The year's best cocktails
By Sara Rush Wirth on Oct. 13, 2016A well-crafted cocktail menu can win over guests and keep them coming back just as easily as a food menu at restaurants. A smart cocktail not only embodies the hottest trends, but it also hits consumer preferences at an approachable price point. Recently, Restaurant Business looked at some of the top business-savvy bars in the industry to find out what they're doing right to draw in imbibers. So we asked some of our cocktail-loving Restaurant Business team to tell us the drinks they had this year that made them drain their glasses…and order another.
These much-loved cocktails reveal some industry trends, including funky takes on traditional cocktails and showmanship as a part of the beverage makeup. Whether or not these cocktails are still on the menu—seasonal drink menus were big with our staff—these are the favorite cocktails of the year thus far.
Nitro Russian, Revival Bar, Chicago
“It’s an interpretation of a white Russian unlike any the Dude ever drank. Served draft from a nitro tap, fresh cream, vodka, chicory and an exceptionally intense coffee liqueur are emulsified to a velvety consistency directly into a rocks glass, then topped with crushed ice and garnished with chocolate-coated espresso beans. The mouthfeel is luscious, dense and very silky. The drink is not too sweet, allowing the intense espresso flavor to really assert itself.”
—Bruce Ramsay, creative director
Photograph by Dank Foto
Earls Signature Caesar, Earls Kitchen + Bar, multiple locations
“It was a hot morning, and I was craving a bloody mary, even though they tend to be a bit heavy. Thank goodness for the Caesar at Earls—and the bartender who told me it was everything good about a bloody mary, but easier to drink. I’m ordering this every time I go back.”
—Kim Rasmussen, web producer
Wildcat, The Whistler, Chicago
“It’s super drinkable and such a good value, because it was only $6! It had chai-infused bourbon, sweet vermouth, genepy, lemon and bitters.”
—Lauren Hallow, editor
Lychee-Cucumber Smash, Aventura; Ann Arbor, Mich.
“This cocktail on the brunch menu is exactly how everyone should start their day. It’s muddled mint, cucumber, fresh lime, vodka, lychee liqueur and soda. It’s insanely fresh and delicate. Lychee has been around as a beverage trend for a hot second, but instead of just blowing through buzzy flavors, Aventura found a way to really master this cocktail. It’s meeting the college town’s diverse clientele where they are with an approachable foodie haven. Oh, and it’s $9.”
—Alaina Lancaster, associate editor
Rise Up, Billy Sunday, Chicago
“The Rise Up isn’t just the best cocktail I’ve had this year—it may be the best cocktail I’ve had, ever. Rye whiskey, madeira, angelica gomme, lemon, egg white and date bitters are shaken and splashed with sparkling water to produce something creamy, smooth, slightly acidic and overall transcendent. Unlike most egg white-based cocktails, it’s served in a juice glass rather than a coupe, which also means more drink for your buck.”
—Dana Moran, managing editor, FoodService Director magazine
Blue Bourbon, Prasino; La Grange, Ill.
“As a chatter, it’s often that I unintentionally end up nursing a cocktail. That said, good ice—the kind that perks up a drink as it melts versus watering it down—wins me over. I love a good bourbon-based cocktail, and appreciate the growing use of the big ice cube, and Prasino’s big ice cube takes it a step further by freezing blueberries into its large ice. As it melts, the berries bleed a little and add some sweet tartness to the smoky bourbon.”
—Sara Rush Wirth, managing editor
The Cabin Fever, Earls Kitchen + Bar, multiple locations
“It’s really festive and bright, with whiskey, port, ginger syrup and pineapple and lemon juices over crushed ice; but the best part is the presentation. It’s served in a blue camping-style mug, which gives the drink an outdoorsy vibe—like a winter getaway in a glass.”
—Kelsey Nash, editor
Strawberry-mango frozen margarita, Torchy’s Tacos, multiple locations
“I never expected to find my favorite cocktail at a joint known for selling ‘Damn Good Tacos’—much less a chain restaurant. But the frozen margaritas here, poured from machines at a bar that’s really just an extension of the ordering counter, tasted as fresh as if the fruits were squeezed straight into the glass. The portion was plenty without being overwhelming, and at the $4 happy hour price, it also was a great deal.”
—Kelly Killian, director, Foodservice Content Group
Bananas Foster Old Fashioned, Bordel, Chicago
“Bordel has an excellent classic old fashioned, but it’s also got a funky riff on it with the Bananas Foster Old Fashioned. It takes like a traditional old fashioned with a smoky dessert twist by incorporating banana-infused Irish whiskey, cinnamon, maple and bitters.”
—Lizzy Freier, managing editor
Empire State Cocktail, Spyglass Rooftop, New York City
“Gin, elderflower liqueur, ginger and basil. Perfect balance of flavors, aromatics—it’s refreshing and unique. Not overly complex or contrived. Delicious! I’ve been back there a few times to enjoy it again! Spyglass is atop the Archer Hotel, and is part of the David Burke portfolio of venues.”
—Donna Hood Crecca, associate principal, Technomic
Kingston Negroni, Broken Shaker, Chicago
"It’s made with aged funky, spicy Jamaican rum instead of gin, and it is so smooth and mellow but invigorating. You have to ask for it, as it’s not on the regular list.”
—Patricia Cobe, senior editor
Pineapple Mojito, Joyride Taco House, Phoenix
“It has white rum, fresh lime, mint and soda, plus pineapple syrup. I was a little worried that it would be too sweet, but it wasn’t any sweeter than a regular mojito. It was refreshing and delicious, and went well with my tacos.”
—Mary Chapman, director, events and special projects
Cachaca, Estereo, Chicago
“My favorite cocktail of the year is from Estereo, a new Latin bar in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. It’s a refreshing and brightly colored cachaca with strawberry, lime and rhubarb bitters.”
—Jill Failla, editor