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The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2023 Awards group shot

June 28, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

’23 World’s 50 Best Restaurants: 51 to 100

2023 World’s 50 Best Restaurants: 51 to 100

by David Klemt

Last week we checked out the top 50 restaurants around the world, and today we’re taking a look at those ranked 51 to 100.

Narrowing down the 50 best restaurants in the world is a harrowing task. So it makes sense that the World’s 50 Best Restaurants expanded the list to the best 100. Even that, however, must be daunting.

France performed particularly well on the 100 to 51 list this year, clinching six spots. Four of those, unsurprisingly, are located in Paris.

The US, Bangkok, and Spain each have four restaurants on the list. For the US, two restaurants make the rankings in both California and New York.

Operators in Japan earn three spots, with two restaurants in Tokyo and one in Osaka. London also achieves three places on this list.

A number of countries, regions, and cities have two restaurants on the 2023 100 to 51 list: Cape Town, Denmark, Hong Kong, Istanbul, and Mexico.

Again, like to 50 to 1, Canada and Australia don’t have restaurants ranked anywhere on the 51 through 100 list.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023: 100 to 51

Maito (Panama City, Panama)
Fu He Hui (Shanghai, China)
Saison (San Francisco, California, United States of America)
Labyrinth (Singapore)
Ricard Camarena Restaurant (Valencia, Spain)
Ceto (Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France)
La Colombe (Cape Town, South Africa)
Kei (Paris, France)
Neighborhood (Hong Kong)
Kadeau (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Wing (Hong Kong)
Mingles (Seoul, South Korea)
Potong (Bangkok, Thailand)
Ossiano (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
Lyle’s (London, England, United Kingdom)
Enrico Bartolini (Milan, Italy)
Meta (Singapore)
Sazenka (Tokyo, Japan)
Enigma (Barcelona, Spain)
Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Bizkaia, Spain)
Flocons de Sel (Megève, France)
Nuema (Quito, Ecuador)
Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen (Paris, France)
Tantris (Munich, Germany)
Oteque (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Fyn (Cape Town, South Africa)
Nusara (Bangkok, Thailand)
Cosme (New York City, New York, United States of America)
Sühring (Bangkok, Thailand)
Core by Clare Smyth (London, England, United Kingdom)
Sud 777 (Mexico City, Mexico)
Zén (Singapore)
SingleThread (Healdsburg, California, United States of America)
Le Clarence (Paris, France)
Turk Fatih Tutak (Istanbul, Türkiye)
Burnt Ends (Singapore)
Aponiente (El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, Spain)
Neolokal (Istanbul, Türkiye)
Arpège (Paris, France)
Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare (New York City, New York, United States of America)
La Cime (Osaka, Japan)
Mérito (Lima, Perú)
Lasai (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Jordnær (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Sorn (Bangkok, Thailand)
Ernst (Berlin, Germany)
Alcalde (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico)
Brat (London, England, United Kingdom)
Hof van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium)
Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)

Last Year’s 100 to 51 List

A number of restaurants from the 2022 World’s Best Restaurants, 100 to 51 are also on this year’s list.

Flocons de Sel, located in Megève, France, likely made the greatest gains. In 2022, the restaurant was ranked number 99. This year, Flocons de Sel earned the number 80 spot.

A few restaurants made humble but notable steps in the right direction. As an example, New York’s Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare climbed from 63 to 61. And Ernst, located in Berlin, went from number 62 in 2022 to 55 this year.

Unfortunately, Sud 777 in Mexico City tumbled in 2023. Last year, the venue reached the number 52 spot. This year, however, it’s number 70. That said, it’s the number 70 restaurant in the world. Nothing to be ashamed of, and I won’t be surprised to see the Sud 777 team drive the restaurant back toward the 50s or better in 2024.

To review the 100 to 51 list from 2022, please click here.

Cheers to these 50 top-performing restaurants!

Image: The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

Central in Lima, Peru, the winner of the 2023 World's 50 Best Restaurants

June 22, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

2023 World’s 50 Best Restaurants Revealed

2023 World’s 50 Best Restaurants: 1 to 50

by David Klemt

The team behind Central in Lima, Peru, the number one restaurant in the world.

We finally know which venues from around the globe claim one of the top 50 spots on the 2023 World’s Best Restaurants list.

As you’ll see below, a few countries and cities perform very well on this year’s list.

For example, five of this year’s restaurants are in Italy, one of which is in the top ten. However, restaurants throughout Spain grab six spots on this year’s list. Three of these are among the top ten restaurants.

France claims four spots. Three of those are in Paris, and one is in the top ten.

London takes three spots, as do Mexico City, and Tokyo. One restaurant in the top ten is in Mexico City.

America has just two restaurants on the 2023 World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Both are in New York City, one is in the top ten. Bangkok, Bogotá, Dubai, and German also each have two restaurants on the list.

Peru, like France, also boasts four spots on the list. Each of these four are located in Lima, and two restaurants are among the top ten. Most importantly, one of those restaurants is the number-one restaurant in the world.

For our Canadian and Australian readers, I’m sorry to report that there are no restaurants on the list below that are in your respective countries.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023: 50 to 1

The Chairman (Hong Kong)
Rosetta (Mexico City, Mexico)
La Grenouillère (La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil, France)
Mayta (Lima, Perú)
Orfali Bros Bistro (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
Nobelhart & Schmutzig (Berlin, Germany)
Le Bernardin (New York City, New York, United States of America)
Leo (Bogotá, Colombia)
Piazza Duomo (Alba, Italy)
Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)
Restaurant Tim Raue (Berlin, Germany)
The Jane (Antwerp, Belgium)
The Clove Club (London, England, United Kingdom)
Sezánne (Tokyo, Japan)
Plénitude (Paris, France)
Ikoyi (London, England, United Kingdom)
Uliassi (Senigallia, Ancona, Italy)
El Chato (Bogotá, Colombia)
Hiša Franko (Kobarid, Slovenia)
Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Guipúzcoa, Spain)
Frantzén(Stockholm, Sweden)
Boragó (Santiago, Chile)
Kjolle (Lima, Perú)
Florilège (Tokyo, Japan)
Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)
Belcanto (Lisbon, Portugal)
Septime (Paris, France)
Kol (London, England, United Kingdom)
Elkano (Getaria, Gipuzkoa, Spain)
Den (Tokyo, Japan)
Quique Dacosta (Dénia, Alicante, Spain)
Don Julio (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Steirereck (Vienna, Austria)
Gaggan Anand (Bangkok, Thailand)
Reale (Castel di Sangro, L’Aquila, Italy)
Le Du (Bangkok, Thailand)
Odette (Singapore)
Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico)
A Casa do Porco (São Paulo, Brazil)
Trèsind Studio (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
Table by Bruno Verjus (Paris, France)
Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico)
Atomix (New York City, New York, United States of America)
Lido 84 (Gardone Riviera, Brescia, Italy)
Maido (Lima, Perú)
Alchemist (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Asador Etxebarri (Axtondo, Bizkaia, Spain)
Diverxo (Madrid, Spain)
Disfrutar (Barcelona, Spain)
Central (Lima, Perú)

