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AI-generated image of the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award on top of a bar, next to a cocktail

April 23, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

TOTCF Reveals Regional Top 10 Honorees

TOTCF Reveals Regional Top 10 Honorees

by David Klemt

This is what Shutterstock’s AI think a Spirited Award looks like. At least the spelling is accurate.

Please join us in raising a glass of your favorite beverage—full-, low-, or no-ABV—to the 18th annual Spirited Awards Regional Top 10 Honorees.

Overall, New York City lays claim to the most honorees with a staggering 27. In second place among the American cities is Chicago, with 17 honorees. New Orleans comes in at third with 13 honorees dotted throughout the city.

That brings us to Canada. There’s a tie between Montréal, Québec, and Toronto, Ontario, for first place. Each city boasts 15 Regional Top 10 Honorees. Vancouver follows with 11 honorees. Appearing in two categories is Dartmouth, Nova Scotia’s Dear Friend Bar. There are also two honorees in Québec City, Québec.

As you can see, a handful of cities throughout North America are doing very well in terms of the bar scene. Internationally, London is home to 17 honorees, Singapore claims 15, and Mexico City boasts 12 honorees.

You’ll find the entire list of honorees below, starting with America. What can I say? I just have to be different. Cheers!

American Honorees

Best US Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons

Best US Bar Team: US Central

Anna’s (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29 (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Best Intentions (Chicago, Illinois)
DrinkWell (Austin, Texas)
Grey Ghost (Detroit, Michigan)
Jewel of the South (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Meteor (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Nickel City (Austin, Texas)
Sportsman’s Club (Chicago, Illinois)
Three Dots and a Dash (Chicago, Illinois)

Best US Bar Team: US East

Allegory DC (Washington, DC)
Bar Belly (New York, New York)
Bar Goto (New York, New York)
Martiny’s (New York, New York)
Milady’s (New York, New York)
Mister Paradise (New York, New York)
Old Glory (Nashville, Tennessee)
Overstory (New York, New York)
Proof (Charleston, South Carolina)
Service Bar (Washington, DC)

Best US Bar Team: US West

Accomplice Bar (Los Angeles, California)
Century Grand (Phoenix, Arizona)
Employees Only Los Angeles (Los Angeles, California)
Highball Cocktail Bar (Phoenix, Arizona)
Navy Strength (Seattle, Washington)
Pacific Cocktail Haven (San Francisco, California)
Strong Water Anaheim (Anaheim, California)
Thunderbolt (Los Angeles, California)
True Laurel (San Francisco, California)
Yacht Club (Denver, Colorado)

Best US Cocktail Bar presented by Del Maguey Mezcal

Best US Cocktail Bar: US Central*

Adiõs Bar (Birmingham, Alabama)
Bar Tonique (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29 (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Best Intentions (Chicago, Illinois)
DrinkWell (Austin, Texas)
Here Nor There (Austin, Texas)
Julep (Houston, Texas)
Kiesling (Detroit, Michigan)
Meadowlark (Chicago, Illinois)
MONEYGUN (Chicago, Illinois)
Sparrow (Chicago, Illinois)
Standby (Detroit, Michigan)

Best US Cocktail Bar: US East

Bar Belly (New York, New York)
Bar Goto (New York, New York)
barmini by José Andrés (Washington, DC)
Dear Irving Gramercy (New York, New York)
Double Chicken Please (New York, New York)
Martiny’s (New York, New York)
Milady’s (New York, New York)
Mister Paradise (New York, New York)
Overstory (New York, New York)
Service Bar (Washington, DC)

Best US Cocktail Bar: US West

Baby Gee (Long Beach, California)
Capri Club (Los Angeles, California)
Foreign National (Seattle, Washington)
Happy Accidents (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Highball Cocktail Bar (Phoenix, Arizona)
The Doctor’s Office (Seattle, Washington)
Thunderbolt (Los Angeles, California)
Trick Dog (San Francisco, California)
True Laurel (San Francisco, California)
Yacht Club (Denver, Colorado)

Best US Hotel Bar presented by Grey Goose

Best US Hotel Bar: US Central

Catbird at Thompson Dallas Hotel (Dallas, Texas)
Chandelier Bar at Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Dovetail Bar at The Schaeffer Hotel (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Lazy Bird at The Hoxton (Chicago, Illinois)
Midnight Rambler at The Joule (Dallas, Texas)
Milk Room at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel (Chicago, Illinois)
Otoko x Watertrade at South Congress Hotel (Austin, Texas)
The Elysian Bar at Hotel Peter and Paul (New Orleans, Louisiana)
The Sazerac Bar at The Roosevelt New Orleans (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Vol. 39 at The Kimpton Gray Hotel (Chicago, Illinois)

Best US Hotel Bar: US East

27 Restaurant at Freehand Miami (Miami Beach, Florida)
Allegory DC (Washington, DC)
Champagne Bar at Four Seasons at The Surf Club (Miami, Florida)
Dear Irving on Hudson at Aliz Hotel (New York, New York)
Frannie & The Fox at Emeline (Charleston, South Carolina)
Lobby Bar at The Hotel Chelsea (New York, New York)
MATADOR BAR at The Miami Beach EDITION (Miami Beach, Florida)
Nubeluz at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad (New York, New York)
Raines Law Room at The William (New York, New York)
White Limozeen at The Graduate Nashville (Nashville, Tennessee)

Best US Hotel Bar: US West

Ardor at The West Hollywood EDITION (West Hollywood, California)
Little Rituals at the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott (Phoenix, Arizona)
Mountaineering Club at Graduate Seattle Hotel (Seattle, Washington)
Pacific Standard at KEX Portland (Portland, Oregon)
Pint + Jigger at the Ala Moana Hotel (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Rise Over Run at the LINE Hotel (San Francisco, California)
Rudolph’s Bar & Tea at Freehand LA (Los Angeles, California)
The Manor Bar at Rosewood Miramar Beach (Montecito, California)
The Maybourne Bar at The Maybourne Hotel Beverly Hills (Beverly Hills, California)
The Ski Lodge at Superfrico at The Cosmopolitan (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Best US Restaurant Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Best US Restaurant Bar: US Central*

Bar Pigalle (Detroit, Michigan)
Brennan’s Restaurant (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Coquette (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Daisies (Chicago, Illinois)
Espiritu Mezcaleria (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Grey Ghost (Detroit, Michigan)
Kumiko (Chicago, Illinois)
Maple & Ash (Chicago, Illinois)
Rose Mary (Chicago, Illinois)
Spoon and Stable (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
The Loyalist (Chicago, Illinois)

Best US Restaurant Bar: US East

Amazonia (Washington DC)
Blossom Bar (Brookline, Massachusetts)
Bresca (Washington, DC)
Cosme (New York, New York)
COTE Korean Steakhouse (New York, New York)
Crown Shy (New York, New York)
Gramercy Tavern (New York, New York)
Jaguar Sun (Miami, Florida)
Macchialina (Miami, Florida)
The Grey (Savannah, Georgia)

Best US Restaurant Bar: US West

Accomplice Bar (Los Angeles, California)
Bar Cecil (Palm Springs, California)
Cleaver — Butchered Meats, Seafood & Classic Cocktails (Las Vegas, Nevada)
L’Oursin (Seattle, Washington)
Lolo (San Francisco, California
Palomar (Portland, Oregon)
République (Los Angeles, California)
Strong Water Anaheim (Anaheim, California)
Valentine (Phoenix, Arizona)
Viridian (Oakland, California)

Best New US Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

Best New US Cocktail Bar: US Central

Cobra (Columbus, Ohio)
daydreamer (Austin, Texas)
Equipment Room (Austin, Texas)
Good Night John Boy (Chicago, Illinois)
Jolie (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Lemon (Chicago, Illinois)
Murray’s Tavern (Austin, Texas)
Saint Valentine (Dallas, Texas)
The Eastman (Rochester, Michigan)
Wild Child (Kansas City, Missouri)

