From the panhandle to the peninsula, Florida is home to a large number of craft distilleries, many producing intriguing and undeniably appealing varieties of gin. When you acknowledge that gin is a contrivance that starts with a neutral grain spirit followed by juniper berries and other botanicals, and methods for distillation and infusing flavor vary from one producer to the next, the range of innovative flavor profiles and new drinking experiences that can be found across the state is considerable. These five are worth a visit.
While many other distilleries approach gin-making in a comparable manner, Tampa-based Fat Dog Spirits, the first craft distillery licensed in Florida, has taken an unusual approach. As advocates of medical marijuana, they make their own hemp extract, then infuse their Nirvana gin with 16 botanicals and this noteworthy ingredient. According to senior partner Dr. Ram Ramcharran, the hemp-infused spirits offer a relaxing drinking experience.
While the use of hemp extract distinguishes their Nirvana gin (and vodka), their organic certification, use of locally sourced ingredients, and dedication to sustainability are also commendable.
Manifest makes several styles of gin including a Green Label (made for mixed drinks), Florida Botanical (featuring locally sourced ingredients), and a barreled variety that changes from batch to batch. Located downtown near the sports complex, the distillery invites visitors to tour, taste, and enjoy.
David Cohen, president and head distiller, says, “People are searching out more unique and authentic spirits versus the ones their parents drank back in the day. That’s why Manifest presents all of its spirits, including its gins, from a culinary perspective and advocates the art of craft distilling.”
At Big Cypress Distillery, located on the southwestern edge of Miami, head distiller Fernando Plata sets the stage: “You’ll find at least six gins available in our tasting room at any given time with 15 to 20 other styles in rotation. We make a lot of stuff.” Be sure to ask about their limited distillery-only releases. Their Old Tom-style Magic City gin, meanwhile, is traditionally sweetened with a neutral base distilled from sugar cane and 11 botanicals. There’s lots more available in their intimate tasting room, open for small groups on Thursdays through Saturdays.
One of the southernmost operations located in the heart of Islamorada, considered the “sportfishing capital of the world” with easy access to the Everglades, this distillery and tasting room is someplace special. Stephanie Harper, head distiller, says their original gin is a “good gateway gin,” light with floral and citrus notes, while the hibiscus gin adds a distinct flavor and purple color to cocktails. Of course, their purple-hued hibiscus gin makes the visit worthwhile, but their other spirits and beers are also a great way to start a Keys-based adventure.
Built in a restored 1900s ice plant amid this city’s noteworthy historical landmarks, St. Augustine Distillery has become a popular destination for both aficionados and inquisitive visitors. Complete with a self-guided tour and generous tastings, there are plenty of opportunities to discover their New World gin, bottled at 94 proof to preserve botanical oils and stand up to a variety of cocktails.
Reading, writing, and sipping spirits is a combination as old as storytelling. Meet five bookstore-bars in Tennessee and Kentucky that are worth gassing up for a road trip. This itinerary, in total, is about an 8-hour drive, but we don’t recommend doing it all in one day, because that doesn’t leave time for sipping and savoring.
Linden Marno-Ferree opened this used bookstore and bar in October 2025, armed with a background in fine dining and hospitality. So, The Reading Room, nestled in the city’s creative Brainard neighborhood, has a cocktail program that stands on its own. “Almost all of the salt, fat, acid, heat thing that applies to food can be done with cocktails,” she says. Her cocktails rely on spices to add new twists to old favorites, such as the Dolores, a take on a lemon drop with orange-blossom water and limoncello. “It’s both for people who want a simple drink and those who have a more refined palate,” she says. The cocktails, mocktails, and wines pair well with the used book selection—all books are a flat $8—as well as the cozy space for browsing, reading, and conversation.
The newest stop on this bookstore-bar road trip, The Raven opened in April 2026 as a second act for entrepreneur Danniele Reeves. After her husband passed away, she wanted to connect to the community just south of Nashville, and to combine two of her favorite pastimes: reading books and drinking wine. Housed in a former restaurant space and updated with a dark academia aesthetic, The Raven serves charcuterie and sliders along with its wine selection, designed to be enjoyed during community mahjong games, D&D nights, book clubs, and other reader-centric activities.
During the pandemic, Dave and Lacey Mulcahy turned their spare bedroom into a “magical realm” of books. When they ran out of space, they cashed in part of Dave’s retirement savings to open a combination speakeasy bar, coffee shop, and bookstore just across the river from Cincinnati. They stock new and used books alongside coffee, tea, specialty drinks, wine, beer, nonalcoholic options, and—because it’s Kentucky—bourbon, including a bourbon hot cider.
