The Paper Plane Took Off This Summer: Our Surprise Hit on Long Island

Every season behind the bar teaches you something new. You think you know your crowd — you've served hundreds of events across Nassau County, Suffolk County, and the Hamptons — and then one cocktail comes out of nowhere and rewrites everything you thought you knew. This past summer, that cocktail was the Paper Plane.

We're still a little surprised. But we're also completely won over. Here's the full story of how this equal-parts classic became the most-talked-about drink rolling off the STARBAR NY vintage Airstream all summer long.

What Even Is a Paper Plane?

If you're not familiar, the Paper Plane is a modern classic built on a beautifully simple rule: equal parts of everything. The recipe is:

• ¾ oz bourbon
• ¾ oz Aperol
• ¾ oz Amaro Nonino
• ¾ oz fresh lemon juice

Shake it hard, strain it into a coupe, and serve it up. No garnish necessary. The drink was created by bartender Sam Ross around 2007 and named after the M.I.A. song — and while it's been a bar industry darling for years, it hadn't really broken through to the broader Long Island event crowd. Until this summer.

How It Started: One Request That Turned Into Many

It began at a late-June backyard wedding in the Hamptons. A guest walked up to the Airstream, clearly someone who knew their way around a cocktail menu, and asked our bartender for a Paper Plane. We made it. A few people nearby noticed the deep amber-orange color in that coupe glass, asked what it was, and suddenly we were making a round. Then another round.

By the end of that evening, it had become the unofficial signature cocktail of a wedding that hadn't planned on having one at all.

After that, we started keeping Amaro Nonino stocked as a standard — not just a special request item. And event after event, from corporate parties in Garden City to milestone birthday celebrations in Montauk, the Paper Plane kept showing up. Guests were either asking for it by name or discovering it through word of mouth from someone who'd had one at a previous event.

Why It Works So Well at Long Island Events

We've thought about this a lot, and we have a few theories.

It's Approachable Without Being Ordinary

The Paper Plane hits a sweet spot that's genuinely hard to find. It's boozy enough to satisfy the whiskey drinkers, bitter and bright enough to pull in the Aperol Spritz crowd, and citrusy enough to feel refreshing on a hot July afternoon in the Hamptons. It doesn't alienate anyone. For a mobile bar serving a diverse guest list, that's incredibly valuable.

It Looks Stunning

Let's be honest — visual appeal matters. Served up in a coupe glass, the Paper Plane has this gorgeous deep amber-meets-sunset-orange color that photographs beautifully. At outdoor summer events where guests have their phones out constantly, a drink that looks this good practically markets itself. We saw it all over Instagram this summer, tagged at events we were serving. The vintage Airstream backdrop didn't hurt either.

It Signals Sophistication Without Pretension

Long Island hosts have strong opinions about their parties feeling elevated but not stuffy. The Paper Plane lives in exactly that space. It's a cocktail that says we have good taste without requiring guests to decode a three-paragraph menu description. Once you explain the equal-parts concept, people immediately get it — and they love that simplicity.

What This Taught Us About Building Event Menus

The Paper Plane summer reminded us why we never want to rely purely on the predictable hits. Yes, we'll always have your classic gin and tonic, your crowd-pleasing margarita, your seasonal spritz. Those are load-bearing cocktails for a reason. But leaving room for a wildcard — a bartender's choice, a conversation starter — is what separates a good bar experience from a memorable one.

When couples and event planners come to us now, we actively encourage them to include at least one cocktail on their menu that guests might not have encountered before. The Paper Plane proved this summer that Long Island crowds are more adventurous than anyone gives them credit for. They just need the invitation.

Thinking About Adding the Paper Plane to Your Event Menu?

We'll be keeping it as a featured offering going into fall events — it actually transitions beautifully into the cooler months, where the bourbon warmth and the complexity of Amaro Nonino feel right at home alongside harvest-season celebrations.

Whether you're planning a Hamptons wedding, a Nassau County corporate event, a Sweet 16 in Suffolk County, or anything in between, our team loves helping you build a cocktail menu that feels personal, intentional, and genuinely exciting for your guests.

Ready to talk drinks? Start planning your event with STARBAR NY here — we'd love to fold a Paper Plane or two into your evening.