/sites/all/themes/penton_subtheme_restaurant_hospitality/images/logos/footer.png
Restaurant Hospitality
2016 Best Cocktails in America: Honorable Mentions
Nov 03, 2016

1 36

X

1 36

ADVERTISEMENT

Restaurant Hospitality’s editorial staff narrowed down a huge field to select 14 finalists for this year’s Best Cocktails in America contest. Many other creations came very close. Take a look at the runners-up.

See more:
• Full report
• Meet the winners

Leatherette

Category: Whiskey
Ingredients: Old Overholt rye whisky, Spanish brandy, sherry, sweet vermouth, leather
Restaurant: Bazaar Meat by José Andrés
Location: Las Vegas

Pepper in the Rye

Category: Whiskey
Ingredients: Ellicherry Pepperorn-infused Old Overholt Rye; Cardamaro; house-blended Picon Amaro; Aperol; lemon/grapefruit juice; grapefruit bitters
Restaurant: Craigie on Main
Location: Cambridge, Mass.

Everybody’s Girl

Category: Whiskey
Ingredients: Scotch, cream Sherry, Averna, homemade cherry cordial, bitters
Restaurant: Q39 BBQ
Location: Kansas City, Mo.

Johnnie Too Bad

Category: Whiskey
Ingredients: Johnnie Walker Black, Grahams 10 Year Tawny Port, fresh lemon and blueberries, housemade lavender simple syrup
Restaurant: Velvet Bar and Lounge
Location: Orlando, Fla.

Contessa Rose

Category: Whiskey
Ingredients: Ritten House Rye, rose white, lemon juice, simple syrup, Peychaud's Bitters, 18.21 Grapefruit Lavender Bitters
Restaurant: The Southern Gentleman
Location: Atlanta

San Marco Stoli

Category: Gin
Ingredients: Bluecoat Barrel Aged Gin, Cappelletti, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, coffee simple syrup, orange
Restaurant: Plenty Café
Location: Philadelphia

Peach Pow-Wow

Category: Gin
Ingredients: Gin, peach honey syrup, lemon juice, curaçao, orgeat, bitter liquor, dehydrated peach, peach powder, red sorrel
Restaurant: Bin 707 Foodbar
Location: Grand Junction, Colo.

Supersamic

Category: Gin
Ingredients: Fresh basil leaves, Fragoli, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, Hendrick's Gin
Restaurant: Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar
Location: Chicago

Backseat Driver

Category: Gin
Ingredients: 3/4 dry gin, 3/4 fresh lime juice, a heavy 1/2 Strega, 1/2 fresh ginger syrup
Restaurant: Umi
Location: Atlanta

Port of New Orleans

Category: Gin
Ingredients: Tanqueray, Quinta Do Noval Black Port, fresh lime, orange bitters, housemade pecan simple syrup
Restaurant: Commander’s Palace
Location: New Orleans

Heat Wave

Category: Rum, Pisco and Cachaça
Ingredients: Leblon cachaça, blueberry & spicy pepper shrub, Fino sherry, lime, sparkling wine
Restaurant: Acme Food & Beverage
Location: Carrboro, N.C.

Beets by Cameron

Category: Rum, Pisco and Cachaça
Ingredients: Lemon and beet shrub, simple syrup, lemon juice, and Carolina Muddy River Rum
Restaurant: Cameron Bar and Grill
Location: Raleigh, N.C.

Jungle Juice

Category: Rum, Pisco and Cachaça
Ingredients: Selvarey white rum, lime juice, housemade kaffir lime, lemongrass and coconut syrup, toasted coconut rim
Restaurant: Lahaina Grill
Location: Lahaina, Hawaii

Pineapple Express

Category: Rum, Pisco and Cachaça
Ingredients: Flor de CaÌa Extra Seco 4 rum, pineapple juice, coconut water, Ancho Reyes ancho chile liqueur, lime juice, salt, cumin, paprika
Restaurant: Edison: Food & Drink Lab
Location: Tampa

The Remedy

Category: Rum, Pisco and Cachaça
Ingredients: Pusser's Gunpowder Proof Rum, Galliano Ristretto, Espresso Porter Reduction, Hoodoo Chicory, allspice dram, cream
Restaurant: The Refuge
Location: Isle of Palms, S.C.

The Girl Next Door

Category: Vodka
Ingredients: Vodka, Byrrh, fresh mint, blackberries, lemon juice
Restaurant: The Roof
Location: New York City

Betty Childs

Category: Vodka
Ingredients: Hangar One Kaffir Lime Vodka, strawberry-ginger shrub, rhubarb, jalapeño, white crème de cacao
Restaurant: Gram & Dun
Location: Kansas City, Mo.