Rachel Sanders had neither bookstore nor bar experience when she opened the shop in this small town an hour north of Nashville in November 2024. But she was an avid reader with a lifelong dream of opening a bookstore. Having worked in marketing for the city parks department, she had a sense of what downtown Hopkinsville needed. “There were plenty of coffee shops. We needed a wine bar.” She and her husband, Scotty, renovated an 1800s building with storybook vibes into a bookstore bar with new and used romance, mystery, thriller, and more, plus wine, small plates, and desserts.
The small town of Maysville has a big reputation as the “birthplace of bourbon.” So, it stands to reason that its bookstore-bar would have more than 50 bourbons available for sipping. Wine tastings, bloody mary’s, sangria, and more round out the drinks menu. Open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, it’s also a reliable stop for coffee, tea, sandwiches, and snacks. The shop, in Maysville’s historic downtown, looks like a friend’s living room, with shelves stacked with good books and interesting local art, and comfy couches ready for a good read or a conversation. Live music and board game nights, monthly book clubs, author readings, and wine tastings have helped build the loyal community following.
Frederick County, Maryland, is known for its bucolic rolling farmlands, charming downtowns brimming with restaurants and shops, and a plethora of wineries turning out top-notch wines, from robust reds to complex whites to supple meads. The county’s proximity to Washington, DC; Baltimore, Maryland; and Alexandria, Virginia, makes it an ideal destination for a weekend jaunt or multiday getaway, but it’s worth making a trip no matter where you call home. These are our five picks for some of the best places to experience Maryland’s wine culture.
Reserve a Theory Tasting at this wine shop for a guided introduction to the Simple Theory portfolio of wines made from European varietals. Third-generation winemaker Melissa Aellen oversees the production at their 100-percent solar-powered winery in eastern Frederick County. Or set up a table reservation for a two-hour pick-your-own wine and snack pairing. Standouts include a crisp 2023 albariño redolent of tropical fruit and melon, and a rich, plummy 2022 petit verdot.
Stepping into this tasting room feels like being transported to a Tuscan villa, complete with reclaimed building materials from the farm including wood, stone, straw, and clay. Owners and winemakers Ed Boyce and Sarah O’Herron have earned a following for their cellar-worthy Bordeaux blends, like Crumbling Rock, an elegant, smooth blend of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, malbec, merlot, and petit verdot, and Passeggiata, a fan-favorite red redolent of dark cherry.
Nestled in the northeastern foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this family-owned vineyard grows grapes that benefit from the ancient, slate-rich Appalachian soil and cool breezes from Catoctin Mountain. Whether you opt to sit on the shaded patio or in the quaint, airy tasting room, seek out their flagship wine, Concerto, an elegant Bordeaux blend that winemaker Adam Fizyta describes as having a floral bouquet and ripe flavors of black cherry and blackberry.
Established in 1982, this is one of Frederick County’s oldest wineries. Fifth-generation winemaker Rachel Lipman produces award-winning varietals like cabernet franc and malbec and honors her family’s centuries-long mead-making legacy by crafting complex honey wines utilizing her grandfather’s proprietary equipment. Try the sought-after Malka, a barrel-aged, Polish-style mead made with local wildflower and clover honey that’s named after Malka Löw, owner of the family’s first meadery and the grandmother of cofounder William Loew.
Wine director Sam Scarlett’s approachable wine list is organized by witty categories like Paint the Town Red, billed as bold reds fit for a party, or I’m Not Drinking Any F#$%ing Merlot, a cheeky Sideways reference. Pair a glass with inventive dishes like dill pickle hummus with hot sauce falafel or mussels in a heady coconut curry broth with dunkable toasted focaccia. The Wine Kitchen also has a location in nearby Leesburg, Virginia, that’s known for its six-course pasta tasting menu.
At The Darling Oyster Bar in Savannah, the spirit of the city extends well beyond the seafood tower. Set inside a restored historic building in the heart of downtown, The Darling has become a gathering place where oysters, cocktails, and Southern hospitality come together. Behind the bar, that sense of place is translated into the Forsyth Farmer—a martini-inspired savory cocktail that pairs perfectly with seafood.
“A reason that I love working at The Darling Oyster Bar is interdependence and how we’re all important here,” says bartender Allie Messer. “Everybody gets along. It’s very much a family vibe, and that’s my favorite thing about working here.”