Best New US Cocktail Bar: US East

Bartley Dunne’s (New York, New York)
Curean (Greenville, South Carolina)
Equal Measure (Boston, Massachusetts)
Jac’s On Bond (New York, New York)
Medium Cool (Miami Beach, Florida)
Papi Portland (Portland, Maine)
Paradise Lost (New York, New York)
Pretty Decent (Louisville, Kentucky)
Superbueno (New York, New York)
The Portrait Bar at The Fifth Avenue Hotel (New York, New York)

Best New US Cocktail Bar: US West

Aphotic (San Francisco, California)
Bar Next Door (Los Angeles, California)
Cavaña at LUMA Hotel (San Francisco, California)
Dark Room (Seattle, Washington)
Dirty Pretty (Portland, Oregon)
Donna’s (Los Angeles, California)
FYPM (Phoenix, Arizona)
Hey Kiddo (Denver, Colorado)
Ok Yeah (Denver, Colorado)
STOA (San Francisco, California)

International Honorees

Best International Bar Team presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

Best International Bar Team: Asia Pacific (APAC)

ARGO at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China)
ATLAS (Singapore)
Caretaker’s Cottage (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
Dean & Nancy on 22 at the A by Adina Hotel (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
Double Deuce Lounge (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
Hope & Sesame Guangzhou (Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China)
Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)
Native (Singapore)
Night Hawk (Singapore)
Nutmeg & Clove (Singapore)

Best International Bar Team: Canada*

Atwater Cocktail Club (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
Botanist at Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Civil Liberties (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Cry Baby Gallery (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Dear Friend Bar (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada)
Laowai (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Library Bar at Fairmont Royal York (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Published on Main (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
The Cloakroom Bar (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
The Coldroom (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
The Keefer Bar (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

Best International Bar Team: Europe

1930 Cocktail Bar (Milan, Italy)
Bar 1661 (Dublin, Ireland)
Cinquanta Spirito Italiano (Pagani, Italy)
Mirror Cocktail Bar at Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel (Bratislava, Slovakia)
Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK)
Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)
Satan’s Whiskers (London, England, UK)
Tayēr + Elementary (London, England, UK)
The Cambridge Public House (Paris, Île-de-France, France)
The Clumsies (Athens, Greece)

Best International Bar Team: Latin America & Caribbean (LATAM&C)

Café de Nadie (Mexico City, Mexico)
CoChinChina (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
El Gallo Altanero (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico)
Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
Hanky Panky (Mexico City, Mexico)
La Factoría (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
La Uat (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Rayo Cocktail Bar (Mexico City, Mexico)
Tres Monos (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Zapote Bar at Rosewood Mayakoba (Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico)

Best International Bar Team: Middle East & Africa (MEA)

COYA Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
fable (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
Front/Back Accra (Accra, Ghana)
Lost + Found Drinkery (Nicosia, Cyprus)
LPM Restaurant & Bar Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
Mimi Kakushi (Dubai, UAE)
Salmon Guru Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
Sin + Tax (Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa)
The Drinkery (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
Zuma Dubai (Dubai, UAE)

Best International Cocktail Bar presented by Patrón Tequila

Best International Cocktail Bar: Asia Pacific (APAC)

Above Board (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
BYRDI (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
Caretaker’s Cottage (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
COA (Hong Kong, China)
Hope & Sesame Guangzhou (Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China)
Maybe Sammy (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
Nutmeg & Clove (Singapore)
The Bellwood (Tokyo, Honshu, Japan)
The Cocktail Club (Jakarta, Javo, Indonesia)
ZEST (Seoul, South Korea)

Best International Cocktail Bar: Canada*

Atwater Cocktail Club (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
Bar Mordecai (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Bar Pompette (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Civil Liberties (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Cocktail Bar (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Dear Friend Bar (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada)
Laowai (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Milky Way Cocktail Bar (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
The Cloakroom Bar (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
The Keefer Bar (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
The Raven Room (Whistler, British Columbia, Canada)

Best International Cocktail Bar: Europe

🔶🟥🔵 A Bar with Shapes for a Name (London, UK)
Drink Kong (Rome, Lazio, Italy)
HIMKOK (Oslo, Østlandet, Norway)
Kwãnt (London, UK)
Line Athens (Athens, Greece)
Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK)
Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)
Röda Huset (Stockholm, Södermanland and Uppland, Sweden)
Satan’s Whiskers (London, England, UK)
Three Sheets Bar (London, England, UK)

Best International Cocktail Bar: Latin America & Caribbean (LATAM&C)*

ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena des Indias, Bolívar, Colombia)
Bon Vivants (Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas)
Carnaval Bar (Lima, Peru)
El Barón Cafe & Cocktail Bar (Cartagena des Indias, Bolívar, Colombia)
Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
La Factoría (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
La Uat (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Oh No! Lulu (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Rayo Cocktail Bar (Mexico City, Mexico)
The Liquor Store (São Paulo, Brazil)
Tres Monos (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Best International Cocktail Bar: Middle East & Africa (MEA)

CAUSE | EFFECT Cocktail Kitchen (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
Dead End Paradise (Beirut, Lebanon)
Front/Back Accra (Accra, Ghana)
Galaxy Bar (Dubai, UAE)
Honeycomb Hi-Fi (Dubai, UAE)
Salmon Guru Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
Shinkō (Cairo, Egypt)
Sin + Tax (Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa)
The Drinkery (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
The House of Machines (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)

Best International Hotel Bar presented by Ford’s Gin

Best International Hotel Bar: Asia Pacific (APAC)

ARGO at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China)
Bar Trigona at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok (Bangkok, Thailand)
Charles H. at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul (Seoul, South Korea)
DarkSide at Rosewood Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China)
Dean & Nancy on 22 at the A by Adina Hotel (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
Origin Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel (Singapore)
The Bamboo Bar at the Mandarin Oriental (Bangkok, Thailand)
VIRTÙ at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo Otemachi (Tokyo, Honshu, Japan)
Writers Bar at Raffles Singapore Hotel (Singapore)

Best International Hotel Bar: Canada

Bar 1608 at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac (Québec City, Québec, Canada)
Bar George at Le Mount Stephen Hotel (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
Botanist at Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Clive’s Classic Lounge at Chateau Victoria Hotel & Suites (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)
Clockwork Champagne & Cocktails at Fairmont Royal York Hotel (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Library Bar at Fairmont Royal York (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Marcus Lounge and Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Montréal (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
Nacarat at Fairmont Queen Elizabeth (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
The Lobby Lounge and RawBar at Fairmont Pacific Rim (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Writers Room Bar at Park Hyatt (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Best International Hotel Bar: Europe*

Atrium Bar at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze (Florence, Tuscany, Italy)
Avra Bar at Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens (Athens, Greece)
Bar Les Ambassadeurs at Hôtel de Crillon (Paris, Île-de-France, France)
Mirror Cocktail Bar at Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel (Bratislava, Slovakia)
Punch Room at The Madrid EDITION (Madrid, Spain)
Seed Library at One Hundred Shoreditch Hotel (London, England, UK)
Side Hustle at The NoMad Hotel London (London, England, UK)
Super Lyan at Kimpton De Witt (Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands)
The Court at Palazzo Manfredi (Rome, Lazio, Italy)
The Donovan Bar at Brown’s Hotel (London, England, UK)
Velvet by Salvatore Calabrese at Corinthia London (London, England, UK)

Best International Hotel Bar: Latin America & Caribbean (LATAM&C)

BEKEB at Hotel Casa Hoyos (San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico)
Carlotta Reforma at The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City (Mexico City, Mexico)
Fifty Mils at Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City (Mexico City, Mexico)
Hotel B at Relais & Châteaux (Lima, Peru)
King Cole Bar at The St. Regis Mexico City (Mexico City, Mexico)
La Botica at Las Ventanas al Paraiso (Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico)
Library by the Sea at Kimpton Seafire Resort (Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands)
NKIRU Bar at 45 by Director Hotel (Santiago, Chile)
Rabo di Galo at Rosewood São Paulo (São Paulo, Brazil)
Zapote Bar at Rosewood Mayakoba (Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico)