Last Year’s List

Some of the restaurants above also earned spots on the 2022 World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

For example, Ikoyi in London, England, was number 49 last year. The restaurant climbs to number 35 this year.

Bogotá’s Leo was number 48 in 2022 but rises to 43 in 2023.

Central fought to climb one place. Last year, Central was number two. Now, they’re the best restaurant in the world.

For the full list of the top 50 restaurants last year, please click here.

Cheers to this year’s top 50!

Image: The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

Negroni on edge of white countertop with reflection

June 20, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

People Aren’t Done ‘Improving’ the Negroni

People Aren’t Done ‘Improving’ the Negroni

by David Klemt

It’s possible the infamous Sbagliato Negroni is just the opening salvo from bartenders hell-bent on taking on the traditional specs and build techniques.

Two “new” versions appear to be getting attention now. One is essentially a reverse cocktail. Additionally, it’s likely only really a “new” drink to North Americans.

The other, well, it’s something else entirely. Let’s take a look.

The Mariano, a.k.a the Marianito

This is the Negroni cocktail that’s probably new only in the sense that many North American drinkers are just now hearing about it. In Northern Spain, this is a go-to summer cocktail.

It’s also, like many reverse cocktails, low-ABV and therefore rather sessionable. Further, the Marianito is an excellent ambassador for aperitivo culture.

To be fair, we probably shouldn’t be so reductive and refer to this cocktail as a Negroni riff. So far, I’m unable to uncover the story of its genesis, so I don’t know if the Negroni even inspired the Marianito.

After doing some digging, though, the Marianito apparently first appears in print in 1989. However, some people believe the drink likely traces its origins back to the 1950s. There are also two prevailing origin stories that focus on the name because…of course. This is how so much of cocktail history goes, and I love it.

One story is that “Mariano” is a portmanteau that combines the names of the most popular vermouths in Spain: Martini and Cinzano.

The other story? A waiter who drank little glasses of vermouth (often with a splash of gin or Campari) fell in love with the daughter of someone named Mariano. She didn’t feel the same way, locals in the area found, and they referred to his little drinks as “Marianitos,” after his father-in-law who never was. Not very nice, but alright.

At any rate, the Marianito is a popular summer cocktail. It’s also a year-round drink for many in Northern Spain. Particularly, apparently, in the port city of Bilbao. It’s also a cocktail that is often riffed on, so it lends itself to experimentation.

A Marianito Recipe

Notice this says “a” recipe, not “the” recipe. I’ve come across a few different builds claiming to be the “right” specs.

Some people add 50ml of sweet vermouth, some add 75ml. There are builds that call for vermouth rosso, and those that call for sweet vermouth.

That tells me one thing: bars in Northern Spain like to try and make the Marianito their own. So, experimentation is encouraged.

However, try the specs below before playing around with your Marianito:

75ml Sweet vermouth
15ml Campari
15ml Gin
2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
(Optional) 15ml Pomelo juice
Orange twist and an olive to garnish

The Sushi Rice Negroni

This…is exactly what it sounds like. When building a classic Negroni, you add sushi rice when mixing it.

The theory is simple enough to understand: sushi rice “softens” the flavors of other ingredients. So, adding sushi rice to your build should soften or “round out” the flavors of your Negroni.

Before we get too far, no—the rice doesn’t end up in the glass.

For this technique the bartender adds anywhere from a few grains to two tablespoons of cooked sushi rice to a mixing glass. After that, the build is the same as the standard cocktail, including the final step: straining into a glass over large ice cube.

Interestingly, bartenders can play with using uncooked or cooked sushi rice. Theoretically, this would adjust how much “softer” the drink turns out. And, of course, proponents of this technique say it can be beneficial to cocktails beyond the Negroni.

However, at the moment, it appears that the Negroni once again finds itself as the subject of experimentation. I can only imagine what else bartenders will subject it to before the year’s end.

So, will you and your bar team try the sushi rice technique?

Image: Tim Durand on Pexels

June 19, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Credit Card Competition Act, Take Three

Credit Card Competition Act, Take Three

by David Klemt

Here we go again: Bipartisan lawmakers in the House and Senate are taking another shot at the Credit Card Competition Act.

After the incredibly underwhelming progress of the Credit Card Competition Act of 2022, lawmakers are making another move. Now, a bipartisan effort is coalescing around the Credit Card Competition Act of…2023.

The “new” bill was introduced on June 7. On the Senate side, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) are trying to push the bill forward. In the House, Representatives Lance Gooden (R-TX) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) are driving the effort.

Roughly eight months ago it was revealed that 1,802 merchants drafted, signed, and sent a letter to the House and Senate. To summarize quickly, the merchants were pushing for the bill to become law. Another supporter of the CCCA? The National Restaurant Association, claiming that the bill could save merchants $11 billion a year in fees.

Of course, a lot is going on since the introduction of the CCCA of 2022. For one, it’s being widely reported that House Republicans are “revolting,” blocking bills and effectively paralyzing the chamber. There’s also the matter of the second indictment of a former president.

However, reporters who know far more than I about the inner workings of Congress seem optimistic. While there’s drama in the lower chamber, there are articles circulating that seem to think the CCCA of 2023 has enough bipartisan support to pass.

What’s the CCCA Again?

The Credit Card Competition Act of 2023 addresses what the bipartisan lawmakers pushing the bill forward refer to as “the Visa-Mastercard duopoly.”

