Liquid aphrodisiacs

CHOCOLATE: Brandied Hot Chocolate | SideBAR

Considered “nourishment of the Gods” by the Aztecs, chocolate has long been acknowledged as an aphrodisiac for containing mood-lifting agents that re-create the same euphoria experienced when we’re in love (or lust). It’s also thought to make women less inhibited (and you thought he was just being thoughtful giving you that Whitman’s sampler).

Aspiring Casanovas, take heed: SideBAR’s incredibly rich brandied hot chocolate, a sensual mix of melted bittersweet chocolate, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and a kick of brandy, amaretto and hazelnut liquor, is a sinful indulgence made even more interesting with the addition of strawberries for dipping, a la fondue. A marshmallow, singed with a giant torch for theatrics, melts into a gooey mass, further thickening an already dense drink. ($8) 

Aphrodisiacal alternative: Looking for something less heavy that won’t sit on your stomach? At newcomer Beekman Bar & Books, the Chocolate Cocktail No. 3 will work like Love Potion No. 9 with its blend of Ron Zacappa rum, crème de cacao, egg yolk and a dash of green chartreuse. Bonus: every night, the bar screens Bond flicks—because there’s nothing sexier than a secret agent in a tuxedo. ($15) 

SideBAR (120 E. 15th St. near Irving  Place, 212-677-2900)

Beekman Bar & Books (889 First Ave. at 50th St., 212-758-6600)