Best International Hotel Bar: Middle East & Africa (MEA)*

Blind Tiger at Jumeirah Al Naseem (Dubai, UAE)
Electric Pawn Shop at the Dubai Hotel (Dubai, UAE)
Flashback Speakeasy Bar & Lounge at Paramount Hotel Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
Gigi Rooftop Restaurant & Bar at the Gorgeous George Hotel (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
HERO at Trademark Hotel (Nairobi, Kenya)
Jiko Restaurant at Tribe Hotel (Nairobi, Kenya)
Library Bar at The Abu Dhabi EDITION (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
Monkey Bar at 25hours Hotel (Dubai, UAE)
Smoke & Mirrors at SLS Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
The Bulgari Bar at the The Bulgari Resort Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
The Leopard Bar at the Twelve Apostles Hotel (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)

Best International Restaurant Bar presented by Gin Mare

Best International Restaurant Bar: Asia Pacific (APAC)

Alba Bar & Deli (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia)
Burnt Ends (Singapore)
Caffe Fernet (Singapore)
Gimlet at Cavendish House (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
Neon Pigeon (Singapore)
PANTJA (Jakarta, Javo, Indonesia)
Ralph’s Bar (Chengdu, Sichuan, China)
SG Low (Tokyo, Honshu, Japan)
Sugarhall (Singapore)
Vender Bar (Taichung City, Taiwan)

Best International Restaurant Bar: Canada

Bar Kismet (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)
Honō Izakaya (Québec City, Québec, Canada)
Le Majestique (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
Major Tom (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provision (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Published on Main (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Quetzal (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Restaurant Pompette (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Rouge Gorge (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
SUYO (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

Best International Restaurant Bar: Europe

Angelita (Madrid, Spain)
Bar Lupo (Zürich, Switzerland)
Carico Milano (Milan, Lombardy, Italy)
Danico (Paris, Île-de-France, France)
Galileo (Barcelona, Spain)
Gucci Giardino 25 (Florence, Tuscany, Italy)
Hakkasan (London, England, UK)
Le Mary Celeste (Paris, Île-de-France, France)
Locale Firenze (Florence, Tuscany, Italy)
Sins of Sal (Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands)

Best International Restaurant Bar: Latin America & Caribbean (LATAM&C)

ARCA Tulum (Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico)
Aruba Day Drink Bar (Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico)
Bar Carmen Medellín (Medellín, Aburrá Valley, Colombia)
Casa Prunes (Mexico City, Mexico)
CoChinChina (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Jardín Tragos y Pasteles (Bogotá, Colombia)
Lady Bee (Lima, Peru)
Mamba Negra (Medellín, Aburrá Valley, Colombia)
Niño Gordo (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Tan Tan (São Paulo, Brazil)

Best International Restaurant Bar: Middle East & Africa (MEA)

Amelia Restaurant & Lounge (Dubai, UAE)
Asoka (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
Bôndai Restaurant & Bar (Accra, Ghana)
COYA Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
Funky Monkey (Diani Beach, Kwale County, Kenya)
LPM Restaurant & Bar Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
Mimi Kakushi (Dubai, UAE)
Roka Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
Upper Union (Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
Zuma Dubai (Dubai, UAE)

Best New International Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

Best New International Cocktail Bar: Asia Pacific (APAC)

Apollo Inn (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
Bar Leone (Hong Kong, China)
Bar Us (Bangkok, Thailand)
Cat Bite Club (Singapore)
El Primo Sanchez (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
Fura (Singapore)
Puffy Bois Pizza (Singapore)
The Savory Project (Hong Kong, China)
The Waratah (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
Tokyo Confidential (Tokyo, Honshu, Japan)

Best New International Cocktail Bar: Canada

Bar Bello (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
Bar Bisou Bisou (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
Bar Dominion (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
Bon Délire (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
Charlie’s Watch Repair (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Electric Bill Bar (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Humboldt Bar at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)
LE TIGRE (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Must be the Place (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
Overpressure Club (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Best New International Cocktail Bar: Europe*

Abstract Bistrot (Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France)
Bar Llama (Madrid, Spain)
Bar Nouveau (Paris, Île-de-France, France)
Dram Bar (London, England, UK)
Equal Parts (London, England, UK)
Groovy Fluids (Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands)
Rumore (Milan, Lombardy, Italy)
Savoy Brasserie & Bar at Mandarin Oriental Savoy (Zürich, Switzerland)
The Honey Moon (Paris, Île-de-France, France)
Twice Shy (London, England, UK)
Vesper Bar at The Dorchester (London, England, UK)
Viajante87 (London, England, UK)
Wacky Wombat (London, England, UK)

Best New International Cocktail Bar: Latin America & Caribbean (LATAM&C)

1929 Cocktail Bar (Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico)
Alofah Tiki Bar (Mexico City, Mexico)
Bijou Drinkery Room (Mexico City, Mexico)
Booze The Bar Room (Lima, Peru)
Cielo Bar (La Paz, Pedro Domingo Murillo, Bolivia)
Cocktail & Bites (Bayamón, Puerto Rico)
Hoja Santa (Aguascalientes, Mexico)
SOFÁ – un bar (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
The Dilly Club (Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas)
The M Bar at Nobu Hotel Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico)

Best New International Cocktail Bar: Middle East & Africa (MEA)

7 Tales at Grosvenor House (Dubai, UAE)
Kōzo Kigali (Kigali, Rwanda)
Ling Ling at Atlantis The Royal (Dubai, UAE)
Mii-Yao (Beirut, Lebanon)
Moonshine (Dubai, UAE)
No.19 Accra (Accra, Ghana)
SOON Izakaya (Dubai, UAE)
Soul Kitchen Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
The Smiths (Lagos, Nigeria)
Uchi DIFC (Dubai, UAE)

Note: An asterisk denotes a category with more than 10 honorees due to a tie.

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform.

An AI-generated image of a bee flying over seaweed, headed toward the horizon

April 22, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

2 Eco-friendly F&B Items for Earth Day

2 Eco-friendly F&B Items for Earth Day

by David Klemt

This bee is having the time of its AI-generated life, frolicking over the sea.

It’s April 22, also known as Earth Day, and with that in mind I would like to introduce you to two products that focus on sustainability.

One is replacement for the standard cooking oils we know and love. The other is a practical stand-in for traditional honey.

The topics of sustainability, environmental friendliness, and responsible business practices are multifaceted. There’s combating food waste, upgrading to energy-efficient equipment and items that use less water… And there’s sourcing ingredients.

In the case of the two products below, both aim to be made with responsible production methods. The first seeks to use just a fraction of the resources needed to produce its traditional analogs. The other focuses on habitat restoration and protecting our planet’s all-important pollinators.

Algae Cooking Club

Seaweed isn’t just for scaring the hell out of people swimming in lakes or oceans. Instead, it’s now a viable substitute for vegetable, olive, canola, and other cooking oils.

Since it’s Earth Day (and Earth Month, of course), I want operators to be aware of this environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cooking oils.

According to the Algae Cooking Club website, “Many cooking oils are still sourced from industrial farming methods, while climate change is radically reducing crop yields. An estimated 1.4 billion acres of new farmland will be needed to feed a growing world. Algae offers an exciting alternative. Instead of waiting entire seasons to harvest, algae has the potential to produce high-quality fats, proteins, and nutrients in a matter of days with a fraction of the land, water, and carbon needed, without sacrificing flavor and quality.”

Per Elisabeth Sherman, writing for Food & Wine, Algae Cooking Club can credibly claim that production of their algae oil produces just half the carbon emissions in comparison to avocado, canola, and olive oil. Oh, it’s also packaged in a recyclable aluminum bottle.