Image courtesy of Dries Kento Vandenberg
That collaborative approach carries into The Darling’s cocktail program, where the bar team looks to Savannah itself for inspiration. One of the clearest examples is the Forsyth Farmer, a savory, martini-inspired cocktail that takes its cues from the produce and energy of the city’s Forsyth Farmers’ Market.
“This cocktail is inspired by the Forsyth Farmers Market, and we use tons of fresh vegetables,” Messer says.
The foundation of the cocktail is a vegetable-infused vodka prepared in-house by The Darling’s bar staff. From there, Messer layers in lemon juice, olive brine, and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, creating a drink that lands somewhere between a dirty martini and a Bloody Mary.
“It’s a savory cocktail, so think like a Bloody Mary vibe,” she says. “It’s got that olive juice in there. It’s a little salty and so good.”
To make the Forsyth Farmer, Messer starts with two ounces of the vegetable-infused vodka before adding one ounce each of fresh lemon juice and olive brine, followed by two dashes of Worcestershire. The ingredients are shaken vigorously for five to 10 seconds (enough to thoroughly chill the cocktail and create a light layer of foam) then strained into a glass and finished simply with a fresh basil leaf.
The result is bright, briny, vegetal, and refreshing, with enough savory character to make it feel right at home alongside a platter of oysters and capture all of the flavors of The Darling Oyster Bar.
Forsyth Farmer
Recipe by The Darling Oyster Bar
recipe
yields
Makes 1 cocktail
ingredients
2 ounces Vegetable-infused vodka
1 ounce Housemade olive brine
1 ounce Lemon
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Garnish: Fresh basil leaf
steps
Add the vegetable-infused vodka, lemon juice, olive brine, and Worcestershire sauce to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a fresh basil leaf.
This Gulf seafood road trip thinks outside the fryer
Who doesn’t love fried seafood? No doubt about it, dredging a piece of fish in seasoned cornmeal and flour and frying it crispy in hot oil ticks all the boxes. In the South, eating fried any kind of seafood is nothing short of a birthright.
The question is—especially when vacationing in beachfront towns like Pensacola, Florida, and Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama— is that all there is? For Gulf seafood lovers, it’s good to know that a sand-swept road trip from the Panhandle to the Alabama coast dishes up not just the freshest seafood, but some of the most creative ways to enjoy it.
Pensacola
Gulf to Table
The Panhandle’s gateway to Gulf seafood, Pensacola is a city that surprises. The walkable downtown is rich with culture, nightlife, and pocket neighborhoods. There is a deep vein of military and aviation history. And the beaches? Well, those powder-fine sand swaths are some of the best in Florida. All that oceanfront guarantees that fresh, local fish and shellfish are prevalent.
Eat
Mano Panino: Make the old Gothic Revival Sacred Heart Hospital building in the leafy East Hill neighborhood a first stop along the way. Here, at A Mano Panino, a tiny café in the hospital’s former ER intake area, chef Alex Lamonte channels his fine-dining chops to create Italian pressed sandwiches on housemade schiacciata bread. Besides imported meats and cheeses, Lamonte poaches primal cuts of local tuna in olive oil, dressing the sandwich with caper aïoli, tapenade, and giardiniera.
The Fish House, Image Courtesy of Maria Goldberg
Lamonte Gelato: Alex and his wife and partner, Ashley, also own Lamonte Gelato, down one of the old building’s many hallways, an exceptional take on the authentic Italian frozen treat in flavors like olive oil and fig and stracciatella.
The Fish House: Grab a seat dockside overlooking the bay at The Fish House, which features Brandon Smith’s sustainable local Grayson Bay oysters, smaller and sweeter than wild Gulf oysters. Besides its vast wine list, the restaurant is known for grilled or blackened catch of the day and the rich specialty Grits à Ya Ya: sauteed shrimp with spinach, mushrooms, and bacon over smoked gouda grits.
Pearl & Horn: Chef George Lazi, who got his culinary training in his native Republic of Georgia, owns the Pearl & Horn, a high-style fine-dining spot with an emphasis on local seafood. The chef is crazy about redfish collars, a tender delicacy served with his spicy Georgian adjika sauce made with chiles, herbs, and olive oil. Local oysters baked with garlic butter and parmesan or served Rockefeller style, and Gulf scallops grilled with orange miso and served with buttery spaghetti squash on the side are a few more menu highlights. If you’re flying in or out of town, the chef’s George Bistro is the absolute best place five minutes from the airport for inspired seafood.