As I and other journalists have reported previously, Visa and MasterCard in the crosshairs of this bill because of their control over credit card markets. The Merchants Payments Coalition (MPC) said last year that Visa and MasterCard control about 576 million credit cards. That equates to nearly 90 percent of credit and debit cards.

Looking at just the US a couple of years back, people lit up their credit and debit cards for $3.49 trillion in transactions in 2021. In the US, in 2021, the $3.49 trillion in transactions meant Visa and MasterCard collected $77.48 billion in swipe fees.

To combat what some lawmakers are calling a duopoly, the CCCA of 2023:

requires credit cards issued by banks with more than $100 billion in assets to be routed through at least two unaffiliated networks;
requires that the above banks create competition and allow smaller companies to compete in credit-card processing by offering a non-dominant network choice, also known as “dual routing”;
and block networks that are “owned, operated, or sponsored by a foreign state entity” to strengthen national security.

A press release with a link to a one-pager can be found on Rep. Lofgren’s website here.

If you support the CCCA, you can let your lawmakers know by clicking this link.

Image: Avery Evans on Unsplash

Aubrey Plaza holding a Margarita made with Cointreau

June 16, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Are You Making MargaRights or MargaWrongs?

Cointreau Wants to Know: Are You Making MargaRights?

by David Klemt

Temperatures are rising and people are socializing, so Cointreau wants to make sure you and your team make Margaritas right.

In fact, they’re so serious about Margarita specs that they’re partnering with Aubrey Plaza educate the public. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Margarita, the iconic brand is launching the MargaRight campaign.

Challengers come and go but so far, the Margarita is the top cocktail in the US. This has been the case for many, many years. Of course, it’s also a popular cocktail around the world and has been number one in other countries as well.

Now that we’re a week away from the “official” start of summer, it’s paramount to make sure your Margaritas are MargaRight. For one thing, it’s the perfect summer sipper. For another, people are eager to socialize in restaurants and bars, and the Margarita is sure to join groups of friends as they hang out together.

But there’s another reason to ensure your Margs are on point: The wrath of Aubrey Plaza. More accurately, avoiding incurring Plaza’s wrath for putting MargaWrongs across your bar.

Margarita mix? Anger. No Cointreau? Fury.

To borrow a refrain from fanatics of another classic cocktail, it’s safe to say that Plaza would agree with, “No Margarita without Cointreau.”

The Original Margarita

Some, including Cointreau, support the belief that the Margarita’s creation traces back to 1948. For this origin story, Dallas socialite Margarita Sames is either the inventor of the Margarita or asked for a signature cocktail for a party she was hosting at her Acapulco home. Going further, another claim is that Tommy Hilton was a party guest and brought the recipe to Hilton properties, helping to make it famous.

Another claim is that the Margarita is simply a logical evolution of the Daisy. The mid-1800s tipple has a cocktail family named after it, and the Margarita, Sidecar, Cosmopolitan, and Daiquiri sprang forth from it.

Regardless of what origin story you choose to believe, Cointreau champions the original recipe: Cointreau, blanco tequila, fresh lime juice, and a lime wheel to garnish. It’s this classic recipe that Cointreau and Plaza are adamant about for the MargaRight campaign.

To learn more about the MargaRight campaign and Cointreau’s celebration of the Margarita, please read the press release below. Cheers!

Cointreau and Aubrey Plaza Make Your Margarita MargaRight This Summer

Plaza celebrates summer and 75 Years of The Original Margarita

NEW YORK – June 14, 2023 – Cointreau, the iconic orange liqueur, is teaming up with Aubrey Plaza to launch a new creative campaign where the actor insists that the only way to enjoy a Margarita is the MargaRight way, and that is with Cointreau, of course.

Who better to show you MargaRight from MargaWrong than the famously irreverent Aubrey Plaza, who is known for her fearless honesty and unparalleled wit. “I love Margaritas – and the only way to make them MargaRight starts with three ingredients: Cointreau, tequila and fresh lime juice,” said Plaza. “Otherwise, it’s just MargaWrong.” Plaza continued, “This summer, you’ll only catch me ordering Margaritas MargaRight, and Cointreau will always be at any party of mine.”

Cointreau is an essential ingredient in The Original Margarita, and has been for 75 years, since Dallas socialite Margarita Sames created the recipe in 1948. In celebration of its 75th anniversary, Cointreau debuts today its largest creative campaign to-date across connected TV, digital, and social platforms. Captured in both home entertaining and bar and restaurant settings, Cointreau’s summer campaign creatively captures a comedic tone alongside its elevated style. The campaign has a range of video spots and photo stills showcasing how Margaritas should be enjoyed all summer long, always with Cointreau. To check out the NEW campaign, head to https://www.cointreau.com/us/en/whats-new/margaright.

“Cointreau has a history of cinematic storytelling with continued investment in marketing and partnering with top-tier celebrity talent, now including Aubrey Plaza,” said Nicolas Beckers, President and CEO at Rémy Cointreau America. “We want to continue to invite consumers to enjoy our brand wherever they are, and Aubrey is the perfect partner to showcase how three simple ingredients – Cointreau, tequila and fresh lime juice – are all you need to make your summer and Margarita MargaRight.”

As Margarita Sames once said, “a Margarita without Cointreau is not worth its salt.” Whether you’re ordering one at a bar or shaking it up at home, make your Margarita MargaRight and head to Cointreau.com to learn more.

The Original Margarita:

Ingredients:

1 oz. Cointreau
2 oz. Blanco tequila
1 oz. Fresh lime juice

Directions:

Rim your rocks glass with salt
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice
Shake vigorously until well chilled
Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice
Garnish with a lime wheel

About Cointreau:

Iconic orange liqueur creator and cocktail pioneer, Maison Cointreau was founded in 1849 in Angers, France. The brand’s heritage as a liquorist-distiller lives on today at the heart of more than 500 cocktails, including the original Margarita and Cosmopolitan. Cointreau liqueur’s distinctive character is the result of the meticulous selection, harmony, and distillation of sweet and bitter orange peel essences, a task entrusted to Maison Cointreau’s Master Distiller. Unique and boasting exceptional organoleptic qualities, it’s a staple for bartenders and at-home cocktail enthusiasts around the world. Visit www.cointreau.com and follow us on Instagram for more.

