Dining Out 1 minute 26 December 2023

7 MICHELIN Guide Inspector Approved Favorite Cocktails (and Mocktails) of 2023

The tipples that made our Inspectors stir.

Few things bring the fun to an evening out quite like a cocktail. A pretty glass, a jaunty flourish—there’s just something festive and flirty about them, both with and without alcohol. Our Inspectors sipped quite a few this year, but these seven standouts shook things up in 2023. 


Chicago

Kumiko
Cocktail: Agony of the Leaf 

“This tea-based cocktail was made with sweet potato shochu. It was slightly bitter but really complex. The name is a reference to the softening of the tea leaf in hot water, when it begins to express its flavor and color.”

Photo: Courtesy of Kumiko
Photo: Courtesy of Kumiko

Denver

Brutø 
Cocktail: NA Spring Pea Collins

“I was thoroughly impressed by the non-alcoholic beverage pairing. Each creation was lovely, however the Spring Pea Collins made from a NA heirloom wheatberry "spirit" with pea shoots and yuzu was stunning.”

Hop Alley
Cocktail: Bee's Knees 

“Their cocktail program is very interesting with their twists on classics, like the Bee’s Knees done with chili crisp-infused honey.”

Photo: Jeff Fierberg/Brutø
Photo: Jeff Fierberg/Brutø
Photo: Meg Hammerbeck/Hop Alley
Photo: Meg Hammerbeck/Hop Alley

Los Angeles 

Manzke
Cocktail: The Passion Fruit G&T 

“This clever cocktail is infused with fruit flavor but clarified for a stunning, crystal-clear appearance.”

Photo: Courtesy of Manzke
Photo: Courtesy of Manzke

New York

Dhamaka 
Cocktail: Goan Gangster

“This cocktail was made with homemade coconut toddy, Paul John single malt, Amaro Nardini, coconut foam, and ash. Served in a coconut shell and topped with a coconut foam flecked with ash. The shell was perched on a silver holder, so it didn’t roll around on the table.”

Photo: Paul McDonough/Dhamaka
Photo: Paul McDonough/Dhamaka

San Francisco

Friends Only
Cocktail: Contraband

“It’s a mix of Joven mezcal, citrus, black truffle and hibiscus. This was a bright, refreshing cocktail with an intriguing blend of floral and savory notes.”

Photo: Courtesy of Friends Only
Photo: Courtesy of Friends Only

Washington, D.C.

Rania
Cocktail: Desi Gimlet 

“This interesting cocktail was made with yogurt, Ketel One, dry vermouth, lime, butter syrup, and orange bitters.”

Photo: Courtesy of Rania
Photo: Courtesy of Rania

Hero image: Hawkeye Johnson/Rania

Thumbnail: Courtesy of Rania


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