Agapi Bistro: The compact, lively Agapi Bistro from chef Gus Silivos in East Pensacola spotlights Mediterranean flavors along with Gulf seafood. Silivos offers a four-course chef’s blind tasting, a great deal for $75. Don’t miss the house specialty, a line-caught scamp, in the grouper family, served with jumbo lump crab-meat and a creamy risotto.
The Grand Marlin: At the beach, seafood doesn’t get fresher than at The Grand Marlin, a modern fish house with Santa Rosa Bay views. Go for lunch and enjoy the daily catch, juicy and blackened, on an incredible sandwich or dressed Baja style in a solid trio of fish tacos. Grand Marlin’s crabcake, chunky with local blue crabmeat, is sauteed, not deep fried, and better for it.
Bonsai: For a different take, head to the second floor of the Hilton Pensacola Beach, where chefs at Bonsai transform Gulf catch into eye-popping Japanese dishes in a no-frills setting. The restaurant offers an omakase option, asking diners to trust the chef for a multi-course tasting priced at $120. Or simply order a la carte and splurge on the exceptionally tender slices of wagyu, guaranteed to. dazzle the carnivores at the table.
Stay
The Pensacola Beach Resort: For impressive beachfront access and views in a comfy setting, overnight at The Pensacola Beach Resort on Santa Rosa Island, a transformed former Margaritaville with clean, modern interiors and balconies. A mesmerizing pounding surf sets the stage for a wealth of freshly caught seafood options.
And a Nightcap
For a downtown nightcap, stop by The Florida Room, where house-distilled spirits power potent cocktails in a MiamiVice-themed cocktail lounge. Or pick up the phone outside for entrance into Sister Hen, a spectacular speakeasy downstairs at the church-turned Lily Hall Hotel. At the beach, the retro Sandshaker Lounge is a delish dive that attracts local regulars for tropical specials and live music.
Alabama
Gulf Adventures
Across a state line but only about 45 minutes away from Pensacola, the 32-mile Alabama Gulf Coast doesn’t put on airs—unless those airs are salt-sprayed and smell like sunscreen. Fans know that this stretch of Southern coastline embraces its inner honkytonk. Yes, there are powdery beaches and waves for frolicking. But there are also lots of souvenir shops, minigolf courses, and family-friendly activities. Then there’s the beloved Flora-Bama, a storied dive bar complex with a view, best enjoyed with a frozen Bushwacker in hand.
Eat
Zeke’s Restaurant
Zeke’s: Pristine seafood comes with the territory. Begin the adventure at Zeke’s in Orange Beach, a modern, four-year-old restaurant on Perdido Beach Boulevard. Start with local oysters and peel-and-eat Gulf shrimp, or splurge on a seafood tower for a vertical feast that includes everything from lobster tail to tuna tartare and oysters. Check out the marina views along with toothsome bites of blackened Gulf cobia served with dirty rice and creamy crawfish gravy. For anglers just back from one of Zeke’s many charter fishing options, the Hook & Cook sends your catch to the kitchen, serving that just-caught blackened or grilled trophy with coleslaw, family style, for $22 per person.
DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen: In nearby Gulf Shores, Royal Red shrimp is a house specialty at DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen, a family-owned down-home seafooder since 2000. Royal Reds are caught in cooler, deeper Gulf waters and are prized for their lobster-like flavor and sweet meat, tastiest dipped in drawn butter. The broiled seafood platter keeps the flavor of locally caught flounder, shrimp, and scallops front and center. Or try the blackened yellowfin tuna, cooked perfectly to order, medium-rare. The staff treats guests like family—another reason this place is a charmer.
DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen
Big Fish: Always fresh, never frozen is the mantra at Big Fish, a wildly popular restaurant that out-swanks its shopping-center setting. Hand-trimmed amberjack, grouper, golden tile, mahi mahi, red snapper, triple tail, and swordfish are just a few of the locally caught options. Get that fish any which way, including sauteed and bronzed, a gentler alternative to blackening, seared in a hot pan to get a crust without too much spice. Or consider Big Fish style, which tops the gorgeous fillet with scallions and ginger in a sherry soy broth, served with spinach and jasmine rice on the side.
Woodside Restaurant: For breakfast or lunch, dip into the Southern-inspired Woodside Restaurant for a Cajun shrimp omelet or a plate of barbecue. The restaurant is located in Gulf State Park, home to some 28 miles of accessible Hugh S. Branyon Back-country Trails. Pass through multiple ecosystems, from hardwood swamps to freshwater marshes, the perfect way to walk or bike off that hot-honey-smoked chicken biscuit. There are free bike-share racks outside for riders 16 and up. Download the Bloom app on your phone to start pedaling.