There are several seaweed- or algae-based cooking oils available. I’m focusing on Algae Cooking Club’s oil because one of the world’s best restaurants is reportedly using it moving forward.

That restaurant is Eleven Madison Park, helmed by owner and chef, Chef Daniel Humm. Not only is the restaurant one of the best, it was named the World’s Best Restaurant by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2017. Chef Humm claims that Algae Cooking Club’s oil doesn’t overpower delicate flavors, nor does it taste off or burnt.

So, if it’s good enough for one of the best restaurants and one of the best chefs in the world, it’s going to have my attention.

Mellody

I don’t want to start a debate here, but it’s important to note that there’s a dispute over whether honey is vegetarian or vegan.

On the vegetarian side of the discussion, it’s not meat or fish. Also, most people would say that bees aren’t harmed during the production of honey.

However, on the vegan side, honey is an animal product. Further, it’s a product produced by exploiting an animal. Therefore, honey can’t be vegan. And, yes, that means vegans will try to avoid consuming it.

Well, what if there existed a product that looked, tasted, cooked, and overall behaved like honey that didn’t exploit any bees? There is.

From Mellody Foods comes Mellody Plant-based Honey. Currently, there are two expressions: Golden Clover, and Spicy Habanero. Both, according to Mellody, are 1:1 matches to honey produced by bees.

The company claims that Golden Clover and Spicy Habanero tastes, drips, drizzles, and sticks like traditional honey. Each flavor is vegan, gluten- and glyphosate-free, and pollinator-friendly.

Crucially, both plant-based honeys are made using sugars, acids, and botanical extracts. Of course, Spicy Habanero includes its namesake pepper as well.

You and your culinary and bar teams can learn about Mellody here.

Takeaway

Eco-friendliness and sustainability are important values to a not-insignificant portion of the world.

It follows that a percentage of consumers seek out and want to support restaurants and bars that share their values. So, if the above products make sense for your concept, give them careful consideration.

If they’re not a fit, that’s fine. However, it’s a good idea to look into what products and practices you can embrace to become a more sustainable operator.

It’s possible you’re already greener than you think. Keep going.

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor KRG Hospitality received compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this post.

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system.

AI-generated image of a $20 bill with a cheeseburger covering the president's face, in street art style

April 17, 2024by krghospitality krghospitality No Comments

Rocky Start to Cali’s Fast-food Wage Hike

Rocky Start to California’s Fast-food Wage Hike

by David Klemt

I instructed AI to draw a cheeseburger on a $20 bill, in street art style. Enjoy.

We’re barely two weeks into the $20-per-hour wage hike for fast-food workers in California and not everyone is happy with the results thus far.

That is, of course, if reports are accurate. However, the stories coming out of the Golden State are raising eyebrows.

On April 1, the minimum wage for fast-food workers in California jumped to $20 per hour. On the surface, AB 1228 appears to be a victory for hourly hospitality professionals employed by fast-food concepts.

Unfortunately, once we go beyond the surface, things aren’t that cut and dry.

Operators in California are implementing all manner of adaptations in response to the state’s minimum wage boost:

Increasing menu prices.
Cutting staff hours.
Reducing staff.
Decreasing operating hours.
Closing one or more days of the week.
Postponing updates and upgrades.
Focusing on delivery.
Introducing automation.
Putting items that require less labor on the menu.
Closing locations permanently.

It should go without saying but a wage increase doesn’t do much good if one’s hours are reduced significantly. Further, it does zero good if one’s employer shutters the workplace.

Per reporting, that’s precisely the situation team at one Fosters Freeze location is in currently. On April 1, workers at a Lemoore, California, location received a group text explaining that their restaurant was closing permanently. Understandably, some staff thought the text was an April Fool’s Day prank.

Certainly, the Lemoore Fosters Freeze isn’t the only restaurant closure related directly to the minimum-wage hike. Nor, it seems, will it be the last.

More Pain Points

When people hear about fast-food menu price increases, the assumption is that guests will reduce visits. Or, perhaps they’ll adjust their usual order. Alternately, some people anticipate guests will give their business to a different fast-food brand.

However, there’s another result that some fast-food operators in California are anticipating or experiencing already.

At a certain point, perception of value is affected negatively. Eventually, a consumer will perceive more value in visiting a full-service restaurant than a QSR or LSR. So, it’s likely that fast-food operators in California will lose guests to traditional “sit-down” concepts.

Should that possibility become a reality, traffic will drop. When the traffic drops, workers’ hours are reduced. Some operators, therefore, will lose staff to FSRs; people need to go where the work and money are, after all.

So, beyond the need to adapt to comply with the new minimum-wage law, fast-food operators must compete with FSRs to keep staff and guests.

What’s a Fast Food Restaurant?

Curious about how California defines “fast food restaurant” in AB 1228, I looked up the text of the bill.

The relevant parts are found under section 1474:

“(a) ‘National fast food chain’ means a set of limited-service restaurants consisting of more than 60 establishments nationally that share a common brand, or that are characterized by standardized options for decor, marketing, packaging, products, and services, and which are primarily engaged in providing food and beverages for immediate consumption on or off premises where patrons generally order or select items and pay before consuming, with limited or no table service. For purposes of the definitions in this part, ‘limited-service restaurant’ includes, but is not limited to, an establishment with the North American Industry Classification System Code 722513.”

1474 also includes the following:

“(c) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), ‘fast food restaurant’ means a limited-service restaurant in the state that is part of a national fast food chain.”

Interestingly, there’s also this exemption:

“(2) ‘Fast food restaurant’ shall not include an establishment that on September 15, 2023, operates a bakery that produces for sale on the establishment’s premises bread, as defined under Part 136 of Subchapter B of Chapter I of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, so long as it continues to operate such a bakery. This exemption applies only where the establishment produces for sale bread as a stand-alone menu item, and does not apply if the bread is available for sale solely as part of another menu item.”

Further, AB 610 carves out more exemptions.

Accusations of Corruption

The bakery exemption is fueling accusations of corruption.

Per reports, the exemption is quite favorable for Panera Bread. Why is that particular chain being held up as an example of special treatment and corruption?

As it turns out, should reporting prove accurate, a Panera Bread franchisee and billionaire named Greg Flynn is a Governor Gavin Newsom campaign donor. It’s claimed that Flynn has donated more than $200,000 to Gov. Newsom.

Last month, Flynn, in response to what has been dubbed “PaneraGate,” stated that the minimum wage at his franchise locations would rise to $20 per hour. This announcement was, Flynn claimed, to remain competitive, and in no way a reaction to the controversy surrounding what many perceived to be a favorable exemption for a donor, high school friend, and past business partner.

Again, California is barely two weeks in to this mandated pay rise. To say it’s early days is an understatement. There will be further consequences and adaptations for months and years to come.

So far, however, while many workers and even business owners are happy with the new law, some are already sounding alarms and pushing back.

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system.

April 16, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

AI: Coming to a Loyalty Program Near You

AI: Coming to a Loyalty Program Near You

by David Klemt

In a logical step forward, artificial intelligence is now coming to restaurant loyalty programs to enhance personalization and encourage engagement.

Proponents say that AI is in a position to learn about program members and make recommendations. Most importantly, they claim that such technology learns to present offers that will motivate guests to make a purchase.

At the end of the day, that is the reason loyalty programs exist.

One international chain embracing AI tech to enhance their program is Wendy’s. As one would expect, they’re using AI to study an individual’s preferences, visit frequency, purchase history, and more.

Should this investment in AI prove successful, the Wendy’s loyalty program will further establish itself as one of the best in the industry. In addition to enhancing the gamification aspect of the app, offer uptake should increase.

It’s no secret that consumers want personalized offers. However, that doesn’t mean a marketing email with their first name in the greeting. A truly personalized offer is one that shows the company extending it understands the recipient.

