Craft cocktails have hit their stride in Salt Lake City. Mixologists at restaurants and bars across downtown are pouring daring concoctions that not only utilize local distilled spirits, but also other ingredients. From bitters to herbs and honey to fruit, Salt Lake’s bartenders are topping off their cocktails with local love in every sip.
The Rest
Memento Vida
At The Rest, experience Latin and Portuguese flavors and a touch of Utah with Memento Vida—a spring drink based on the daiquiri, featuring local Honest John bitters and Slide Ridge honey.
Creator Ryan Santos uses Leblon cachaça and fresh squeezed lime juice in addition to a tarragon and pink peppercorn honey syrup that brings sweetness and earthy flavors to the cocktail, while a small amount of amaro Montenegro lend butter and nutty tones. “We use crisp and citrusy Honest John Grapefruit Bitters to add an extra push of clean spring flavor,” says owner Sara Lund. And that addition complements the flavor of the lime juice. The Slide Ridge honey brings an earthy sweet note to the overall cocktail and helps accentuate the existing flavors in the cachaça itself.
Under Current
Viola Sour
Order up the Viola Sour at Under Current to experience a truly jamming cocktail. The drink features Amour Spreads Concord Grape jam, gin, Campari, egg white, lemon and fresh local mint.
“I love using their jams primarily because oftentimes it is difficult to impart certain flavors into a cocktail seasonally,” explains general manager Amy Eldredge. “There’s nothing better than a fresh concord grape gimlet, but I can only get my hands on the proper grapes for about three weeks in September. Amour allows me to reach for an otherwise unavailable product, while still imparting a fresh flavor profile.”
The fresh mint finish adds a pop of flavor to round out and brighten up the entire cocktail.
Tin Angel Café
Gin Angel Martini
The Gin Angel martini at Tin Angel Café includes several local ingredients in addition to Beehive Jackrabbit Gin. The cocktail highlights raspberry juice from Week’s Berry Farm in Paradise, Utah, that gives the cocktail a beautiful ruby color along with a thyme-infused simple syrup using herbs from Ranui Gardens. It’s garnished with a thyme-speared raspberry.
Tin Angel co-owner Kestrel Spring Liedtke says, “I made a change last summer to our cocktail list and really emphasized local ingredients. I did this partly to support all our great neighbors at the Downtown Farmers Market, but also because local products will always be more fresh and this freshness can help a cocktail really shine. I wanted our cocktail list to reflect the values and priorities that are represented in the food we serve and I wanted the cocktails to stand up to the quality that Jerry puts into his menu.”
Local Shopping List:
Find these ingredients at Boozetique, The Downtown Farmers Market (Pioneer Park, Saturdays June - October)
Amour Spreads Concord Grape
Honest John bitters
Slide Ridge honey
Beehive Jackrabbit Gin.
Week’s Berry Farm
Ranui Gardens
