Bar Review: The World Turns, The Varnish Stays the Same
Why the bar that kicked off LA’s cocktail revival resists the urge to change with the times.
- story: Robert Simonson
- photos: Dylan + Jeni
Is the More-Is-More Spirits List Overrated?
Why some of today’s most prominent bartenders are advocating for smaller, more carefully curated programs.
- story: Robert Simonson
- photo: Kelly Puleio
Bar Review: The New Home of the High-Concept Cocktail
One of the bar world’s most anticipated openings eschews the shock-and-awe of molecular mixology—until you pull back the curtain.
- story: Robert Simonson
- photos: Lizzie Munro
Bar Review: A Tiki Master Goes for Broke
Brian Miller and Major Food Group’s king-size tiki bar, The Polynesian, aims to be the best in the world.
- story: Robert Simonson
- photos: Lizzie Munro
Bar Review: A Sports Bar for the One Percent
Mordecai, located across from one of baseball’s most famous parks, has assembled one of the country’s most ambitious collections of rare spirits. But who is it for, exactly?
- story: Robert Simonson
- photos: Lyndon French
Paddy Ford Wants to Get to Know You
If Smith & Wollensky’s longtime barman doesn’t know your name, “you came from someplace else.”
- story: Robert Simonson
- photos: Eric Medsker
Bar Review: The Trouble With the “Hyper-Local” Cocktail
A Rake’s Bar dedicates itself wholly to regional ingredients, forgoing the likes of simple syrup and citrus. But are the drinks any good?
- story: Robert Simonson
- photos: Reema Desai
Will the Real Orange Bitters Please Stand Up?
Dozens of brands are still competing to become the archetypal orange bitters.
- story: Robert Simonson
- photo: Lizzie Munro
Bar Review: Is the New EMP Actually an Improvement?
Robert Simonson on the revamp of Eleven Madison Park’s trailblazing bar.
- story: Robert Simonson
- photos: Eric Medsker
Can the Bar Industry Tackle Its Inclusion Problem?
The past year brought to light issues of sexism and diversity within the bar community, forcing the drinks world to take a hard look at itself.
- story: Robert Simonson
- photo: Lizzie Munro