For a surface-level example, let’s say a loyalty program user’s purchase history makes it clear they’re exclusively vegetarian or vegan. It’s incredibly likely that offering this person a deal on a double cheeseburger will fail. Over time, after receiving enough offers that don’t resonate, that user may decrease visits and even exit the loyalty program.

Toward the end of last year, Wendy’s said they expected sales driven by digital opportunities to reach nearly $2 billion. A key driver is, of course, their loyalty program.

It makes sense, therefore, for the QSR giant to invest in AI to enhance loyalty.

Punchh It

Wendy’s is partnering with PAR Tech to enhance their loyalty program via artificial intelligence.

In 2021, PAR Tech acquired a loyalty and guest engagement solutions provider called Punchh for $500 million. Now called PAR Punchh, the aim is to make it simpler for restaurants to leverage loyalty.

“With the Punchh acquisition, we are building a platform that enables restaurants to scale quickly, own their path to innovation, and take back their guest relationship. This eliminates the need for juggling disjointed vendors, developing cumbersome point-to-point integrations, and relying on 3^rd party dependencies. At the same time, Punchh advances our ability to provide customers with an end-to-end solution, from guest-to-kitchen, through one unified data source,” said PAR Tech CEO and president Savneet Singh back in 2021.

Per PAR Tech, there are more than 200 enterprise-level restaurant chains using Punchh currently. It stands to reason that number will grow if partnering with the platform proves lucrative for brands like Wendy’s.

Further, as AI tech reaches ubiquity and delivers more desirable results, it should become more affordable for regional chains and independents to leverage it as well.

Operators of all sizes who offer loyalty programs should keep an eye on AI-enhanced programs and the opportunities they present.

Image: Alexander Sinn on Unsplash

April 15, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

What’s Going on with Chili Crisp?

What’s Going on with Chili Crisp?

by David Klemt

I’m not convinced that AI platforms know much about chili crisp or human hands.

UPDATE (April 15, 2024): David Chang has reportedly stated that Momofuku will no longer enforce the “Chile Crunch” trademark. He made the statement on his The Dave Chang Show podcast.

A legal battle over a chili crisp trademark is spilling into the public arena, and people are taking sides and making their feelings known on social media.

More specifically, Momofuku appears to be defending its “Chile Crunch” and “Chili Crunch” trademarks vigorously. To say some people aren’t exactly fans of this legal news is an understatement.

To provide context for the unfamiliar, Momofuku is a restaurant group first established in 2004 by David Chang. By 2019, the group had expanded, opening 20 venues. In 2020, Momofuku Goods began selling some of its culinary products in the retail space.

Among the products carrying the Momofuku name and peach logo is Chili Crunch. This is the brand’s version of chili crisp, a condiment consisting of oil, fried chili pepper, and other elements, such as garlic and onion (and other peppers).

From what I can find, it’s widely accepted that chili crisp originated in China, and has been around for centuries. How many centuries? I have no idea.

However, I can say with certainty that Momofuku has owned the “chile crunch” trademark since 2023. And I know that Momofuku acquired the rights to that trademark from Chile Colonial, LLC. That acquisition was part of a settlement.

Interestingly, Chile Colonial took action against Momofuku last year for trademark infringement for using the product name Chile Crunch. The former had been selling its Chile Crunch since 2008, and registered the trademark in 2015.

Now, it’s Momofuku, who apparently licenses the trademark to others, taking action to defend the trademark. Toward the end of last month, the company applied to trademark “chili crunch.”

Cease and Desist

As several outlets have reported, a number of chili crisp producers have received cease-and-desist letters.

Eater has reported that one producer, Homiah, received such a letter after they renamed their Crispy Sambal product to Sambal Chili Crunch.

The letter reads, in part, “Momofuku trusts that Homiah did not adopt the CHILI CRUNCH mark in bad faith or with an intent to create confusion. But because trademark law requires brand owners to police use of their trademarks—and because Momofuku is concerned that consumers may actually be confused here—we write to request Homiah’s cooperation.”

One element of the requested cooperation is that Homiah stop using the name Sambal Chili Crunch within 90 days.

It seems that it hasn’t taken long for these legal requests to find their way to the public at large. And, yes, sides have been taken.

Sifting through the comments on Eater’s Instagram post about this situation paints a vivid, albeit not entirely unexpected, picture.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Eater (@eater)

“This is a great way to ensure that I’ll never buy Chang’s version,” reads one comment.

“If no one owns RANCH, no one should own this,” says another Instagram user.

“No, this is absurd. Heinz didn’t trademark ketchup, they trademarked Heinz, this is so ridiculous. He can trademark momofuko and the peach logo. But this is so stupid,” is a comment with nearly 400 likes.

Finally, there’s this simple statement: “You can’t trademark culture.”

Los Angeles Times columnist Jenn Harris would agree with that last comment. Addressing Momofuku’s legal actions, she writes, “I reject the notion that someone could exclusively own something so ingrained in my culture, a food I consider an intrinsic part of my identity.” You can, and should, read her column here.

Must Defend

There’s more at play here when it comes to trademarks.

Speaking in incredibly general terms—and without providing any legal advice—once a trademark has been granted, the owner must defend it. Failing to do so, which includes filing variations and taking action against others, can result in the loss of the rights associated with the trademark.

So, on one finger on one hand, Momofuku must defend “chile crunch” and, if granted, “chili crunch,” if the company wants to retain their trademark rights. On another, does the blame lie with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for granting the trademark in the first place?

Going deeper, should Momofuku have negotiated different settlement terms that wouldn’t preclude others from calling their chili crisp products Chile Crunch? I’m not remotely qualified to speak on the legal dispute between Chile Colonial, LLC, and Momofuku, so I can’t even begin to form an opinion. If the settlement was “pricey,” I understand Momofuku being sensitive about other products potentially cutting into their sales.

Per reporting, Susan Hojel, the owner of Chile Colonial, has said she was “going broke” defending the Chile Crunch trademark. Many of the cease-and-desist letters were going to large companies. In that sense, Hojel saw herself in the role of David, going after corporate Goliaths.

Now, however, the public views David Chang and Momofuku as Goliath, attempting to crush noble Davids. Therefore, I have to wonder if the real issue is public perception, not legality. After all, I’ve seen the label “trademark bully” affixed not to just Momofuku but Chang as well.

Worth It?

I don’t know what the answer is for the questions swirling around this legal fight. All I can do is wonder if defending this trademark is worth the backlash.

At the moment, we’re seeing comments expressing disappointment and disdain. What happens if those comments manifest in damaged brand perception?

Put another way, there’s defending your brand…and there’s defending your brand.

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system.

AI-generated image of a record album cover that reads "Cocktail House"

April 9, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Triple Threat: A Bar Owner Master Class

Triple Threat: A Bar Owner Master Class

by David Klemt

Three of the most respected bartender-operators formed like Voltron in Las Vegas during the 2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo to impart invaluable wisdom.

In an attempt to prevent the trio from roasting one another, I’ll organize them alphabetically, by surname: Erick Castro, Nectaly Mendoza, and Travis Tober. And yes, I’m aware they’re still going to roast each other.

This triumvirate came together to co-present “Bartender Masterclass: Building Bars that Change the Game Yet Make Money.” An aptly named education session as it was certainly a masterclass.

Importantly, this wasn’t a how-to class on tracking costs. The trio didn’t pop P&Ls up on a screen and explain how to read them. Rather, they delivered the naked truth about becoming a bar owner and chasing success.

Bluntly, the reality is that Castro, Mendoza, and Tober are noticing disturbing trends in bar ownership. People going against their instincts. Hopeful owners accepting terrible deals in a bid to live their dreams. Setting the stage for failure with excuses. No talent as the new talent. A lack of understanding of the fundamentals.

Speaking of fundamentals…

With the jokes out of the way—these three won’t hesitate to spit a bit of good-natured venom at one another—this panel got right to delivering the truth.

Almost immediately, Castro addressed a grim reality. A lot of the panel’s friends and peers own and operate bars that are busy and winning awards. And they’re not not making any money.

