Tequila, Mezcal, Where to drink Mezcal, Where to drink Tequila, Best Tequila Bars in America, New York, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Boston, Massachusetts, Miami, Florida, Chicago, Illinois, Texas, Houston, Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, California, Mixologist Recommendations, Mezcal Producers, Bartenders, Sommelier, Winemaker, Chef, Bitters, cocktails, Recipes
Tequila, the good stuff, is from Jalisco and is made from 100 percent blue agave. Tequila is technically a type of mezcal, but mezcal is not tequila.
Mezcal, the smokier sister of tequila, is the oldest distilled spirit in North America, comes from Oaxaca and must be made from 100% agave.
The worm was a good marketing concept, but do not buy into it as a definition of good tequila or mezcal. The little critter was used to sell inferior, mass-produced product as a novelty item for tourists.
Here are 16 different places to try top notch tequila and mezcal, all recommended by industry insiders - mezcal producers, bartenders and chefs.
Where To Drink Tequila & Mezcal
August 19, 2011
Casa Mezcal
A Lower East Side Oaxacan-inspired tasting room, that’s owned by Willie (Guillermo) Olguin, an artist and Los Amantes mezcal producer. He calls his three floor casa a library of mezcal.
Recommended by: Richard Betts (Sombre Mezcal)
Lower East Side
86 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002
T: 212.777.2600
Midwest
- Chicago
Mayahuel
It’s all about the various forms of agave and cocktails at Mayahuel, along with their Mexican menu.
“The tequila and mezcal cocktails at Mayahuel are fantastic.”
- Chef Ivy Stark (Dos Caminos, NYC)
Also recommended by:
Ron Cooper (Del Maguey Mezcal), Avery and Janet Glasser (Bittermens Bitters), chefs: Joe Dobias, Will Goldfarb, Johnny Iuzzini, Jesus Nunez, Joshua Whigham
East Village
304 East 6th Street, New York, NY 10003
T: 212.253.5888
Hotel Delmano
This classic-styled bar looks like it was plucked out of New Orleans at the turn of the century. Bartender Sam Anderson makes specialty cocktails with spirits like rosemary-infused mezcal.
“Any of their tequila-based drinks are usually all right with me.”
- Chef Sisha Ortúzar (Riverpark, ’wichcraft)
Williamsburg
82 Berry Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
T: 718.387.1945
La Esquina
While La Esquina has gotten more play for its “scenesters” than its cocktails, they do have an impressive choice of tequilas and mezcals on their list.
Recommended by: chefs Rene Ortiz (La Condesa, Austin) and Ivy Stark (Dos Caminos, NYC)
Nolita
106 Kenmare Street, New York, NY 10012
T: 646.613.7100
Williamsburg
225 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211
T: 718.393.5500
Distrito
Chef Jose Garces’ modern Mexican restaurant has 100 different tequilas ranging from $7 t0 $100, as well as mezcal and tequila flights.
“I think Jose Garces in Philadelphia is cooking great food and moving Latin food forward in a way that respects authenticity.”
- Chef Ivy Stark (Dos Caminos, NYC)
University City
3945 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
T 215.222.1657
Drink
Barbara Lynch’s bar “dedicated to the craft of the cocktail” features a focused list of mezcals.
“It’s like the high priest of libations. They put so much thought and craft and art into everything.”
- Ron Cooper (Del Maguey Mezcal)
Waterfront
348 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02228
T: 617.695.1806
New York - NYC
Mercadito Midtown
Stop in for a cocktail or go for one of their monthly tequila pairing dinners.
“Tad Carducci is doing some really nice work with mezcal. Grab a seat at the bar for some tacos and a couple of drinks for a really great time.”
- Bartender Ryan Goodspeed (Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, Miami)
Midtown
3252 Northeast First Avenue, Miami, FL 33137
T: 786.369.0430
Massachusetts - Boston
Pennsylvania - Philadelphia
Florida - Miami
La Condesa
Austin's largest premium tequila selection with over 100 varieties of 100% blue agave tequila and mezcals.
“One of our favorites is Los Danzantes Reposado. Very boutique and not always easy to find.”
- Chef Rene Ortiz (La Condesa, Austin)
Ocean Springs
400-A West 2nd Street, Austin, TX 78701
T: 512.499.0300
Texas - Austin
Anvil Bar & Refuge
Bobby Heugel runs this forward-thinking bar with a great appreciation for all agave spirits, from tequila to mezcal to sotol.
Recommended by: Avery and Janet Glasser (Bittermens Bitters)
Montrose
1424 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77006
T: 713.523.1622
Texas - Houston
The Violet Hour
Stop in for well-crafted, unusual mezcal and tequila cocktails, like “The Great Speaker” with Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal, Demerara and Coffee-Pecan Bitter.
“These guys are top notch. They have incredible cocktails”
- Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer
Also recommended by: mixoligists Jim Meehan (PDT, NYC) and Tony Abou-Ganim
Wicker Park
1520 North Damen Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622
T: 773.252.1500
Illinois - Chicago
Salpicón
Husband and wife team, chef Priscila and Vince Satkoff serve authentic Mexican food and feature a deep list of tequilas.
Recommended by: chef Michelle Bernstein (Michy’s, Sra. Martinez, Miami)
Old Town
1252 North Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60610
T: 312.988.7811 (make a reservation)
Las Perlas
Look for small-batch artisan-crafted mezcals and tequilas all produced at distilleries in four States within Mexico: Oaxaca (mezcal), Chihuahua (mezcal), Jalisco (tequila) and Tamaulipas (tequila).
“It’s all tequila, mezcal and Mexican beer.”
- Bartender Ryan Goodspeed (Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, Miami)
Also recommended by: Ron Cooper (Del Maguey Mezcal)
Downtown
107 East 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014
T: 213.988.8355
California - San Francisco
Rivera
An elegant and sleek Latin restaurant offering their own house tequila, grown and distilled in Mexico. Guests can store their own personalized bottles of Rivera super añejo tequila.
Recommended by: Ron Cooper (Del Maguey Mezcal)
Downtown
1050 S Flower Street, Suite 102
Los Angeles, CA 90015
T: 213.749.1460
Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant
Run by tequila expert, bartender Julio Bermejo. They have one of the most extensive collections of 100% agave tequilas outside of Mexico.
“Julio Bermejo from Tommy’s came down to Oaxaca with a group to try mezcal and had his mind blown.”
- Ron Cooper (Del Maguey Mezcal)
Outer Richmond
5929 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94121
T: 415.387.4747
California - Los Angeles
East Coast
The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.
Named after the largest alcohol ring in the country during Prohibition, their cocktails are listed as traditional: “Required Reading” and “Easy Going” to the adventurous: “Rebellious Spirits” or “I Asked Her for Water, She Gave Me Gasoline.”
“Some serious cocktails by Philly’s finest. Highly recommended.”
- Bartender Maxwell Britten (Maison Premiere, NYC)
Rittenhouse Square
112 South 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
T: 267.467.3277
Pennsylvania - Philadelphia
South
Midwest
California - Los Angeles
West
El Carmen
Called the king of tequila bars with over 350 tequilas on their list. The vibe is kitsch, with black velvet paintings and Mexican wrestler masks on the walls.
“It is great to sit there and explore the nuances of the different tequila makers. I have this attraction to Anejo’s. It is a good balance of smoke and agave, with a few years of aging.”
- Chef Joshua Whigham (The Bazaar by Jose Andres, LA)
Mid-City
8138 West Third Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048
T: 323.852.1552
Share
Share
