, the Cherry Lime Rickey is a beautifully practical drink, built in a tall fountain glass, that relies on one simple trick: dropping the squeezed lime hull straight into the glass so the essential oils mix with the fizz and sweet, sticky maraschino syrup, creating a complex bittersweet bite. Pour until the seltzer hisses over the rim, give it a quick stir from the bottom, and drink it cold.
Before you start
Combine the sweet cherries, granulated sugar, water, and kosher salt in a small saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring just enough to dissolve the sugar.
Reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes until the liquid is deeply red and slightly thickened.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely.
Strain the syrup into a jar, pressing firmly on the cherries to extract maximum flavor.
Reserve the leftover sweetened cherries to spoon over ice cream, and keep the finished syrup chilled until ready to use for your Rickeys.
Ingredients
- sweet cherries8 oz
- granulated sugar2/3 cup
- water3/4 cup
- kosher salt1/4 tsp
- lime1/2 med
- cherry syrup2 tbsp
- ice1 1/2 cup
- plain seltzer water6 oz
Method
- 01
Squeeze the juice of the lime half directly into the bottom of a tall glass.
The absolute secret to this drink is dropping the squeezed lime hull directly into the glass afterward so the sharp, aromatic essential oils from the peel can steep into the liquid.
- 02
Fill the glass about three-quarters full with the ice.
Crushed or flaked ice is ideal for replicating an authentic fountain drink, but standard cubes work perfectly fine.
- 03
Pour the chilled cherry syrup over the ice and allow it to pool at the bottom.
Start with two tablespoons and add up to two more if a sweeter beverage is desired.
- 04
Pour the ice-cold seltzer water to the top of the glass.
Avoid club soda or tonic water; pure carbonated water without added salts is essential for the clean, nostalgic flavor profile.
- 05
Insert a long spoon to the bottom of the glass and gently pull the heavy red syrup upward in a single, smooth motion.
This upward lift integrates the drink perfectly without over-agitating and killing the crucial carbonation.
Notes
Use the highest-carbonation seltzer available.
Small glass bottles or aluminum cans retain dissolved carbon dioxide much better than large plastic bottles, mimicking the aggressive bite of a traditional soda fountain siphon.
Commercial syrup is an acceptable substitute.
If time is short, skipping the homemade syrup and using a high-quality commercial cherry syrup—like Fox's U-Bet—is a highly authentic, old-school shortcut.