When he asks to see their costs, he often hears that the owner doesn’t know that information. That doesn’t work for anyone among this trio.

“You need to follow the fundamentals to make money,” explained Castro.

Adding to that, Mendoza explained the situation succinctly. A lot of the flashy markers of success some bartenders and bar owners flaunt on social media and in their real lives are bullshit.

I can tell you with certainty that Castro, Mendoza, and Tober know their numbers. It’s obvious they have the fundamentals down, and they don’t take them for granted. The same can be said for the teams they build. Nobody’s career is long for any of their businesses if they don’t learn to respect and embrace the fundamentals.

At KRG Hospitality, we also drive home that the fundamentals are keys to success. There’s a reason KRG president Doug Radkey’s first book is subtitled Developing the Fundamentals for an Epic Bar.

There’s no room for excuses.

There’s more than enough on any owner or operator’s plate; there’s no room on it for excuses.

Yet, these three are noticing that many new bar owners seem to be piling their plates high with justifications for impending failure.

“For some reason, no talent is the new talent,” said Mendoza.

Justifications for refusing to learn the business like, “I don’t know accounting,” or, “I don’t know restaurants,” are excuses that lead to two things: more excuses, and the closing of bars.

If you’ve never had the opportunity to hear Mendoza speak, I’ll tell you this: He doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He’s a fun person, he’ll make you laugh, and he wants to see people succeed. Mendoza loves hospitality. However, when it comes to business, the jokes stop.

Let’s not forget that owning and operating a bar is a business. Bars need to make money to stay open. Bar ownership isn’t a reality show, sitcom or movie—it’s stressful. Operating at a high level doesn’t remove stress completely, but it certainly mitigates much of it.

Crucially, embracing the fundamentals and rejecting the impulse to excuse mistakes large and small allows a bar owner to step away from their business eventually. Imagine being able to take actual week-long vacations—plural—as the owner of a bar, without worry. That should be among every bar owner’s goals.

So, when Mendoza says bar owners need to have the guts to learn everything about the business, that’s not hyperbole. And when Castro, who now co-owns the recently opened Gilly’s House of Cocktails, states that someone needs to be genuinely curious about the business to succeed, you can take that to the bank.

Bet on yourself.

“I bet on myself,” said Tober during this panel. He meant that in both the past and present tense, by the way.

When Tober opened the first Nickel City in 2017, it cost nearly a half-million dollars. The goal was to make $800,000 with the bar in its first year. To say that Nickel City surpassed projections is a bit of an understatement.

It did $2.4 million. The bar now generates $3 million per year on average. The latest Nickel City outpost in Houston cost $1.3 million. On average, Tober and his tight-knit group pay back investors in 18 months.

On episode 50 of our Bar Hacks podcast, Tober “jokes” that he wants a Nickel City in every major city throughout the US. If you want to listen this conversation, here’s the Spotify link, and here’s the Apple Podcasts link.

Given how quickly he and his team lead bars to success, I won’t be surprised if a fourth Nickel City location opens by the start or middle of 2026. Further, I won’t be shocked at all if it’s the first Nickel City outside of Texas.

Again, his success is the direct byproduct of his belief in himself, and an understanding of bar operations that few can match.

It’s not the drinks.

Successful bar operators, embodied by the three who hosted this panel, know that they’re not in the business of selling drinks.

“We’re all in a relationship business,” said Tober. “It’s not about the cocktails.”

This is coming from an operator whose team puts more than 20,000 Frozen Irish Coffees across their bars each year. They’re the second-highest seller of Tullamore DEW.

And you know what else? Tober will give you that recipe. In fact, he’ll tell you that all you have to do is visit the Erin Rose in New Orleans and modify their recipe.

Tober will give you that recipe—all of his recipes, if I had to guess—because you could open a bar across from one of his and having his drinks won’t make your venue a threat.

That’s betting on yourself.

Someone may be a better bartender than Tober, if one were able to put stats on the role. But Tober won’t be bothered, confident in the knowledge that they won’t tend bars better.

Setting ego aside, Tober told the room at Bar & Restaurant Expo that about once every three months, he reminds his team that he’s a C student and a college dropout. People could easily write him off as just some loud bar guy.

However, he knows the bar business in general and his bars in particular at the highest level. And he knows that he’s the guy people would like to sit down with to have a beer and a shot. As he told that room in Las Vegas, he gets by on his personality. That personality bleeds into the heart and soul of his concepts and informs the level of service and hospitality that makes everyone feel welcome.

As important, Tober also feels that bar owners are in the entertainment business. He ensures that he and his team give guests a reason to want to visit and hand over their money.

Trust your instincts.

Let’s trek back all the way to the point about some of the world’s most-awarded bars not making any money.

In some instances, it’s more accurate to say that the well-known bartender-operator isn’t getting paid. Yet another way to frame such a situation is to refer to the bartender-operator as the face of the bar.

I say they’re the face because their ownership stake is likely under 25 percent. In fact, it’s probably 20 percent or lower. The controlling stake is owned by one or more investors.

So, the bartender-operator’s vision has turned to brick-and-mortar. Their hard work turning their dream to reality is resulting in traffic, media coverage, and awards. But they’re also taking on all the stress of everyday operation while most likely struggling to pay their own bills.

They haven’t attained their dream—they’ve gotten a job. Worse, it’s an incredibly stressful job, and they’re not being compensated properly.

Driving home this point was an interaction between an audience member and Mendoza.

Would you take this deal?

This future bar owner (assumedly, and hopefully) was asking about seeking funding through investors. It was revealed that the project would likely cost around $600,000.

So, illustrating how easily a person may be tempted to leap into a bad deal to have what they think is their dream, Mendoza said he could fund that project (hypothetically). However, he would want 87-percent ownership in exchange (again, this was hypothetical). Mendoza went on to guess that the audience member and his partners would take that deal—and that they absolutely shouldn’t, because it’s a terrible offer.

Rationally, most of us would know that’s a bad deal and that we should walk away. That includes the audience member who interacted with Mendoza.

But we can all be susceptible to the “lizard brain” inside us. This is the portion of our brain that causes us to act on emotions rather than logic. There’s your dream! Your heart is pumping so hard you can hear it thumping in your ears. All you have to do is sign and it’s “yours,” at the cost of 80 percent or more of its ownership.

If a deal seems off, trust your instincts, walk away, and seek the right partners.

When you do land the right deal…

“…take the fucking shot,” says Mendoza.

In this instance, “the right deal” means a bar within your budget, cautioned Castro. Buy what you can afford.

Mendoza owns and operates award-winning concepts Herbs & Rye and Cleaver — Butchered Meats, Seafood & Classic Cocktails in Las Vegas. He shared that Cleaver is the concept he envisioned first. At the time, however, he had the budget to build Herbs & Rye.

So, he built Herbs & Rye in 2009. He trusted his instincts and, like Tober and Castro, bet on himself. In 2018, he opened the doors to Cleaver.

Could he have blown his budget and built Cleaver first? Sure. And we probably wouldn’t have either bar and restaurant now had he not been pragmatic. The industry more than likely wouldn’t have Mendoza to share his wisdom and mentor future operators.

“Your first bar is your best work. It’s like your first album—raw and uncut,” Mendoza says.

When it’s time for a second location, create something different. Get a bit uncomfortable.

“I think there’s a big disconnect about what being a bar owner is,” says Mendoza. “Success will create the fastest path the farthest away from what brought you success in the first place.”

How many sophomore albums from artists receive critiques that they’re good, just not as good as the freshman release?

When you’ve got the fundamentals down, when you understand your business at a high level, you keep that experience and wisdom. Getting uncomfortable and taking on a new challenge isn’t as risky as it was with your first bar.

So, take the fucking shot.

Seriously, trust your instincts.

There’s an episode of Castro’s award-winning Bartender at Large podcast that every bartender and hopeful bar owner should give a listen.

