Cold Brew Cocktail

Sol Mexican Cucina

Newport Beach, Calif.

Creator: Mike Gaines

$13

Ingredients: Reposado Tequila, Hazelnut Espresso Liqueur, 1921 Crema (a creme liqueur), cold brew coffee, cinnamon dust, served on ice.

At this four-unit brand owned by Xperience Restaurant Group, the goal was to create a “velvety brunch-friendly cocktail.” The result was this trendy mix of cold brew and tequila, which food and beverage director Mike Gaines describes as for coffee fanatics and also cocktail lovers. “It has a rustic feel and packs a punch in terms of flavor,” said Gaines. “This cocktail is not only good in the morning, but it is also excellent as an after-dinner drink.”

The Passionista

Geordie’s at Wrigley Mansion

Phoenix

Creator: Anthony Escalante, bar manager and resident mixologist

$28

Ingredients: Yuzu-flavored vodka, Aperol, Liquid Alchemist passion fruit syrup, meyer lemon Oleo Saccharum, lemon juice, Angostura Bitters, milk-fat clarification and Fruit Rouge Black Tea aromatics.

The elegant Wrigley Mansion, built by the chewing gum magnate and now home to Geordie’s restaurant, spent much of the COVID shutdown renovating, but the historical landmark was scheduled to reopen in November.

Developed for the opening is The Passionista, a cocktail that evokes the mansion’s history of tea service. Made in batches to allow the lemon juice to curdle and clarify the milk, pulling out colors and tannins, it’s served as a velvety punch over an ice ball. At the table, the drink comes with a pot of French tea, into which dry ice is placed to create the bold aroma that enhances the tropical and citrus flavors of the cocktail. “Engagement is a huge thing for me, especially behind the bar,” said Escalante.

Cassius Green

Petite Leon

Minneapolis

Creator: Travis Serbus, co-owner

$12

Ingredients:  La Luna Mezcal, Ida Graves Aquavit, Ancho Reyes Poblano Liqueur, pineapple syrup, tomatillo juice, lime juice, topped with a splash of Cava.

COVID has limited the new Petite Leon from opening for anything but takeout, and to-go cocktails are not yet allowed in Minneapolis, said Travis Serbus, co-owner of the Mexican-inspired concept, designed to be a cozy cocktail bar. But Petite Leon is planning to launch dine-in with special dinners in December, if allowed, and the Cassius Green will be on the menu.

Named for a character in the movie “Sorry to Bother You,” and a play on words, this cocktail has a vegetable-forward, savory profile “like a street food taco in a cup,” he said. “I wanted to make a long drink that was savory and vegetal, yet super refreshing and crushable.” The mezcal has tropical notes that work well with the pineapple, and the aquavit “brings a little cumin, caraway and juniper to the party.” Served in a Collins glass, the sparkling wine as a topper “makes it pop.”

Midnight Run

151 Kitchen Bar

Elmhurst, Ill.

Creator: Leonid Girik, beverage director for parent company Cloud 9 Restaurant Group

$13

Ingredients: Rye Whiskey, Amaro, Earl Grey Infused Sweet Vermouth, Dry Curacao, smoke from hardwood (this season, mesquite, apple and peach). The Roknar Minnesota Rye whiskey is 100% AC Hazlett Rye mash bill from a field-to-glass producer.

This well-thought-out cocktail is in the vein of a black Manhattan, but with a focus on rye whiskey, which brings out the spice notes of the spirit, much like a Lithuanian or sweet marbled rye, said creator Leonid Girik. In the restaurant, the glass is filled with smoke, covered and released at the table, offering the aroma. The drink is poured tableside from a carafe, with a swath of orange peel to the rim to impart the oil or scent, but no other garnish.

Because the restaurant has a patio for outdoor dining, the cocktail can still be served to guests with the full presentation. It’s also available for takeout, sent with wood chips to add the live smoke element at home.