Stay
Timberline Glamping Orange Beach, located where Orange Beach meets Gulf State Park, is just minutes from bike and walking trails and a short stroll from the Gulf. Each of the large climate-controlled canvas tents offers divinely comfortable queen or king beds and bunks ideal for families and pals’ getaways. Amenities include ensuite bath and shower, an outdoor firepit, and a coffee maker and small fridge. The safari tent holds up beautifully in a downpour, making it possible to watch and listen to the rain, snug and dry, without having to pack up and head home. And yes, for a fee, you can bring your furry best friend.
Lodge at Gulf State Park: Right on the beach, the ecofriendly Lodge at Gulf State Park, a Hilton Hotel, delivers a natural setting with both beach and pool views and easy access to the surf. There’s even a fishing lake along with walking and biking trails. The original lodge was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004; the rebuilt Hilton took its place in 2018. Furniture and tile are locally made with recycled and reclaimed materials, and lights all face away from the beach to protect sea turtle nesting habitats.
And a Nightcap
Stone Gables Bed & Breakfast:Don’t miss this under-the-radar speakeasy at The Wharf in Orange Beach. Get to these handcrafted cocktails by going through the glass doors next to Frank & Co. Jewelry Store across from Villaggio Restaurant. Wave your hand in front of the red light by the entry door to get to the vault, where you’ll enter the daily code posted on Facebook. The bar is known for its layered builds, bold flavors, impressive glassware, and tropical tiki options made with fresh juices and imported rums.
A South Carolina chocolate producer bridges the gap between cacao growers and consumers, one bar at a time
Lakshmi Paturi and Sasikanth Dale
T here is a story within each bar of Kosha chocolate. Folded with the cacao are stories of agricultural tradition, cultural identity, and family history
This is why Kosha owners Lakshmi Paturi and Sasikanth Dale see themselves not just as chocolate makers but as conduits of an ancient foodway that has sustained generations.
Kosha’s single-origin chocolate is made using traditional methods and ancestral varietals of cacao that can be traced thousands of years and is sourced directly from farmers in Peru, Nicaragua, and Tanzania. They use light roasting and eschew refined sugar and emulsifiers to preserve nuance and flavor. And they’re out to prove that social responsibility, economic impact, and good food are not mutually exclusive.
“We started this business to bring value to the product and to the farmers,” Paturi says. “Because we want them to continue to grow.”
But even before they were supporting cacao farmers, the founders were supporting coffee farmers through their microroastery, Cracked Bean Coffee Co. What grew out of a study of unique flavor qualities of different beans turned into a passion to support a sustainable coffee industry. Their company, which they continue to run today, sources beans directly from farmers, the process of which introduced the two to the immense challenges of coffee production.
It was on an exploration trip to Guatemala in early 2020 to meet with coffee farmers that the two first learned about cacao and were captivated by the intersection of agriculture, history, and culture. Upon their return, Paturi and Dale, software engineers by day, began a deep dive into cacao, researching traditional production methods and learning about the careful process required to preserve the flavor and integrity of the bean.
“There is more of a connection,” Dale says of the culture surrounding cacao. “You can feel the flavor when it is a hybrid versus a natural cacao. That is an important thing today we want to preserve.”
But production is challenging and the industrialization of the chocolate economy has created a tenuous landscape. One study found on average, cacao farmers earn just six percent of the final value of a bar of chocolate. This disparity has meant traditional cacao farmers are dwindling. Paturi and Dale’s research led them to Amazon Specialties, a nongovernmental organization based in Peru that works directly with 4,500 farmers throughout the country. The methods have been passed down through generations.
“It’s about preserving that chain rather than breaking it,” Dale says.
In early 2022, Paturi and a friend in Colorado began experimenting with chocolate making at home, using traditional grinding methods and testing the way roasting temperature and various sweeteners impacted flavor. After much trial and error, they developed a chocolate that felt and tasted right and launched a bean-to-bar chocolate company, IXKAKAW in late 2022. With each sale, the company was able to import more cacao beans.
In June 2024, Paturi and Dale left Colorado to settle in a new home in Travelers Rest, South Carolina. They brought their chocolate making with them, launching Kosha in November of that same year. Kosha in Sanskrit refers to the five layers that protect the soul. Cacao, the couple thought, was like a sixth layer.
The 24-to-48-hour process begins with inspecting beans for quality and custom roasting at low temperatures according to varietal. Next, the beans are cracked and winnowed into nibs before being ground. Kosha uses a stone melanger that mimics the traditional grinding method. The process imparts a gentler friction, which better preserves the integrity of the cacao and the flavor. Paturi uses palm sugar, a mineral-rich, less-refined sweetener.