On episode 320, released in October of 2022, Castro gave Moe Aljaff the opportunity to tell the story of Two Schmucks. Mere days after earning the number seven spot on the 2022 World’s 50 Best Bars list, Moe and most of the team left the bar.

The situation that affected the Two Schmucks team is more common than some would like to admit, unfortunately. It inspired the cautionary phrase, “Don’t get Schmucked.”

To listen to Aljaff’s story, follow this link to the podcast episode on Spotify. After you’ve listened to that eye-opening episode, consider giving number 236 of Bartender at Large a play. It’s a conversation between Castro and Daniel Eun, a bartender and practicing attorney. This link will take you to the podcast’s website, where this episode has been embedded.

Image: Shutterstock. Disclaimer: This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system.

Scoops of Salt & Straw's 2024 Upcycled Food Series ice cream flavors

April 8, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Salt & Straw Celebrates Earth Month

Salt & Straw’s Upcycled Foods Series Returns

by David Klemt

To celebrate this year’s Earth Month, innovative small-batch ice cream shop concept Salt & Straw is bringing back their Upcycled Food Series.

Last Friday, three returning flavors and two new creations hit Salt & Straw locations in five US states. Currently, the artisanal ice cream shop chain operates in California, Florida, Oregon (the brand’s home state), Nevada, and Washington.

Among other important operational elements, Salt & Straw is known for innovative, chef-driven flavors. This is, in part, due to the concept’s commitment to ensuring at least 20 percent of the menu is dairy-free and vegan-friendly.

However, the brand also shines a spotlight on sustainability and combating restaurant food waste. In 2023, Salt & Straw launched their first Upcycled Food Series. A key element of the LTO menu’s execution is collaboration. Specifically, collaborating with partners that focus on upcycling ingredients.

For example, the bananas Salt & Straw uses to craft one of this year’s brand-new flavors come from Urban Gleaners. That non-profit rescued bananas from grocery stores and restaurants before they were tossed out.

After doing some digging, I found that it’s believed about 40 percent of the entire food supply in the US goes to waste per year. That’s 60 to 80 million tons of food, wasted. Supposedly, 60 percent of the food supply goes to waste in Canada.

So, I think it’s admirable that Salt & Straw leverages Earth Month to expose the alarming issue of food waste. More importantly, the brand shows that a little creativity can go a long way to fight this serious problem.

2024 Upcycled Food Series Flavors

Returning Creations

Three flavors are back for the 2024 Upcycled Food Series.

Day-Old Bread Pudding & Chocolate Ganache: Urban Gleaners partners with Salt & Straw on this flavor, collecting bread throughout Portland, Oregon, before it’s thrown out or otherwise goes to waste. The result is an enticing layering of custard bread pudding ice cream and chocolate ganache, as the name implies.
Malted Chocolate Barley Milk: In collaboration with Evergrain, a business focusing on sustainable ingredients, this vegan option is produced in part using the spent grains from the beer-brewing process. Malted Chocolate Barley milk is a “malty, fudgy, ooey-gooey vegan dream. This flavor takes us behind the curtain into beer brewing and answers the question: What happens to the spent grains after they brew beer? The brilliant food scientists at EverGrain are revolutionizing ways to extract the immense nutrients left in the grain and using it in our everyday foods, like protein-packed barley milk. We churned this barley milk with cocoa, making for a dense and creamy textured chocolate base before drizzling in a homemade fig fudge that make those rich, jammy flavors pop.”
Salted Caramel & Chocolate Brownies: This returning flavor is also vegan and a collaboration with an upcycled food company called Renewal Mill. As described by Salt & Straw on their website: “Behold the ultimate trifecta of salty, sweet, and bitter thanks to our friends at Renewal Mill. Their chef-crafted baking mixes are made with okara—a delicate soy flour upcycled from plant-based milk production. We fell in love with their unbelievably moist and chewy chocolate brownies, baking them in our kitchen before generously frosting them with a rich caramel. These delectable treats are folded into a sweet bed of oat milk for a vegan flavor you have to taste to believe.”

New Creations

There are two brand-new flavors on the Upcyled Food Series menu for this year’s Earth Month.

Chocolate Caramel Potato Chip Banana Bread: Of all the flavors, this is the one I’m most eager to try. Salt & Straw expands their partnership with Urban Gleaners for this creation, this time tasking them with saving bananas. However, a second partner helps out to make this flavor possible. Uglies provides the potato chips, which are produced using “imperfect” potatoes. To craft this one, Salt & Straw roasts “bunches and bunches of bananas in honey and spices to make a jammy banana bread ice cream you simply can’t resist. Next, we coat “Uglies” potato chips made from potatoes with slight imperfections in the most beautiful chocolate possible and drizzle in a perfect ribbon of handmade caramel.”
Passionfruit Yuzu Mochi Donuts & Whey Curd: To create this flavor, Salt & Straw takes frozen yogurt and enhances it with The Spare Food Co.’s upcycled whey base. I expect powerful but pleasant tanginess on the palate from this flavor based on the website description: “Bright, acidic flavors with a decidedly delicious twist. Our friends at The Spare Food Co. are concocting drinks of liquid gold by working with Greek yogurt makers around the country and turning their whey, a typically overlooked by-product of yogurt making, into a super-drink. We lean into the yogurt whey’s natural pop of acidity and the unique flavor of their sparkling tonic by making a whey-infused frozen yogurt with a passionfruit-spiked lemon curd, and then fold in homemade butter mochi donuts glazed in yuzu frosting. This flavor sings on your tastebuds and makes you think of new wheys to use traditionally wasted products.”

Images: Salt & Straw

April 2, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: April 2024

5 Books to Read this Month: April 2024

by David Klemt

Our inspiring and informative March book selections will help you improve operations, refresh and streamline F&B programming, and learn more about coffee.

This month, we look at books covering an array of topics: overcoming dysfunctions within teams; stepping outside of comfort zones; cocktail and Irish dish recipes; and repurposing existing buildings.

To review the book recommendations from March 2024, click here.

Let’s jump in!

Roundbuilding

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it seems like most cocktail books target home bartenders. In a refreshing change of pace, Roundbuilding is specifically for working bartenders. In case the name doesn’t give it away, this book is about crafting and serving consistent rounds of cocktails and ensuring a high standard of service.

From Amazon: “Roundbuiding is a practical guide to mixing cocktails, aimed at the working bartender. This is a book about ensuring that, for every round you serve, every drink is made to a consistently high standard, and that first sip always makes an impression. It’s the nuts and bolts of mixing drinks.”

Buy it today!

The World Atlas of Coffee (2nd Edition)

This bestseller enjoys a 4.8-star rating on Amazon with nearly 4,000 reviews on the platform. The World Atlas of Coffee also boasts a score of 4.4 on Goodreads.

Written by World Barista Champion James Hoffman (who’s also the co-founder of a successful coffee roaster operating out of London), this book will provide the reader with just about everything they need to know about coffee. The rise in popularity of cocktails like the Carajillo and the near-constant chatter about the Espresso Martini got me thinking: I should probably include a coffee book in one of these roundups.

From Amazon: “Coffee has never been better, or more interesting, than it is today. Coffee producers have access to more varieties and techniques than ever before and we, as consumers, can share in that expertise to make sure the coffee we drink is the best we can find. Where coffee comes from, how it was harvested, the roasting process and the water used to make the brew are just a few of the factors that influence the taste of what we drink. Champion barista and coffee expert James Hoffmann examines these key factors, looking at varieties of coffee, the influence of terroir, how it is harvested and processed, the roasting methods used, through to the way in which the beans are brewed.”

Pick your copy up now.

The Complete Recipe Writing Guide: Mastering Recipe Development, Writing, Testing, Nutrition Analysis, and Food Styling

This book isn’t even a year old but has already made waves. In fact, it was listed as one of Chef Eric Ripert‘s (Le Bernardin in New York City) books of the month just a couple of months after publication.

