Close Menu
Top 10

Top Americas bars to visit in 2018

As the craft cocktail movement has taken off in the Americas, so the scene has matured. Tyler Wetherall takes us on a tour of the new kids on the block.

Broken Shaker in Los Angeles secured a spot in our top bars to watch in the Americas. Photo courtesy: Frank Lee Freehand

Not so long ago, America’s craft cocktail movement was in its infancy, as a contingent of bartenders began to redefine what it meant to drink well. That moment has passed, and those same bartenders have been in the industry for close to two decades, with an army of talent growing up around them. This maturity is reflected in America’s contemporary bar scene, with establishments opening nationwide that showcase a more sophisticated and subtle awareness of what people want from a bar, even if they didn’t know it yet.

This year, many of the most notable newcomers have sprung from these same leaders now taking their ideas further afield and establishing themselves in new cities: Chicago’s The Aviary lands in New York; Miami’s Broken Shaker takes root in Los Angeles’ new Freehand hotel; LA gets its own version of The Nomad; and Attaboy makes its new home in Nashville.

Behind these moves is a thriving and supportive bar community that continues to find new avenues for innovation and inspiration, whether from Japanese drinking finesse or 1950s architecture.

Click through the following pages to discover the Americas’ top bars to watch in 2018.

Not to be missed: The Aviary – New York

Before the original Aviary opened in Chicago in 2011, the bar world waited with bated breath to see what star chef Grant Achatz – known for his work at the revolutionary three­-Michelin­-star Chicago restaurant Alinea – would put into practice when it came to cocktails. The results were extraordinary, pushing the envelope of high concept drinks.

Last September, the launch of its New York City debut, the first of probably several branches to open internationally, was treated with much the same fanfare, even if many of the boundary-­pushing elements of the original – experimental vessels, molecular gastronomy – have become more commonplace among the bar community.

Occupying the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel, off Columbus Circle, with coveted views over Central Park, the luxurious 90­-seat lounge has a similar set-­up, with bartenders conducting their wizardry out of sight and drinks delivered as in a restaurant.

Unique to the NYC location, however, is an all­-day menu of food and drinks, including multi­-course tasting menus paired with the cocktails. While many of the signatures have been carried over, the list also reflects its surroundings, such as the Wake and Bake, a mix of rye whiskey, coffee and orange juice-­infused vermouth, served in a bagel-scented plastic pillow.

The Aviary has been named our overall Americas Bar to Watch in 2018.

Old Lightning – Los Angeles

Despite being open since 2016, surprisingly little has been written about Venice Beach’s Old Lightning. That is partly due to the strict social media policy (you hand in your phone at the door), but also founders Steve Livigni and Pablo Moix’s discretion about their 1,200­ strong selection of rare, vintage and limited­-release spirits – among the best in the world – secreted away behind the bar.

The collection has taken the pair close to a decade to source, and has involved many collaborations with distillers and producers to create customised blends. With each bottle documented by year, you can effectively time travel through liquor, tasting the same brand at different points in that label’s history.

Styled like a 1950s front room, the cocktail menu offers vintage classics refined to impeccable standards, but it’s the treasure trove of booze that has bar folk talking.

Florería Atlántico – Buenos Aires, Argentina

Easily the best cocktail bar in the city, Florería Atlántico has been brought to Buenos Aires by Tato Giovannoni and Aline Vargas. Despite its location – hidden at the back of a wine-­and-­flower shop, through a refrigerator door and down the stairs – it’s no secret, with international applause for its inventive drinks pouring in.

The concept pays homage to the city’s rich history of immigration, with the artfully disheveled design inspired by the worldly drinking dens of Buenos Aires in the 19th and early 20th century, when more than four million people arrived from abroad to make the city their home. The drinks reflect this, featuring Sherry from the Spanish and anise from the Turkish.

Tongue­-Cut Sparrow – Houston, US

Make your way through The Pastry War, Bobby Heugel’s raucous Downtown Houston bar; don’t be distracted by its incredible mezcal selection before you reach the unmarked door at the back. Up the flight of stairs, you’ll be greeted by one of the elegant hosts of Tongue-­Cut Sparrow, an intimate seating­-only cocktail bar. This marks a departure for Heugel from his usual high-­low style, seen par excellence in Anvil Bar & Refuge, which put Houston on the cocktail map.

Tongue-­Cut Sparrow offers a formal cocktail experience, replete with soft jazz, low lighting, and bow-tied bartenders. It is certainly not all show; the highballs are executed to perfection.

Prairie School – Chicago, US

Photo courtesy: Anthony Tahlier

Prairie School is being hyped as the Windy City’s next great cocktail bar, and for good reason: the man behind its creation is Jim Meehan, James Beard Award­-winning bartender, proprietor of the game-changing PDT in New York, and, incidentally, a Chicago native.

In partnership with designer Kevin Heisner of Heisler Hospitality, Meehan was inspired by Chicago’s many Frank Lloyd Wright buildings – hence the name – and integrated the organic low-­key aesthetic into both the clean-­lined design and the drinks, including Lloyd Wright’s appreciation of Japanese culture.

In reflection of Japan’s 24 seasons, the focus is hyper seasonal with a 12­-strong cocktail list featuring simple three­ to five-­ingredient concoctions, bringing together ephemeral ingredients such as quince vinegar with Midwestern wines and spirits.

Broken Shaker – Los Angeles, US

Photo courtesy: Frank Lee Freehand

The Miami original is considered one of the best bars in America, with two James Beard Foundation Awards under its belt. Now founders Gabe Orta and Elad Zvi, of beverage consultancy Bar Lab, have brought Broken Shaker to Los Angeles’s new Freehand hotel.

On a rooftop overlooking Downtown, the lush greenery and eclectic furniture set the tropical pool party vibe, but the cocktails excel. Inspired by LA’s multicultural neighbourhoods, bar manager Christine Wiseman sources ingredients from local farmers’ markets and gives drinks a playful edge with tiki­-style garnishes. Unlike many LA rooftops, there will be no velvet rope and no guest list; first come, first served.

It looks like you're in Asia, would you like to be redirected to the Drinks Business Asia edition?

Yes, take me to the Asia edition No