Success has come with steady growth. Kosha is now sold at local grocers and shops across Upstate South Carolina as well as online. And this year, Kosha was named a Good Food Award winner. Every dollar thus far has been reinvested back into Kosha or used to help their farmer partners. Last fall, Paturi and Dale visited Peru and purchased refiners for their partner farmers so they can start making their own chocolate.
“Even though we were doing full-time jobs, we were not happy,” Paturi says of their journey. “We were missing something, and we want to do something for the farmers. We wanted to support them the way we can.”
Where to Find Kosha Chocolate
Kosha Chocolate is now available at select grocers in South Carolina, but you can find a full selection, including their 70-percent cacao dark chocolate and ceremonial cacao kits, online. https://koshachocolate.com/
Temperatures are up this summer, and we’re hiding in restaurants and bars to cool off with refreshing cocktails, soothing soundtracks, and fresh takes on sports bar fare, Indian cuisine, and Southern produce.
Trend 1: Fine Dining Indian
Indian restaurants across the South are flexing the diversity of the country’s rich food traditions and serving it up with fine-dining touchstones, from impeccable hospitality to jaw-dropping decor.
When Tamasha premiered in Raleigh, owners Mike Kathrani and Tina Vora wanted to create “North Carolina’s most elevated Indian restaurant,” and while that distinction is difficult to quantify, they certainly created an elegant environment to enjoy fine-tuned fare from chef Bhavin Chhatwani. Now, patrons can enjoy dum ki nalli gosht, lamb shank slow-roasted for 8 hours, salted palm jaggery, and Cointreau gelato.
Atlanta newcomer Ikara presents flavors from across India in a stunning dining room decked out with ornate lighting fixtures, lush wallpaper, and rich fabrics. Chef Yugal Sharma, from the ITC Grand Bharat resort in New Delhi, puts out menu items like Ikara dal, a Punjabi recipe of slow-roasted lentils, and gucchi subz-e-zar, a Kashmiri dish of morels filled with clotted cream and herbs.
Zamindar’s Club House aims to bring old-world Indian elegance to the Charlotte scene. Chef Vamshi Adi’s refined cuisine includes mango lobster curry, Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani, and charbroiled butter chicken wings with mint chutney.
Tamasha
Trend 2: Produce-Forward Cocktails
Social media distributes cocktail trends at a speedy pace, so a drink made popular in New York or the Italian Alps (Hugo spritz, anyone?) can make its way to the American South by the time a bartender can order the ingredients. How can these bars distinguish themselves? Local produce. No one does summer fruits and vegetables like the South.
Seahorse, the sister bar to Charleston’s popular seafood spot Chubby Fish, serves cocktails in a nautical-themed space. Bar manager Chris Carron makes a Tomato Collins with Sun Gold tomato water mixed with sugar and citric and tartaric acids, fino sherry, and a basil-oil-washed gin. The tomatoes are at peak summer perfection, adding a sweet, vegetal note to the drink.
Nashville cocktail bar Love’s Alibi offers serious cocktails in irreverent ways. For example, the Blackberry Cobbler, with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Blackberry (whiskey blended with blackberry liqueur), lemon, and Genepy (an herbal liquor), is served in a Twisted Tea can.
Bar director Gabe Ford describes the Golden Hour martini at Austin’s Modern Bar as a “love letter to Texas peaches and the beautiful sunsets of the Hill Country.” The cocktail is made with olive oil fat-washed gin, lacto-fermented peach, fig leaf, an aperitivo blend, and Texas apricot brandy. Ford says, “It lands silky, golden, restrained, and made for that first slow sip of the evening.”
Trend 3: Sports Bars Where Food Isn’t an Afterthought
Yes, wings and mozzarella sticks are delicious, but who says a sports bar can’t deviate from the norm? New establishments featuring the latest games on big screens are branching out to offer more options.
Jolene, Jolene is billed as Atlanta’s “first bar for women’s sports.” The menu offers decidedly non-sports-bar cuisine like hot honey whipped feta, a cobb salad, and Girl Dinner, a combination of “meats, cheeses, snacks, treats, goodies, random things, stuff from the fridge, etc.”
E.O.’s Athletic Club welcomes sports lovers of any kind in Durham. Everyone is encouraged to visit—football fans, women’s basketball fans, even Olympic curling fans. On the menu, you’ll find “fancy” onion dip, chicken parm sandwiches, and loaded baked potatoes.