To learn more about Cointreau, visit www.cointreau.com or follow Cointreau on Instagram via @Cointreau_US or Facebook via @cointreauUS.

About Rémy Cointreau:

All around the world, there are clients seeking exceptional experiences; clients for whom a wide range of terroirs means a variety of flavors. Their exacting standards are proportional to our expertise – the finely-honed skills that we pass down from generation to generation. The time these clients devote to drinking our products is a tribute to all those who have worked to develop them. It is for these men and women that Rémy Cointreau, a family-owned French Group, protects its terroirs, cultivates exceptional multi-centenary spirits and undertakes to preserve their eternal modernity. The Group’s portfolio includes high-end and singular brands, such as the Rémy Martin and Louis XIII cognacs, and Cointreau liqueur. Rémy Cointreau has a single ambition: becoming the world leader in exceptional spirits. To this end, it relies on the commitment and creativity of its 1,850 employees and on its distribution subsidiaries established in the Group’s strategic markets. Rémy Cointreau is listed on Euronext Paris.

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor KRG Hospitality received compensation, monetary or otherwise, from Rémy Cointreau, Cointreau, or any other entity in exchange for this post.

Image and videos courtesy of Cointreau

White "Reserved" sign in wooden block on table

June 14, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Why You Need to Use Direct Bookings

Why You Need to Use Direct Bookings

by David Klemt

A new report from guest retention platform SevenRooms shows that like delivery, guests prefer to support restaurants directly when it comes to reservations.

Similar to their awareness of third-party delivery platform fees, today’s guest appears to be aware that third-party marketplaces cost restaurants and bars too much.

Let’s consider the guest discovery journey. According to their 2023 Dining Discovery & Booking Report, SevenRooms says most guests discover new restaurants via word of mouth. In fact, 61 percent of people rely on family, friends, and co-workers to find new restaurants. A third of diners use Google (33 percent), and nearly as many use social media (29 percent).

So, what role do third-party marketplaces play in restaurant and bar discovery? Per SevenRooms, not even ten percent of people who discover new places to grab a bite or a drink use such platforms.

Their research shows that just nine percent of diners use OpenTable to find new restaurants. However, that’s three times the number of diners that Resy (three percent) is seeing use their platform for discovery.

Okay, so what does this mean to you, the operator? It means that you should be leveraging a direct-booking feature. Guests are telling us how they want to experience restaurants and bars. They’ve let us know they prefer direct delivery. Now, they’re letting us know they prefer direct booking.

In other words, give them what they want: user-friendly ways to support your business. Make it easy to find you on social. Ensure your website is functional and easy to navigate. And give delivery and booking buttons prime real estate on your website so guests can find them quickly.

I also recommend communicating that you offer direct bookings, and thanking those who use that functionality for supporting your business directly. This can, of course, be done via automated marketing emails.

For more information—including how many diners call restaurants directly to make reservations—please read the SevenRooms press release below. You can also download their latest report here.

SEVENROOMS CONSUMER DATA UNVEILS HOW GUESTS ARE DISCOVERING AND BOOKING RESTAURANTS

Leading guest experience and retention platform highlights consumer expectations for discovering new restaurants and making reservations

NEW YORK (June 7, 2023) – SevenRooms, a guest experience and retention platform for the hospitality industry, released its latest consumer report, “2023 Dining Discovery & Booking Report,” highlighting how guests discover new restaurants and book reservations. One thing is clear – diners are utilizing many channels for discovery – from word of mouth to a variety of online channels. Nearly two-thirds (61%) of diners hear about or discover new restaurants from friends, family and co-workers, followed by 33% using Google, 29% searching social media for restaurant profiles and 22% discovering through social media influencers or trusted sources. Only a small percentage use third-party platforms such as OpenTable (9%) and Resy (3%) to discover new restaurants.

“Coming out of the pandemic, operators are navigating an entirely new landscape which includes how diners are discovering and booking reservations,” said Joel Montaniel, CEO & Co-Founder of SevenRooms. “In this new world three things are clear: being everywhere diners are online is table stakes, diners prefer to book directly as opposed to using a third-party app, and while third-party apps are still important, Google is quickly becoming one of the preferred destinations for diners when they don’t go direct to the restaurant.”

Defining today’s restaurant guest

In the United States, today’s guests expect more than just a meal, and creating opportunities to build loyalty will set restaurants apart. Each experience can turn a one-time diner into a loyal guest – but it must include personalized touches from start to finish. It is critical for operators to own their data to create a relationship with each guest based on preferences, past visits and upcoming special occasions noted when booking direct. By building this relationship, operators are able to be more proactive with their guests, personalize dining experiences and use the data they collect to curate experiences that will ultimately drive more revenue.

The beauty of a direct booking platform is the ability to capture that data; for example, asking the guest when they are booking if they are celebrating anything special, or noting dietary preferences. Guests are also willing to make that extra step to make sure they have an excellent experience – nearly half (45%) of diners will call the restaurant directly to book a reservation, and 35% will book through the restaurant’s website. Twenty-nine percent of diners also say that they receive better experiences at the restaurant when they book direct, and more than 1 in 4 (27%) feel restaurants prioritize their reservation when doing so.

Similar to how today’s diners are catching on to the experiential benefits of booking direct, they are also realizing that third-party platforms are not actually in the best interest of the restaurant. Sixty-one percent believe that making reservations directly with the restaurant, rather than with a third-party reservation platform, is better for the restaurant. Additionally:

29% of respondents want to do all they can to directly support restaurants
17% of respondents noted that third-party reservation platforms charge too much in fees to the restaurant, and guests would rather not have the restaurant incur that cost

“As the expectation for incredible experiences grows, third-party reservation platforms are losing market share as diners prefer to book directly with restaurants to ensure they get the best experience,” said Montaniel. “SevenRooms has always been dedicated and focused on empowering operators to deliver the most personalized guest experiences. Our omnichannel approach, enabling restaurants to meet guests wherever they are, whether through global discovery and booking channels or a restaurant’s own website, helps operators serve diners in this new world while helping them operate more sustainable and profitable businesses.

To learn more about SevenRooms, please visit www.sevenrooms.com.