From Amazon: “The Complete Recipe Writing Guide shows you how to create professional recipe content from development to publication. Raeanne Sarazen, a registered dietitian and chef, shares her expertise from over 20 years of working with recipes as a test kitchen professional, recipe developer, food writer, and editor, along with insider tips from top industry professionals. Like a master class on recipes, this comprehensive resource guides you through the variety of skills needed to create and share successful recipes.”

Get your copy here.

Bar Hacks: Developing The Fundamentals for an Epic Bar

This informative and conversational book written by KRG Hospitality president Doug Radkey is the perfect read for aspiring or seasoned bar, pub, lounge, or even restaurant owners, operators, and managers looking for that competitive edge in operations! If you’re looking for both fundamental and in-depth planning methods, strategies, and industry focused insight to either start or grow a scalable, sustainable, memorable, profitable, and consistent venue in today’s cut-throat industry, Bar Hacks is written just for you.

Pick up the paperback from Amazon today!

Hacking the New Normal: Hitting the Reset Button on the Hospitality Industry

Doug’s followup book to Bar Hacks! The world around us has changed. The food and beverage industry has changed. The hospitality industry has changed. But will some ways of life change for the better? Will perhaps the restaurant, bar, and hospitality industry come out even stronger? With the right changes to the previous status quo, it is possible. There’s no question, resets are major undertakings, but a major reset will provide us with a clean start and that’s what this industry needs.

Pick up KRG Hospitality president Doug Radkey’s second book today! Click here.

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

"Think about things differently" neon sign

April 1, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: April 2024

Program for Unique Holidays: April 2024

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your April holiday programming.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and this month is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our March 2024 holidays list, click here.

April 5: Walk to Work Day

Operators who with bars and restaurants in walkable areas should leverage this holiday. People who walk to work should reward themselves by walking to a bar or restaurant for dinner and a drink after work. Of course, operators open for breakfast and dinner should encourage guests to walk in for a treat to start their day, and another treat (or two) to end it.

April 6: New Beer’s Eve

As the name implies, we celebrate this holiday the day before another holiday in the US: National Beer Day.

Operators who really want to help New Beer’s Eve gain a loyal following among their guests can bring in new beers for their guests to try on this holiday.

April 8: National Empanada Day

How would you rate your empanadas? How would your guests rate your empanadas? If you and your team are proud of your emapanadas, this is their time to shine.

April 10: Golfer’s Day

If you have Golden Tee in your bar, or you operate an eatertainment concept that revolves around golf, this is the perfect holiday to celebrate golfers. Of course, this also holds true if you operate a bar or restaurant within a community that loves golf.

You’re already (hopefully) your guests’ third spot; become their 19th hole on Golfer’s Day as well.

April 12: World Licorice Day

Sambuca, ouzo, xtabentún, absinthe… World Licorice Day is a great holiday for showcasing the licorice-flavored spirits in your inventory on your menu.

April 17: Blah Blah Blah Day

So, this day encourages people to try or start something that friends and family have been telling them do repeatedly. I would interpret this holiday as one during which to encourage your guests to try a new dish or drink rather than just ordering their usual again.

April 21: National Tea Day

Not only does tea make an excellent mixer for an array of cocktails, it really shines as the base for non-alcohol drinks. The depth of flavors that tea delivers really makes on impact on the palate and the guest experience.

National Tea Day is the perfect time to dial in your tea-based cocktails, be they low-, full-, or zero-ABV.

April 23: German Beer Day

Do you have German beers on your menu? I’m going to give you one guess as to what you should do with those beers on German Beer Day.

However, I have another thought, as well. There’s nothing that says you can’t come up with a creative LTO menu that introduces American or Canadian craft beers that taste similar to a German counterpart…

April 26: National Pretzel Day

Sure, you could just offer bowls of pretzels to guests on this holiday, providing a snack that goes with their beer.

Or, you could activate your kitchen team, make large pretzels in-house, and put pretzel charcuterie boards on an LTO menu. They may just prove to be a hit among you guests worthy of repeat appearances.

April 30: National Bubble Tea Day

Gee, if only there were a holiday that celebrates bubble tea, one that operators with bubble tea on their menu could build an LTO around. Oh, look! There is one!

Operators and their bar teams can also interpret this holiday a little differently. Tea cocktails and zero-proof drinks given the Flavour Blaster treatment? That could be rad…

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

Elote or street corn-style dish on a table

March 26, 2024by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Put Your Finger on the Culinary TrendPulse

Put Your Finger on the Culinary TrendPulse

by David Klemt

An informative and engaging culinary trend report from Campbell’s Foodservice provides compelling insight that will help operators refresh their menus.

Recently, Campbell’s dropped their Culinary TrendPulse 2024 report. To download your own copy, click here.

Executive chef Gerald Drummond and senior chef Greg Boggs have identified four culinary trends for 2024. The chefs analyzed data provided by Campbell’s Foodservice and the company’s partners.

As has become commonplace, Campbell’s also took note of food and flavor social media mentions and conversations. This makes sense; if people are talking about it on social media, it’s probably growing in demand.

Now, I’m going to share each of the trends below. However, I’m going to laser in on one in particular. My reasoning is simple: It’s a compelling take on segment that has been experiencing growth, along with the accompanying growing pains.

To start, though, a brief look at three of the 2024 culinary trends identified by Chefs Drummond and Boggs.

TrendPulse 2024: Trends 1, 3 and 4

To put it bluntly, I think the first trend in this report is here to stay. It’s safe to say it has reached the proliferation stage.

So, when I see “global cuisine” in reports, I don’t really consider it a trend. What I want to see is specific cuisines, dishes or flavors identified as trending.

Fortunately, Chefs Drummond and Boggs have identified three global cuisines on the rise. Per the chefs and Campbell’s, Mexican, Asian, and North African cuisines are on an upward trend in the US.

In particular, operators should be aware of the following:

Asian cuisine: Korean, Souteast Asian, and Thai food are on the rise.
Mexican cuisine: birria, quesabirria, birriamen, chamoy, and street corn mentions have grown in menu mentions and social discussions.
North African cuisine is projected to grow by more than 12 percent on menus, year over year. Currently, operators should look at harissa, tagine, and peri-peri (a.k.a. piri-piri, or peli-peli).

Another trend from this report is “new nostalgia.” As the term suggests, consumers are showing interest in creative spins on well-known comfort foods.

Likely driven at least in part by global cuisines, heat is also on the rise. I mean that figuratively and literally.

Per a Tastewise data point cited in the Campbell’s report, sweet and spicy mentions—known as “swicy”—have grown nearly 50 percent over the past year.

TrendPulse 2024: Trend 2

Alright, so here’s the trend that stands out to me.

According to Chefs Drummond and Boggs, consumers are still very much interested in plant-based cuisine. However, they want actual plants to be the stars.

Or, as Campbell’s puts it in their report, one of their top trends is “putting plants back in plant-based.” Interestingly, this trend fits with the first one in the Campbell’s report: global cuisine.

Per a Technomic report cited by Campbell’s, 41 percent of consumers eat a vegetarian or vegan dish at least once per week. However, it seems that these same consumers are showing a preference for actual plants.

Most plant-based meat alternatives are processed foods. In fact, some sources designate them “ultra-processed foods.” Today’s consumer is more educated on processed foods and seeks to avoid them.

So, operators should menu more dishes that feature plants. There’s a place for plant-based meat alternatives but their highly processed nature may be putting off a not-insignificant number of consumers.

In their report, Campbell’s suggests offering dishes featuring the following proteins: beans, legumes, and pulses.

Look, trend predictions are guesses. In this case, they’re data-driven and educated, but they’re still guesses. When considering menu changes, operators need to make choices that make sense for their business, guests, and market.

If you’re like me, you’ve noticed that all four of these trends pair well with one another. Operators should encourage their kitchen teams to get creative and craft new dishes that leverage two or more of the above trends.

Image: Aleisha Kalina on Unsplash