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11 sips worth savoring (and booking a flight for.)
When considering all the various menus at a restaurant, a cocktail list is one where there is the most freedom to create an outrageous presentation and source the wildest ingredients. A spiked drink can tell a story and evoke a mood when done well.
From a perfume-inspired cocktail in Monaco to a roasted chicken skewered into a Bloody Mary, we’ve captured both low-brow and high-brow cocktails worth booking a plane ticket to sip.
Top Picks for You
Maple Bourbon Milkshake
WHERE: Deer Path Inn, Lake Forest, Illinois
There are boozy milkshakes, and then there are architectural milkshakes. Chief Spirits Officer Jorge Centeno’s creation at this intimate 1929 hotel in a Northern Chicago suburb falls into the latter category. The hotel’s vibe may be vintage English, but he’s pushing modern boundaries with his cocktail menu. Maple, bourbon, and milk are the base for this drink, which is piled high with mini desserts such as a s’more, bar on a stick, candy corn, and pretzels—and a strip of bacon on top, injecting savory qualities—culminating in a very shareable (and Instagramable) cocktail.
Perfume Cocktail
WHERE: Équivoque at Hotel Miramar, Monaco
This cocktail involves all the senses, inviting you to linger and be involved in its creation, as you might when making a custom perfume. As a nod to this affluent nation’s legacy of hosting master perfumers, and by collaborating with Bossem Creative®, the Perfume Cocktail was born at this outdoor rooftop bar. The bar features its own entrance on the tony Avenue d’Ostende along the Mediterranean Sea (cue stunning views). After sniffing six fragrances, your cocktail—inspired by that aroma—is served.
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The Bloody Beast
WHERE: Sobelmans, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sure, you could order a classic Bloody Mary from this burger bar, but why not go all in and ask for The Bloody Beast, with an entire fried chicken on a skewer? This drink is outrageous because the chicken isn’t the only thing being poked. Essential ingredients like celery stalks, cheese cubes, smoked sausage, and bacon are also on skewers. Six Bloody Marys are on the menu, and if chicken’s not your vice, then The Beast features a cheeseburger on a skewer along with bacon-wrapped cheese balls (this is the Dairy State, after all).
The Miami Granny
WHERE: Midnight Rambler at The Joule, Dallas, Texas
Another example of a cocktail with a story, this one seeks to imitate a Miami-based grandmother (AKA snowbird). Served at Midnight Rambler at The Joule in downtown Dallas, the cocktail was created with input from the bar staff about their own holiday traditions—in this case, grandma’s sunbathing in Miami for the holidays. A Jell-O shot shaped to resemble a deviled egg (with the “white” made of coconut rum and coconut milk and the “yolk” made from whipped pineapple rum mousse) is capped off with dehydrated strawberry powder and lime zest.
Let Them Eat Cake
WHERE: The Seventh House, San Diego, California
At this new whimsical bar, a major astrology theme is going on. Let Them Eat Cake honors “the seventh house,” connected to relationships, romantic or not, and what this bar was named after. This cocktail is way more than a drink. A personal tableside fountain of Champagne is all yours, combining half a bottle of vodka, three Champagne bottles, and a cake on top. Should you choose to dip deeper into astrology, nightly tarot card readings start at 6 PM.
Conch Out
WHERE: Three Dots and a Dash, Chicago, Illinois
The Windy City takes a trip to the Tropics with this cocktail, designed for groups and served at this popular tiki bar. Arriving at the table in a conch shell and created by beverage director Kevin Beary, it’s garnished with orchids and pine leaves. As for the drink, Nikka Japanese whiskey, Jamaican rum, aged cachaça, banana, housemade almond orgeat, and fresh lime and pineapple are woven in. This is a definite case for pulling out your Hawaiian shirt and wearing it proudly.
Wave Music
WHERE: Marea at Montage Los Cabos, Los Cabos, Mexico
Head mixologist Rogelio Gonzalez, who is new in his role at this posh Cabo resort, is already putting his own spin on the cocktail menu, starting with Wave Music. It’s served at Marea, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant flaunting Sea of Cortez views. Folded into the recipe is a house-made vermouth hand-aged by being tied under a buoy in Santa Maria Bay (in front of the property) for 30 days, but the real pizazz comes from dry ice and a cloud of hazelnut aroma smoke—inspired by none other than the sea, and garnished with dehydrated algae.
Fromage Pomme
WHERE: Kingfisher, Durham, North Carolina
Instead of ordering a cheese plate to pair with your cocktail at this craft-cocktail bar, this concoction combines the two into a liquid form. Described as “a cheese plate in a glass,” Hennessy washed with Karst cave-aged cheese from Vermont is blended with house-made apple cordial. A crunchy cheese cracker evokes the cheese-plate inspiration.
Champagne Bubble Bath
WHERE: Gatsby’s Cocktail Lounge at Resorts World Las Vegas, Las Vegas
It shouldn’t be too surprising that a Vegas cocktail bar goes this far over the top. Found on the bar’s “secret” menu and designed for two to share, the presentation is what makes the drink: it’s served in a miniature ceramic bathtub. Muddled blood orange, Aperol, and gin are in the drink, topped with Champagne, edible rose petals, and mojito foam bubbles to emulate a bubble bath. The final piece? A rubber duckie.
Head Over Heels
WHERE: Giselle Miami, Miami
Made for up to three people to share, the cocktail at this rooftop restaurant in downtown Miami, which opened in February and boasts a retractable roof, is poured into a high-heel glass decanter and delivered on a gold mirror tray for a very sculptural effect. The drink includes E11EVEN vodka (woman-owned, distilled, and bottled in Miami), raspberry, lemongrass, and sparkling Rosé (is it even elegant without some bubbles?) and a dehydrated citrus wheel to finish it off.
The Mountini
WHERE: The Jones Assembly, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
An espresso martini is a near staple on most bar menus. But this one—at an Oklahoma City establishment known for its music, food, and drinks—takes it to the extreme in concept and height. Served in a 48-ounce glass, with a Swiss flag perched on top, the Mountini is a frozen-espresso martini featuring Tito’s, Prairie Wolf Dark, cold brew, and oat-milk foam. Mini marshmallows on top are also part of the presentation, adding a final layer of sweetness.