About SevenRooms

SevenRooms is a guest experience and retention platform that helps hospitality operators create exceptional experiences that drive revenue and repeat business. Trusted by thousands of hospitality operators around the world, SevenRooms powers tens of millions of guest experiences each month across both on- and off-premises. From neighborhood restaurants and bars to international, multi-concept hospitality groups, SevenRooms is transforming the industry by empowering operators to take back control of their businesses to build direct guest relationships, deliver exceptional experiences and drive more visits and orders, more often. The full suite of products includes reservation, waitlist and table management, online ordering, mobile order & pay, review aggregation, email marketing and marketing automation. Founded in 2011 and venture-backed by Amazon, Comcast Ventures, PSG and Highgate Ventures, SevenRooms has dining, hotel F&B, nightlife and entertainment clients globally, including: MGM Resorts International, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Wynn Resorts, Jumeirah Group, Hard Rock Hotels & Resorts, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Bloomin’ Brands, Giordano’s, Australian Venue Company, Altamarea Group, AELTC, The Wolseley Hospitality Group, Dishoom, Live Nation and Topgolf. www.sevenrooms.com

Image: Алексей Вечерин on Pexels

Martini with lemon twist on marble tabletop

June 13, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Drink Donnybrook: Let’s Talk Martini

Drink Donnybrook: Let’s Talk Martini

by David Klemt

We celebrate the Martini twice in June, once on 17th for World Martini Day, and one more opportunity on the 19th for National Martini Day.

That means you and your bar team have some time to dial in your builds and presentations.

In addition to its potential to boost revenue over the course of a few days, the Martini is also surging in popularity. As things stand in the US, the Martini is currently the top challenger to the Margarita’s crown.

There’s also the staggering number of Martinis going out each night at Bemelmans Bar in NYC: 1,000 per night. With younger legal-age drinkers driving this surge in popularity, it’s important for operators to make sure their Martinis are crowd pleasers.

Technically, this means making stirring London Dry gin and dry vermouth—perhaps a dash or two of orange bitters—for at least 20 seconds. Next, pour a crystal-clear Martini—without any shards of ice—into a Martini glass. Finally, add a lemon twist and serve gracefully.

There you have it: a perfect, classic Martini.

Now, if the instructions above make you bristle, good. Much like the Margarita, the Martini can cause fierce debate amongst bar professionals.

So, let’s have some fun now that one build is out of the way.

The Family

It’s true that really, we don’t know the exact origin of the Martini. We aren’t even certain who should get credit for its creation.

So, what if I tell you that the Manhattan and Martini are family?

A prevailing theory posits that the former is the latter’s great-grandfather. From the Manhattan we get the Martinez, from the Martinez we get the Marguerite, and from the Marguerite we get the Martini. However, some people believe the Martinez is perhaps only a distant relative and the family tree goes Manhattan – Marguerite – Martini.

At any rate, this may seem ridiculous at first. A whiskey cocktail is the great-grandfather or grandfather of a gin cocktail. Well, when we look at the common threads, yeah.

This family of cocktails shares the following traits:

a base spirit
vermouth
bitters

The Manhattan and Martinez also use maraschino or brandied cherries. The latter swaps out whiskey for Old Tom gin, and the Marguerite calls for Plymouth gin and eschews the maraschino.

As you know, the Martini swaps Plymouth gin for London Dry. Interestingly, “modern” versions of the Martini are often made without bitters, which has been happening for many decades.

Dry Vermouth?

According to some cocktail historians, the accuracy of the build above is debatable.

Technically technically, the original form of the Martini is sweet. The OG recipe calls for sweet vermouth, not dry.

That is, of course, if you choose to believe that sweet vermouth recipes you find in books from the 19th century represent the prototypical Martini.

If you’re not familiar with the Perfect Martini variant, it’s an interesting compromise, in a way. For this particular version we use equal parts sweet and dry vermouth. Someone kicking off a quarrel over original Martini specs? Put a Perfect Martini in front of them and see if their head explodes or they abandon their argument.

Vodka?

Again, technically, a Vodka Martini is a riff on the original recipe.

Whereas we can (reasonably) trace the original Martini back to the late 1800s, the vodka version shows up in the 1950s.

So, if that’s an accurate timeline, the Gin Martini’s vodka-based sibling doesn’t appear for 60 to 70 years after its genesis.

To build a classic Vodka Martini, we simply swap out the gin for vodka. The rest of the specs can remain the same, save for some guests preferring an olive or cocktail onion as a garnish.

Of course, now that we’re on the topic of swaps and specs, ratios play an important role when making a Martini. Bars and bartenders often play around with the ratio of gin or vodka to vermouth.

In fact, there’s can be a fairly large swing depending on the bar or bartender. Some bartenders may build their Martinis with a 4:1 ration, and others may go 8:1 or greater.

Still others leave the vermouth out altogether. That can really start a knock-down, drag-out Martini feud.

Check this Out

With the Martini crash course over, here are a few “fun facts” for you to savor.

Neither the Espresso Martini nor the (in)famous Cosmopolitan are true Martinis. While we serve them in the Martini glass and one has “Martini” in its name, that’s where their relation to the original ends.

Once again using the qualifier “technically,” the Espresso Martini is an alias. It’s real identity is Vodka Espresso.

If we really want to throw a debate haymaker, the Espresso Martini and Cosmopolitan aren’t even kin to the Gin or Vodka Martini. Neither uses vermouth, meaning they’re don’t claim the same family tree. In reality, the Cosmo belongs to the sour family.

Finally, one more fun tidbit to toss into this debate, should you find yourself arguing Martinis. The Reverse Martini is more of a sibling to the original than the Espresso Martini. After all, it’s still a combination of spirit and vermouth. It’s just that the vermouth is the star of the show, often utilizing a 2:1 ratio, vermouth to gin.

So, there you have it. Enough information to cause a friendly “fight” over Martini history, specs, and family members. Cheers!

Image: Rick Barrett on Unsplash

June 12, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

The 2023 HD Award Finalists and Winners

The 2023 HD Award Finalists and Winners

by David Klemt

As one would expect, the finalists and winners of the 2023 Hospitality Design Awards are a stunning collection of brands from which operators should pull inspiration.

Anyone looking for cutting-edge hospitality design would do well to look into each of the winners and finalists below.

The full list of award finalists and winners, and the architecture, interior design, and purchasing firms (along with owners and operators) can be found on the Hospitality Design website. Just click this link for the full details.

