Cocktail culture continues unabated, and now most major cities have at least one bar devoted to the finest hand-crafted concoctions. Here are a couple of my favorites for you to visit on your holiday travels.
In my hometown of Chicago, The Violet Hour is the go-to spot — but if you like bourbon and tequila, you might head across the street to Big Star instead. Recently opened by the same team, Big Star is a big draw for great cocktails paired with incredible Mexican small plates. I recommend the al pastor taco, the phenomenal queso fundido and a Bakersfield Buck to drink. Take a cab from the W Chicago - Lakeshore.
In Boston, Drink is all the rage — so much so that it's beginning to get dinged on Yelp for being unable to handle the crowds. The undulating bar runs the length of the garden-level room. Bartenders stand ready to create a cocktail from memory if you know one's name, or make one up for you based on your personal taste and even hand you the recipe if you like it. Tip: get there early or save it for a weeknight. It's about half a mile from the Westin Boston Waterfront.
New Orleans is a town with plenty of great cocktail destinations, and the latest is Cure, on the up-and-coming Freret Street near the Garden District. The drinks change seasonally and so does the menu of snacks and desserts, so it's already different since I was there in October, but if I were going tomorrow, I'd order the Brown Bunny, a wintry sip. The bar is an easy cab ride from the W New Orleans.
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