There’s no shortage of great cocktail bars in town, so here’s a list of places who have interesting and refreshed menus.
The Black Swan (Powder Room)
This 1920s bistro and bar has seriously amped up its cocktail selection. Drinks are categorized into four distinct sections, including rich & full bodied, light & fruity, complex & stiff and group serves. Each cocktail has some theatrical element, whether it’s torching a wooden board to bring out smokiness like in Thank You For Smoking, or serving a bubblegum-infused vodka with a balloon. Don’t leave without trying their signature B.B. King, made with banana-infused whiskey, smoked maple syrup, barbecue bitters and boozy sorbet.
Ding Dong
The Asian fusion small plates restaurant has reinvented its menu yet again. This time, there are six new refreshing and locally-inspired tipples to taste: Passion ’65, a heady vodka, umeshu and Champagne concoction; Jack the Yoke made with jackfruit-infused vodka and sake; the amazing-sounding Orchard Boulevardier made with Yamazaki whiskey and the Stylo Milo, perfect for those with a sweet tooth and is made with green chartreuse, Milo concentrate and Hakushu whiskey.
Gem Bar
If you find yourself parked at Club Street on the weekends, head to this raucous gastrobar. They’re going the route of artisanal cocktails with a selection of pretty enticing sounding drinks. There’s The Subtle Star, which is made with pear vodka, cucumber, starfruit and, strangely, Kyoho grape juice—the perfect solution for a balmy night out. And end it with the Ron Halia in a Bowl, a blend of spicy rum with ginger cucumber and citrus.
The Exchange
This CBD bar is filled to the brim on most nights and for good reason: it has killer happy hour deals. This time, they’re rolling out special Friday night drinks where drinks are one-for-one all night long. The specialty here is the house-infused Stoli cocktails with ingredients like spices, fruits and tea. There are martinis ranging from a chocolate martini to the lemon drop with Cointreau, Galliano and lime juice, as well as favorites like the Cosmo and lychee martini.