Asheville’s Easy Tiger is a sports bar offering fun takes on pub fare, like laap tater tots with fish sauce and cilantro, falafel pitas, and a chicken Caesar sandwich with Calabrian chilies.
Jolene, Jolene
Trend 4: Listening Bars
Music is the main event at these listening bars, but food and drinks are a complimentary addition. Vinyl is key, and the genres are plentiful.
Acclaimed chef Sean Brock created the menu at High Dive in Birmingham to reflect the Japanese origins of listening rooms. The lounge is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with options like a pork katsu milk bread sandwich, salmon and shiso handrolls, and black sesame bread pudding.
The menu at Groceries Etc. in Nashville is snack-y with carbs from Mama Bread, cheeses, olives, and cured meats. The cocktails and vinyl are the focus, though, so go for a coffee negroni or classic martini with a soundtrack of Daft Punk or Nas.
Potential New Boyfriend combines wine, gourmet ice cream, and a killer soundtrack to create a unique hangout spot in Asheville. Owner Disco created a welcoming third space on Haywood Road—full of plush couches, funky paintings, and a top-of-the-line audio system.
Trend 5: Summer Granita
It’s hot, and the easiest way to cool down is a big bite of icy granita. Restaurants are tapping into the traditional Sicilian dessert for sweet and savory interpretations on their menus, from a sorrel granita on oysters at Bacchanalia in Atlanta to a melon granita with mint and jalapeño at Charleston’s Weltons Tiny Bakeshop.
At Charleston neighborhood restaurant Vern’s, you’ll spot the seasonal granita dessert on almost every table—it’s a must-order. The flavors change, but the strawberry version is the most popular. The shaved ice is layered over vanilla ice cream, strawberry jam, and crème fraîche. Vern’s makes all the components in-house, but for home cooks, store-bought will be a suitable substitute.
recipe
yields
4 quarts
ingredients
91oz Strawberry Puree
5 cups Water
1 2/3 cups Sugar
4oz Champagne Vinegar
1 tablespoon Citric Acid
steps
Top, wash, puree, and strain strawberries. Weigh the puree. Add 45% water. Find combined weight of puree and water. Based on this weight, add: 9% sugar, 3% champagne vinegar, and 3% citric acid
Combine strawberry puree and water.
Add vinegar and stir to combine.
Combine the sugar and citric acid slowly add to the juice mixture while whisking. Whisk or stick blend until all sugar dissolved.
example:
-2590g strawberry puree.
-1165g water (45%)
-113g champagne vinegar (3% of combined strawberry and water weight)
-338g sugar (9% of combined strawberry and water weight) -11g citric acid (0.3% of combined strawberry and water weight)
As summer begins to wind down, there’s still plenty of time to savor one of Southern food’s best seasons. From cakes to ice cream to trifles, these no-bake desserts capture everything there is to love about late summer. Featuring juicy berries, cooling mint, and vibrant citrus, each recipe withstands Southern heat waves.
For an elevated take on a citrusy favorite, this preserved lemon ice cream is a balm to the summer heat. With only six ingredients, this simple summer dessert from Palm&Pine perfectly balances bright citrus and sugar with preserved lemon and honey, without being overly sweet. It’s simple and delightful, and can be made for a crowd or kept in your freezer as a late-summer staple.
For a summer treat that isn’t frozen, this no-bake “cake” falls somewhere between banana pudding, tiramisu, and an èclair. Country music artist Hannah Dasher takes this no-bake èclair cake and introduces Elvis Presley’s favorite flavors for a playful twist on a classic. Perfectly chaotic, it features a crunchy graham cracker base, sweet vanilla pudding and whipped cream “cake”, whisky-dipped peanut butter cookies, fresh banana slices, and a velvety chocolate icing.
Birmingham chef Frank Stitt of Chez Fonfon and Bottega shares his Strawberry Fool recipe. This classic British dessert can be brought together in less than 15 minutes. Soft whipped cream meets a sweet strawberry coulis, while a garnish of fresh mint and bright lemon zest creates a refreshing contrast. Perfect for a group, or simply enoying yourself, it’s an easy and satisfying treat.
This blackberry jam icebox cake combines sweet, salty, and creamy flavors for a well-rounded dessert. Vibrant layers of blackberry jam, crunchy graham crackers, and sweet whipped cream are topped with salty pistachios for an added crunch. Gaining popularity in the 50’s, icebox cakes were known for creating a fancy layered treat without turning on the stove.