For our past coverage of the HD Expo, please click here.

View into The Lobby inside ACE Hotel Sydney, which offers craft cocktails and small plates.

Lifestyle Hotel

Winner

Ace Hotel Sydney (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)

Architecture Firm: Bates Smart, Melbourne
Interior Design Firm: Flack Studio (hotel), Melbourne
Owner: Golden Age Group
Operator: Ace Hotel Group
Purchasing Firm: Marques Interior Services

Finalists

Canoe Place Inn & Cottages (Hampton Bays, New York)

Our Habitas San Miguel (San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico)

Sisan·Shuanglang Hotel (DaLi, YunNan, China)

Fan Woods Hotel (Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, China)

Lifestyle Hotel Public Space

Winner

The Tampa EDITION

Architecture and Interior Design Firms: Morris Adjmi Architects, and ISC Design Studio, New York
Owner: Strategic Property Partners
Operator: Marriott International
Purchasing Firm: The Parker Company

Finalists

Ace Hotel Sydney (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)

The Standard (Hua Hin, Thailand)

Luxury Hotel

Winner

The Londoner (London, England) United Kingdom)

Architecture Firm: Woods Bagot, London
Interior Design Firm: Yabu Pushelberg, New York and Toronto
Owner and Operator: Edwardian Hotels London

Finalists

Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection (Gardiner, New York)

Kimpton Bamboo Grove Suzhou (Suzhou, Jiangsu, China)

Luxury Hotel Public Space

Winner

The Madrona (Healdsburg, California)

Architecture Firm: Strening Architects, Santa Rosa, California
Interior Design Firm: Jay Jeffers, San Francisco
Owners: Jay Jeffers, Kyle Jeffers, and investors
Operator: Mosaic Hotel Group
Purchasing Firm: Summa International

Finalists

The Madrid EDITION (Madrid, Spain)

Pillows Maurits at the Park (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection (Gardiner, New York)

Upscale Hotel

Winner

Six Senses Rome (Rome, Italy)

Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Patricia Urquiola Design, Milan
Owner: Six Senses

Finalists

HAY boutique hotel & SPA by Edem Family (Bukovel, Ukraine)

The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon (Bangkok, Thailand)

Belmonte Hotel Krynica Zdrój (Krynica-Zdrój, Poland)

Upscale Hotel Public Space

Winner

The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon (Bangkok, Thailand)

Architecture Firm: Buro Ole Scheeren, Bangkok
Interior Design Firms: The Standard in-house design team, New York; Hayon Studio, Valencia, Spain; and Studio Freehand, Bangkok
Owner and Purchasing Firm: King Power
Operator: Standard International

Finalists

Thompson Buckhead (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)

The Royal (Picton, Ontario, Canada)

Midscale Hotel

Winner

Ace Hotel Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Architecture Firm: Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, Toronto
Interior Design Firm: Atelier Ace, New York
Owners: Alterra, B-right, Finer Space Corporation, Prowinko, and Zinc Developments
Operator: Ace Hotel Group
Purchasing Firm: Benjamin West

Finalists

High Country Motor Lodge (Flagstaff, Arizona, USA)

Albor San Miguel de Allende, Tapestry Collection by Hilton (San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico)

Hotel Indigo Jiuzhai (Sichuan, China)

Midscale Hotel Public Space

Winner

Ace Hotel Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Architecture Firm: Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, Toronto
Interior Design Firm: Atelier Ace, New York
Owners: Alterra, B-right, Finer Space Corporation, Prowinko, and Zinc Developments
Operator: Ace Hotel Group
Purchasing Firm: Benjamin West

Finalists

Albor San Miguel de Allende, Tapestry Collection by Hilton (San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico)

Crystal Orange Hotel Shanghai Pudong Lujiazui (Shanghai, China)

High Country Motor Lodge (Flagstaff, Arizona, USA)

Select Service Hotel

Winner

The Beach Motel (Southampton, Ontario, Canada)

Architecture, Interior Design, and Purchasing Firm: Common Good Studio, Toronto
Owner: DASA Properties

Finalists

Hotel Tupelo (Tupelo, Mississippi, USA)

The Shàng | Artyzen Qiantan Shanghai (Shanghai, China)

Select Service Hotel Public Space

Winner

Hotel Tupelo (Tupelo, Mississippi, USA)

Architecture Firm: Sarah Newton Architect, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Owner and Interior Design Firm: The Thrash Group, Dallas
Operator: Tandem Hospitality Management
Purchasing Firm: J Desterbecq & Associates

Finalist

The Beach Motel (Southampton, Ontario, Canada)

Resort

Winner

Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort (Punta Mita, Nayarit, Mexico)

Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Luxury Frontiers
Owner: Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Finalists

Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection (Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Mexico)

Centara Reserve Samui (Koh Samui, Thailand)

Lodges + Camps

Winner

AutoCamp Joshua Tree (Joshua Tree, California, USA)

Architecture Firm: HKS, San Francisco
Interior Design Firm: Narrative Design Studio, San Francisco
Owner and Operator: AutoCamp
Purchasing Firm: Benjamin West

Finalists

AutoCamp Catskills (Saugerties, New York)

Getaway Outdoor Suites (Ottawa, Illinois)

Restorations, Transformations + Conversions

Winner

Tin Building by Jean-Georges (New York, New York)

Architecture Firm: Cass Calder Smith, New York
Interior Design Firm: Roman and Williams Buildings and Interiors, New York
Owner: Howard Hughes Corporation
Purchasing Firm: Summa International

Finalists

Aman New York (New York, New York)

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh (Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom)

Casa Cody (Palm Springs, California, USA)

Ace Hotel Sydney (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)

New Brand Launch

Winner

Blue Iris by Life House (Nantucket, Massachusetts, USA)

Architecture Firm: Emeritus, Austin
Owner: Blue Flag Partners
Operator, Interior Design, and Purchasing Firm: Life House

Finalists

Revo Munich (München, Germany)

The Julius (Prague, Czech Republic)

Sweetbee Café + Bar (Brooklyn, New York, USA)

Event Space

Winner

Seattle Convention Center Summit Building (Seattle, Washington, USA)

Architecture and Interior Design Firm: LMN Architects, Seattle
Owner: Seattle Convention Center

Finalists

The Madrona (Healdsburg, California)

The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon (Bangkok, Thailand)

Hybrid Hospitality

Winner

Little Banchan Shop / Meju (Queens, New York, USA)

Architecture Firm: David K. UH, New York
Interior Design Firm: CRÈME, Brooklyn, New York
Owner: Chef Hooni Kim

Finalists

Capital One Hybrid Bank and Café (New York, New York, USA)

Changsha Fundolandπ (Changsha, Hunan, China)

Beyond Hospitality

Winner

The Water Drop Library (Shuangyue Bay, Huizhou City, Guangdong, China)

Architecture and Interior Design Firm: 3andwich Design / He Wei Studio, Beijing
Owner: Huizhou Shuangyue Bay Real Estate Investment and Development Co., Ltd.