Le Rendezvous

III Forks

Dallas

Creator: Rebecca Dowda

$15

Ingredients: Rémy Martin VSOP Cognac, Licor 43, Monin Agave Nectar, pineapple juice, Angostura Bitters, fresh lime & orange juices poured over fresh pineapple, orange peel and cinnamon.

At this five-unit chain based in Dallas, Le Rendezvous borrows from the coffee pour-over technique with its at-the-table presentation. The cocktail is poured over fresh pineapple, orange peel and cinnamon, which lends aroma and flavor to the final result. The drink is Instagrammable and attracts attention as it comes through the dining room.

The Chatpata Fizz

Thyme Bar

New York City

Creator: Jeremy LaBlanche, head bartender

Ingredients: Mezcal, pandan syrup, lime and Chatpata Home Made Soda with Jasmin, green Tabasco, wasabi and salt. Pine-lavander smoke and deep-fried salmon skin as garnish.

$24

At the speakeasy Thyme Bar in New York City, a cocktail menu is built around the “floriography,” or the language of flowers and botanicals through art.  This gorgeous cocktail is based around chapata, a term for a savory snack from India with contrasting flavors to create umami.

In this case, the cocktail uses a jasmine tea soda spiked with Tabasco, smoky salt and wasabi, said LaBlanche, which is mixed with lime juice, the Asian syrup pandan and mezcal for another layer of smokiness.

It’s served in a terrarium, decorated with fake moss, and the drink is served in a flower vase with three parts to it. The bottom and middle part contain the cocktail, but the top bowl contains lavender and pine, into which some dry ice is placed to create an aroma to complement the beverage.

“The complexity is that we garnish with deep fried salmon skin, which is also smoked,” said LaBlanche. “It’s crunchy and salty and peppery and smoky. We always recommend for the guest to have a bite and then a sip of drink.”

Smoke on the Water

Atlantis Steakhouse

Reno, Nev.

Creator: Steven Sedillos, mixologist

Ingredients: Empress Gin, Rock Sake Nigori, Italicus Bergamotto Rosalio,  Monin Ginger Syrup, ginger-flavored vapor, fresh lemon juice, coconut milk, Hopped Grapefruit Bitters

$14

“The inspiration for the cocktail came from pondering sake cocktails while gazing across the bar at the 1,100-gallon saltwater aquarium that is the jewel of our steakhouse lounge,” writes Sedillos. “I had just received these super cool octopus cocktail glasses and a new vape-bubble gun I was itching to put to use.”

The result is a unique cocktail using the lovely violet Empress Gin, which is elevated with sake, ginger syrup and coconut milk. It is topped with a ginger-flavored vape bubble that lends an interactive component and resembles a “mystic sea creature” — certainly not out of place at the Atlantis Casino.

Joey Lollipops

Pazzo Cucina Italiano

Naples, Fla.

Creator: Peggy Feldon, bar manager

Ingredients: Jalapeño infused silver tequila, Sicilian orange liqueur, prickly pear, agave syrup, salt rim, splash of sour, Dum Dum lollipop

$14

This cocktail is named after a fictional mafia character on the TV show “Columbo:” Joey Carna, who was nicknamed Junior Lollipops because his father owned the restaurant Lolly’s in Brooklyn. It’s an arcane reference for a harmonious drink that fits in an Italian restaurant.

The tequila has spice calmed by the orange liqueur from Sicily, prickly pear and agave syrup. It’s served in glass with a salted rim and a lollipop for a pop of sweetness.

Communication Breakdown

Carson Kitchen

Las Vegas

Creator: David English

Ingredients: Del Maguey Vida mezcal, fresh sour, lavender bitters,

Domaine de Canton Ginger and Contratto Bitter Liqueur

$14

The name comes from a Led Zepplin song, which served as inspiration, offering “cosmic connection” for the ingredients from around the globe that come together in the glass.

It’s essentially a mezcal sour, with smoke, citrus and sweetness. The goal was to create an approachable mezcal experience, where the spirit shows but doesn’t overpower, making the drink an anchor on the house menu.