Inspired by the iconic cocktail, these mint julep trifles are the ideal personal-sized desserts for a group. The trifle pairs mint mouse with a full-bodied bourbon gelée, finishing with crumbled almond meal on top. The whipped mousse adds silky smoothness, while the sweet almond layer adds the crave-able crunch.
In this summertime treat shared by Gullah Geechee chef BJ Dennis, juicy, bubbling blackberries simmer with soft, dumpling-like dough. It’s sweet and tangy, with fresh fruit, creating a delicious and comforting bite. Serve with a scoop or two of creamy vanilla ice cream.
For a match made in frozen dessert heaven, this refreshing juniper berry ice cream is swirled with jammy blueberries to make a perfect summer treat. Heavy cream and condensed milk get whisked together to create a delectable creamy base, then blueberries balance the deep sweetness with a natural tartness, while the essence of juniper berries adds a botanical twist, keeping this treat from being too sweet.
It’s been 10 years since chef Amy Brandwein opened Centrolina, her acclaimed downtown restaurant dedicated to Italian cuisine, and her mantra can still be boiled down to three words: “Simple is exquisite.” Brandwein is known for her pasta and refined approach to cooking proteins and seasonal vegetables. Her evolution over the past decade includes opening the more casual sister café Piccolina and creating a popular Chef’s Table dinner series collaborating with DC’s most talented chefs.
They have a restaurant upstairs and then the same restaurant is making to-go items, like a curried eggplant dish with rice. It’s delicious. And the mango sticky rice is unbelievable.
My favorite thing is their watercress salad. When I have their pizza, I have their eggplant pizza. It’s got a little bit of anchovy, hot pepper, eggplant, and not too much cheese. It’s really beautiful.
The bars that beverage director Radovan Jankovic works with transport drinkers to another time and place. It could be 1970s Brazil, complete with caipirinha and bossa nova spinning on vinyl at Bar Cana in Adams Morgan, or a tucked-away, funky Middle Eastern hangout via Union Market’s La’ Shukran, featuring arak cocktails and bites by acclaimed chef Michael Rafidi. He’s also behind the drinks at “sorta South American” restaurant Mercy Me, where you can order chicha punch.
Radovan Jankovic’s Current Favorites:
DC PRODUCT
Don Ciccio & Figli does a great job on all their products. I love to use Mandarinetto for seasonal mandarin cocktails.
BEVERAGE TREND
Lighter cocktails in texture, lighter cocktails in ABV. It allows you to enjoy more cocktails [and] different flavors without having the full effect of alcohol.
In addition to running sleeper hit lunch counter Green Almond Pantry, chef Çağla Önal-Urel is stretching her wings with a sit-down restaurant in Georgetown devoted to her inviting Turkish cooking. Try beef dumplings, lamb skewers, and must-try vegetable dishes like fresh cranberry beans.
Boutique hotelier SIXTY boasts outposts in Beverly Hills, the Lower East Side, and now Dupont Circle with the opening of SIXTY DC. The hotel’s eateries are as glam as you’d imagine: Wood-paneled cocktail bar Reynold’s shakes up dill-infused martinis, while Casamara channels the Mediterranean with checkered marble floors (and a party-ready rooftop).
Ethiopian cuisine is well-represented in Washington, but chef Elias Taddesse landed on a one-of-a-kind concoction with Doro Soul Food, where he turns out buttermilk-marinated fried chicken coated in berbere spices. The flavors of doro wat, Ethiopia’s beloved chicken stew, inspire the sides and sauces here, too.
Layers of fudge and mocha buttercream make up this stunner, which sits on a pool of vanilla crème anglaise. Garden Hospitality co-owner Eric Eden gives credit for the recipe to Steffie Kay, a rural baker who sells her wares out of a feed store near Eden’s Missouri hometown.
This hip all-day café aims to be completely indispensable for its Mount Pleasant neighbors, with a menu of rotating approachable-meets-adventurous dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Save room for dessert, with sweets like ancho chile pot de crème.
Chef Kitima Boonmala takes her popular noodle pop-up to a permanent space with BirdSong, showcasing lesser-known Thai dishes from her homeland. Try boat noodle soup or soy-sauce coated rice noodles.
The geniuses behind DC’s All-Purpose Pizza recently turned their attention to focaccia, with an outpost in Shaw and one in Union Market for the airy Italian loaves. Order this bread on its own or as the anchor for sandwiches stuffed with porchetta or portobello.
Unconventional Diner, Steffie Kay’s Chocolate Cake, Image courtesy of Hunter Knight Douglas