Finalists

The Africa Centre (London, England, United Kingdom)

Aqua Foro Pool Club at Piazza Alta (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA)

Wellness + Wellbeing

Winner

Paste Dental (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Interior Design Firm: Studio Author, Toronto
Owner: Dr Derek Chung

Finalists

Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort (Punta Mita, Nayarit, Mexico)

Dundas Square Barbers (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

Sustainable

Winners

Chleo (Kingston, New York, USA)

Interior Design Firm: Islyn Studio, Brooklyn, New York
Owners: Hope and Charles Mathews
Purchasing Firm: Wagner Hamill

Six Senses Rome (Rome, Italy)

Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Patricia Urquiola Design, Milan
Owner: Six Senses

Finalists

Villa Le Blanc Gran Meliá (Sant Tomàs, Illes Balears, Spain)

1 Hotel Nashville (Nashville, Tennessee, USA)

Guestrooms

Winner

Centara Reserve Samui (Koh Samui, Thailand)

Architecture Firm: Begray, Bangkok
Interior Design Firm: AvroKO, Bangkok
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Centara Hotels & Resorts

Finalists

Central Hotel Macau (Macau, China)

Albor San Miguel de Allende, Tapestry Collection by Hilton (San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico)

Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection (Gardiner, New York)

Suites

Winner

Venice Simplon Orient Express (Vienna, Austria; Budapest, Hungary; and Prague, Czech Republic)

Interior Design Firm: Wimberly Interiors, London
Owner: Belmond

Finalists

The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon (Bangkok, Thailand)

Sands Premier Suite, Marina Bay Sands (Singapore)

Casual Restaurant

Winner

Great White – Melrose (West Hollywood, California, USA)

Architecture Firm: Natalie Kazanjian Architect, Los Angeles
Interior Design Firm: Great White Partners in partnership with Buca Studios, Los Angeles
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Great White Partners

Finalists

Marcus at Baha Mar (Nassau, Bahamas)

MOVA (Dnipro, Ukraine)

Good Ground Tavern at Canoe Place Inn & Cottages (Hampton Bays, New York, USA)

Shikigiku Japanese Restaurant (IFC Mall) – Café & Bar Area (Hong Kong)

Upscale Restaurant

Winner

Oiji Mi (New York, New York, USA)

Architecture Firm: David Bucovy Architect, New York
Interior Design Firm: AvroKO, New York
Owner: Oiji Hospitality

Finalists

Amal (Miami, Florida, USA)

53 (New York, New York, USA)

Terra (Lviv, Ukraine)

Bar, Club + Lounge

Winner

Andra Hem (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA)

Architecture Firm: Stokes Architecture + Design, Philadelphia
Interior Design Firm: Ghislaine Viñas, New York
Owner: Paige West

Finalists

Punch Room (Tampa, Florida, USA)

Ritz Bar (Paris, France)

Bar Cima (New York, New York, USA)

Gair (Brooklyn, New York, USA)

Equipment Room (Austin, Texas, USA)

Visual Identity

Winner

Saint June at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Greater Antilles)

Branding and Interior Design Firm: Goodrich, New York
Owner: Dart
Operator: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
Purchasing Firm: The Parker Company

Finalists

Zou Zou’s and Chez Zou (New York, New York, USA)

Uniforms at the Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon (Bangkok, Thailand)

Orto (Belfast, Ireland, United Kingdom)

Student

Winner

Sarah Choudhary, New York School of Interior Design: Hotel Cirque (Montréal, Québec, Canada)

Finalists

Bryann Brophy, Brittany Noble, Olivia Fletcher, and Hannah Randall, Iowa State University: Hotel Rina (Rome, Italy)

Hsiang-Ting Huang, School of Visual Arts, New York: A Transitional Place of Love (New York, New York, USA)

Images courtesy of ACE Hotel Sydney

Martinis at Bemelmans Bar inside the Carlyle hotel in New York City

June 9, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Own Your Team’s Excellence

Own Your Team’s Excellence

by David Klemt

If you and your team are producing an incredible food or drink item, don’t just be proud—make it your signature and own it.

As Chef Brian Duffy says during his demos and speaking engagements, people can eat and drink anywhere. Further, with just a handful of major food suppliers operating throughout North America, operators are using much of the same ingredients.

With that in mind, then, it’s crucial that operators and their teams innovate. Doing so ensures that hospitality professionals are staying current on consumer demands and trends; constantly seeking be educated and share information; and making sure their business stands out from others.

A commitment to standing out can also motivate a team to elevate their techniques. In turn, they can truly “own” an item. Creating something incredible—and replicating it order after order consistently—can become a brand and team’s calling card.

Does your kitchen team turn out a fantastic signature burger? Has your business become known as the place for chicken wings because of your kitchen team?

Has your bar team perfected the Margarita? Are they so good at crafting Frozen Irish Coffees that your bar is on Glendalough Distillery‘s radar?

When you identify what your team is producing at an extraordinary level, you need to make certain you loudly own it.

A Real-world Example

For a high-level example of what I’m talking about, we can look at the Carlyle in New York City.

This landmark Rosewood Hotel is known for delivering peerless service. However, a venue inside this sophisticated resort is known for a specific item.

Bemelmans Bar, an escape from the hectic streets of New York, is known for the Martinis the bar team produces. (They’re also known for their red jackets, but those aren’t for sale.)