Swimming Pools

Category: Vodka
Ingredients: Absolut Elyx, Canton ginger, lemon, grapefruit bitters, Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc, cantaloupe
Restaurant: Luxbar
Location: Chicago

Blueberry Royale

Category: Vodka
Ingredients: Fresh mint, blueberries, lemon juice, simple, St. Germain, organic Prairie Vodka, Prosecco
Restaurant: True Food Kitchen
Location: Phoenix

 

Rosemary and Lime

Category: Vodka
Ingredients: Vodka, amaro nonino, rosemary, angostura, smashed lime
Restaurant: North Italia
Location: Phoenix

Apricot Hatch Margarita Punch

Category: Agave (Tequila, Mezcal, Sotol, etc.)
Ingredients: Blue Nectar silver tequila, roasted Hatch pepper syrup, Texas apricot preserves, lime juice, lemon juice, agave nectar and Fee Brothers Plum Bitters
Restaurant: Blue Mesa Grill
Location: Addison, Texas

Chile Mango Bitten Rita

Category: Agave (Tequila, Mezcal, Sotol, etc.)
Ingredients: Mango-infused tequila (Cabo Wabo), triple sec, simple syrup, jalapeños, cilantro, lime juice, sour mix, fresh mango, Tajin
Restaurant: The Lone Wolf Bar and Grill
Location: Kansas City, Mo.

Heavy on the Vine

Category: Agave (Tequila, Mezcal, Sotol, etc.)
Ingredients: 1 oz. tequila, 0.75 oz. George Chili Vodka, 0.5 oz. Chareau, 0.5 oz. Dalmatian sage syrup, 0.5 oz. lime juice, 2 oz. watermelon basil shrub
Restaurant: Bar Mash
Location: Charleston, S.C.

Morjim Goa

Category: Agave (Tequila, Mezcal, Sotol, etc.)
Ingredients: Hacienda Sotol, Lo-Fi Amaro, housemade spiced agave, lime, Scrappy's Firewater Tincture, housemade garam masala air
Restaurant: Dosa
Location: San Francisco

The Niña, the Piña, the Santa Monica

Category: Agave (Tequila, Mezcal, Sotol, etc.)
Ingredients: Bruxo mezcal, pineapple, honey, basil oil, lemon, black pepper
Restaurant: Connie and Ted’s
Location: West Hollywood, Calif.

Moscato Sangria

Category: Low-alcohol
Ingredients: Moscato D’asti, Colle dei Venti, Piemonte, Southern Comfort, Amaro Nonino, pineapple juice, orange juice, club soda, oranges, peaches, apple wedges, lime
Restaurant: Ristorante Brissago at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa
Location: Lake Geneva, Wis.

 

Milano Shandy

Category: Low-alcohol
Ingredients: Campari, Montenegro Amaro, fresh orange juice, fresh grapefruit juice, fresh lemon juice, housemae orange cardamom bitters, Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin
Restaurant: Cento
Location: Madison, Wash.

Watermelon Lime Sangria

Category: Low-alcohol
Ingredients: Wine, fresh watermelon, lime, white cranberry
Restaurant: Trax Platform Lounge
Location: Scranton, Pa.

Rebujito

Category: Low-alcohol
Ingredients: Manzanilla sherry, soda, fresh squeezed lemon
Restaurant: Bar Frances
Location: New Orleans

Fresh Strawberry Rosé Martini

Category: Low-alcohol
Ingredients: Hand-muddled raspberry, blackberry and strawberry, infused with the fresh flavors of Belleruche Rosé & St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, finished with fresh berries
Restaurant: Bonefish Grill
Location: Tampa

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Daiquiri

Category: Dessert
Ingredients: 360 Double Chocolate Vodka, strawberry, cream
Restaurant: Barley Creek Brewing Company
Location: Tannersville, Pa.

Indian Summer

Category: Dessert
Ingredients: Smirnoff Salted Caramel Vodka, Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka, quail egg, sweet cream, espresso, vanilla bean extract
Restaurant: America’s Grille
Location: Houston

Fireside S’mores Martini

Category: Dessert
Ingredients: Vanilla vodka, Godiva dark chocolate liqueur, corms de cacao, half and half, dark chocolate, homemade graham crackers, homemade Disaronno-infused marshmallow
Restaurant: The Chocolate Sanctuary
Location: Gurnee, Ill.

Rainbow Cookie Martini

Category: Dessert
Ingredients: 2 oz. cake vodka, 1 oz. amaretto, 1 teaspoon raspberry preserves, 1 oz. dark creme di cacao, 1 oz. cream, served with chocolate rim and rainbow cookie garnish
Restaurant: Double O Grill
Location: Wappingers Falls, N.Y.

Under The Stars

Category: Dessert
Restaurant: FireFlies
Location: Alexandria, Va.

Next Up
The 10 Best Cocktails at independent restaurants across America
Start Slideshow ›