Sure, you can sip a Manhattan, Toronto or Singapore sling, but why not have a local bartender make a drink that conjures up Atlanta’s past?
Scott Boulevardier at Wheelhouse
Any boulevardier (one who frequents boulevards) should visit Scott Boulevard, where Wheelhouse Pub is located. Their Scott Boulevardier, with a rich balance of bourbon, Tattersall bitter orange liqueur and sweet vermouth, is a tribute to a DeKalb County family. George Washington Scott owned textile mills in what is now Scottdale and a fertilizer manufacturing plant in Edgewood. He was the founding benefactor of nearby Agnes Scott College, which is named for his mother. Scott is buried in the older section of Decatur Cemetery, which is included on the National Register of Historic Places.
1479 Scott Blvd., Decatur. 470-240-4945, wheelhousepubdecatur.com
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
The Summertini at Wood’s Chapel BBQ
This drink not only is a refreshing summertime mix of bitter orange vodka, limoncello and the bittersweet aperitivo Bonanto, but also a celebration of the renaissance of Summerhill, one of Atlanta’s oldest neighborhoods. Summerhill was torn apart by the construction of the Downtown Connector and two stadiums, but the neighborhood’s spirit is being revived on Georgia Avenue. Cheers to the old, and the new.
85 Georgia Ave., Atlanta. 404-522-3000, woodschapelbbq.com
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
The Castleberry at Escobar
Settlements in Castleberry Hill, just southwest of downtown, predate the founding of Atlanta (then called Terminus). The area became a federally recognized historic district in 1985, and reputedly is home to the largest concentration of Black-owned businesses in the nation. You can sip on a flavor blast of boozy fruit called the Castleberry at Escobar on Peters Street, a section of which follows a segment of the Sand Town Trail, the native American trade route developed into a stagecoach route known as Sandtown Road.
327 Peters St. SW, Atlanta. 770-580-0257, escobaratlanta.com
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Decatur Bamboo at Revival
Decatur Cemetery was founded in 1823, the same year the city of Decatur was incorporated. Comprising 54 acres, it is the oldest cemetery in metro Atlanta. A large grove of giant bamboo stands in the southeast corner, looming over graves. At Revival, located in a house from the early 1900s, just a half-mile away from the cemetery, you can sip on a Decatur Bamboo, a delightful balance of Horyzon rice spirit, sweet vermouth, sherry and orange bitters.
129 Church St., Decatur. 470-225-6770, revivaldecatur.com
Granite Queen at Stone Mountain Public House
Stop in at Stone Mountain Public House, in Stone Mountain Village, for a Granite Queen, an homage to the mountain, in the form of a coconutty margarita with a kick. Margarita is Spanish for “daisy,” and up on the mountain grows the rare helianthus porteri, commonly called the Stone Mountain daisy, (a member of the sunflower family). Stone Mountain is Georgia’s most visited attraction, and worthy of a namesake drink on Main Street. A hike to the top rewards climbers with views of Downtown Atlanta, Midtown and Buckhead.
947 Main St., Stone Mountain. 678-439-5292, stonemountainpublichouse.com
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Buckhead Betty at the Big Ketch
The area now known as Buckhead first was occupied by the Cherokee and Creek nations. The first reference to it as Buckhead dates to 1840. How Buckhead got its nickname is the stuff of legend — supposedly, someone killed a buck and mounted its head where Peachtree Road and East Paces Ferry cross today, and where Henry Irby founded a popular gathering spot. You can sip on a Buckhead Betty less than a half-mile away at the Big Ketch. A swirl of blackberry puree, elderflower liqueur, vodka and sparkling wine pays tribute to the fancy ladies who inhabit the area now.
3279 Roswell Road NE, Atlanta. 404-474-9508, thebigketch.com
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Nancy’s Creek at the Chastain
The Creek tribe had several settlements along Nancy Creek, the 16-mile stream that runs from DeKalb County to Fulton County, and empties into Peachtree Creek. The Chastain pays homage to the storied area with Nancy’s Creek, a delightful balance of pineapple rum, allspice liqueur and lemon. The original creek is believed to have been named for either Nance, the chief of a village on the waterway, where Vinings is now, or the wife of John Evins, who settled in the area in 1818.
4320 Powers Ferry Road, Atlanta. 404-257-6416, thechastainatl.com
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Marietta Boulevardier at the Woodall
The Marietta Boulevardier, made with bourbon, Nonino aperitivo, vermouth, spiced simple syrup and bitters, is a tasty and balanced geography lesson in a glass. The restaurant lies along the Marietta Street artery, an area dating to 1837 and formerly called Bellwood. It’s served at the Woodall, named for the creek that, along with Peachtree Creek, outlines the borders of the Moore’s Mill mixed-use development in which it is located. Moore’s Mill was a sash sawmill and gristmill, which used the dammed waters of both creeks. The industrial corridor along the Western and Atlantic Railway lines is known as Atlanta’s Westside today.
2260 Marietta Blvd. NW, Atlanta. 404-343-4424, thewoodallwestside.com
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