It may be a bold statement considering the level of bars and cocktails in the city, but Bemelmans Bar (and therefore the Carlyle) owns the Martini in NYC. In fact, the bar serves a staggering 1,000 Martinis a night. More often than not, the Martinis that cross the bar or leave the service well are dirty or extra dirty. This has been the case since at least 2021.

So famous are the Bemelmans’ Martinis that the Carlyle sells an at-home kit, yours for just $395. It’s their latest promotion, though, that makes it evident Bemelmans and the Carlyle are taking ownership of the Martini.

Guests of the Carlyle can now book their Martini Retreat, a two-day experience that centers around their signature cocktail. If, perhaps, you think that $400 is a bit steep for their Martini Box, prepare for true sticker shock. The Martini Retreat experience starts at $4,895 for two guests.

However, the package is rather impressive and encapsulates the Carlyle’s ownership of the Martini. The Carlyle Martini Retreat includes:

a two-night stay in a Madison Room or Premier Suite;
a Bemelmans Bar Martini Box;
enrollment in the Bemelmans Master Martini Class (valued at $495), a 45-minute experience during which guests learn how the bar team crafts multiple variations of vodka and gin Martinis, and their new Madeline’s Vesper cocktail;
a two-course Martini lunch at Dowling’s at The Carlyle; and
a curated list of where to go to try other great Martinis throughout NYC, put together by Dimitrios Michalopoulos, bar manager at Bemelmans.

Takeaway

So, am I suggesting that operators create an experience that costs thousands of dollars? Well…I mean, if your concept can succeed with such a promotion, absolutely. If doing so would resonate with enough guests to make it feasible and become a steady (and impressive) revenue stream, go for it.

However, what I’m really attempting to drive home here is the power of becoming known for even a single signature item. And, hey—your item, in your market, may be the Martini.

Owning an item means screaming from the rooftops and hills that it’s yours. That your team’s version is the one to have; the one people in the know have to have. Taking ownership of your team’s excellence translates to becoming a destination for it, to driving repeat visits once people have experienced it.

Of course, with that ownership comes the responsibility to elevate all other elements of your business. Every other item on the menu must be produced and served at the highest level. This ensures the entire guest experience wows the guests, and the signature item is essentially a driver and the cherry on top.

It’s time to review what your team produces so well that your brand owns it. Should this introspection yield no results, it’s then time to see what other operators are known for and discover what item or items you and your team can improve upon. What’s something that works with your brand that you feel confident you and your team can own?

There’s power, money, and long-term success in something on your menu. It’s time to uncover it and take ownership.

Image: The Carlyle

June 2, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: June 2023

5 Books to Read this Month: June 2023

by David Klemt

Our engaging and informative June book selections will take your front and back of house to the next level, and help develop your leadership skills.

To review the book recommendations from May 2023, click here.

Let’s jump in!

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

This book written by Simon Sinek is considered one of the best books ever written about leadership. “Start with Why” isn’t just a clever title, it’s an important beginning point for all entrepreneurs and leaders.

Further, this book introduces the reader to what Sinek calls the Golden Circle. True leaders don’t micromanage. They don’t just delegate. Effective leaders inspire their teams, providing more motivation than, “Do what I say.” Grab this best seller today: click here.

The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen

We saw this book while we were walking the floor in Chicago at the 2023 National Restaurant Association Show. I snapped a photo, looked up the book, and not only has it been named the Best Cookbook of 2017 by several publications, it’s also the 2018 James Beard Award winner for Best American Cookbook.

From Amazon: “Here is real food—our indigenous American fruits and vegetables, the wild and foraged ingredients, game and fish. Locally sourced, seasonal, “clean” ingredients and nose-to-tail cooking are nothing new to Sean Sherman, the Oglala Lakota chef and founder of The Sioux Chef. In his breakout book, The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, Sherman shares his approach to creating boldly seasoned foods that are vibrant, healthful, at once elegant and easy.”

The Maison Premiere Almanac

If you’ve been the Maison Premiere in Brooklyn, you know it’s a unique experience. That’s saying a lot given the level of the bars, restaurants, and hotels in that iconic borough. One of the standout features is an “absinthe drip” that was inspired by the legendary New Orleans saloon Old Absinthe House.

From Amazon: “As captivating as the bar itself, The Maison Premiere Almanac is both a visual delight—drawing on photography, illustration, and graphic design—and a detailed guide to the rarefied subjects that make Maison Premiere unique, including deep explorations into the art of the cocktail and cutting-edge bartending techniques and equipment.

“There are also primers on absinthe (a Maison specialty) and recipes for highly refined cocktails, including martinis, toddys, punches, and mint juleps. Tutorials on oysters include how to confidently select and prepare them at home and how to eat them with style. And while packed with curious information and useful knowledge on cocktails and bartending for both enthusiastic beginner bartenders and seasoned cocktail lovers, the Almanac is also a visually arresting objet d’art that will make a perfect addition to any bookshelf.” For all of this and 90 recipes, click here.

Tropical Standard: Cocktail Techniques & Reinvented Recipes

This book is the result of a collaboration between bartender Garret Richard and writer Ben Schaffer. As every great bartender knows, producing great drinks comes down to technique and understanding ratios.

From Amazon: “Crucial techniques are clearly detailed, including how to balance syrups, flash blend, handle carbonation, tackle tinctures, cordialize citrus, and power up juice with acid adjusting. Over the course of 84 recipes, vintage cocktails like the Rum Barrel, Mai Tai, and Ray’s Mistake are reimagined just as future classics are revealed, including the Beachcomber Negroni, Winter in L.A., and Field of Mars. These drinks honor founding legends such as Donn Beach, Trader Vic, and Harry Yee as well as modern icons, including Dale DeGroff, Audrey Saunders, Julie Reiner, and Dave Arnold.”

Grab this book today!

The Seasonal Cocktail

All the data support the statement that today’s guests are choosing to drink better. Better spirits, better ingredients, better drinks.

The Seasonal Cocktail is the perfect cocktail book for addressing this change in consumer behavior. Author Jason Hedges is the mastermind behind several of the world’s best cocktail programs, such as L’Ecole and Gotham. F. Paul Pacult has been called “the J.D. Power of liquor,” which is an incredible endorsement.

Together, these two beverage powerhouses share what it takes to build sophisticated yet simple seasonal drinks. Timely, given that we’re now hitting the summer months. Click here to grab this book now.

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash