Boston Bartenders Reveal Their Go-To Cocktail Orders

"Daiquiri, old fashioned, gin martini." —Alex Homans, owner and beverage manager of The Frogmore

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"You could ask any single one of my bartenders, and they will all tell you Campari and soda." —Naomi Levy, bar manager at Eastern Standard

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"I drink a lot of gimlets and daiquiris. Any three-part sours." —Nicholas Mansur, bar manager at Shepard

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"Couple of different scenarios: After a long hard night at work, I go for the negroni — Plymouth gin, down with a twist. Out with a bunch of friends? Craft beer or cider in a can with a shot of amaro." —Angela Lamb, bar manager at Coda Bar & Kitchen

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"A sazerac or a Hanky Panky (if there is not a new-to-me cocktail on the their list that I want to write about for the CocktailVirgin blog)." —Fred Yarm, bar manager at Loyal Nine

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"Kentucky Mule made with Maker's Mark, a dash of bitters, and mint!" —Nino Nunziante, bartender at Tico

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"It would depend on the bar and the type of evening that's ahead, honestly. Out for a classy night? A French 75 or a Rye Manhattan on the rocks. After work? A shot of Overholt and a cold High Life." —Kayla Quigley, bartender at Sweet Cheeks

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"I don’t often go out for cocktails because I make them enough, and I understand them enough that I don’t generally want other people to make cocktails for me. If I do go out and get something that I don’t already know how to make, it’s because I want to either support my friends who are doing something cool or just see what the bar’s doing. My go-to is still probably a negroni. I order that more than anything else when I do order cocktails, because it’s difficult to mess up, and because it’s hard to have a bad negroni. It’s always comforting; it’s always lovely." —Tyler Wang, bar manager at Audubon

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"I had a great talk with a friend about this recently; I think a lot of us, if we're ordering a cocktail to check out a restaurant or bar, like to go with a relatively 'naked' drink, like a dry martini or a daiquiri — one where you can figure out a lot about the program because there isn't much to hide behind, flavor-wise (i.e. pretty easy to tell if a spot is using old juice in a three-ingredient cocktail). My friend pointed out those drinks are great on some level, but that they're both kind of industry handshakes and give away the fact that you're paying attention to what you're drinking, which may entitle you to a different type of service that isn't reflective of what the venue is normally offering. Her suggestion was to order a mojito, which is going to give you all the same information a daiquiri would, with the added benefit of testing the restaurant's capacity for technical service or hospitality, which I think is a great move. Also, mojitos are delicious. If I'm just out to have a good time, I drink a lot of wine and Tequila Ocho." —Will Thompson, beverage director at Yvonne's

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"My go-to cocktail if I'm out and about is a negroni, but, being a snob, I ask if they have Carpano. If not, I stick to beer." —Emmet Kelty, bar manager at 51 Lincoln

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"I usually go for a bourbon Manhattan." —Thea Engst, bar manager at River Bar

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"Daiquiri." —Will Isaza, spirit whisperer at Fairsted Kitchen

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"Plymouth negroni, Carpano Antica Formula, rocks." —Todd Lipman, head sommelier at Bistro du Midi

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"I love to order a great bourbon cocktail, something aromatic and strong." —Michelle Raye, general manager of Vida Cantina in Portsmouth, NH

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"Negroni." —Shawn Westhoven, beverage director of Papa Razzi Trattoria and Papa Razzi Metro

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"I love a cocktail when I first arrive for a meal. My go-to is a Last Word. For me, it's such a refreshing combination that's easy to put down and get ready for a meal." —Joe Fisketti, beverage manager at Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar

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"Old fashioned." —Ludgie Beauvais, bartender at Aquitaine Boston

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"Negroni on the rocks. It’s delicious, and it’s user-friendly for the bartender." —Dave Miller, lead bartender at Clink and The Liberty Bar in The Liberty Hotel

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"Lately, I’m in love with Manhattans. My favorite vermouth is Punt e Mes; I find it to be very intense in flavor. It gives you the sweetness you need in a Manhattan, but it also adds a different definition of body to the cocktail. With a basic vermouth, it doesn’t add enough personality to the drink. With Punt e Mes — the flavors and colors are both intense. When I go out now, I always ask for Punt e Mes, sometimes with just a few drops of lemon juice on the rocks." —Gabriela Garcia, bar manager at Taj Boston

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"Cooked, non-distilled, fermented mash with a lower alcohol content and crisp, carbonated, lightly hopped, and sometimes sour taste...beer." —Michael Boughton, corporate beverage director of Boston Nightlife Ventures

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"Depends on the night and occasion. If I'm out with friends, it's a bourbon on the rocks or a craft beer. If I'm out for dinner, then it's usually a true old fashioned (no fruit) or a Manhattan." —Tony Romano, bartender at BOKX109

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"Tito's dirty martini — extra dirty, extra cold." —Kaylee Platt, manager of City Bar Westin

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"I don't walk into a bar with a plan A, only a plan B should things go awry. Lists these days always seem to have something intriguing, and if they don't I'll have a Manhattan." —Dagan Migirditch, general manager of Franklin Oyster House in Portsmouth, NH

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"Manhattan, negroni, or a Ketal soda." —Kevin Khem, restaurant manager at ArtBar at the Royal Sonesta

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"Anejo tequila over a big rock or a negroni." —Owen Wolfertz, general manager at Moxy in Portsmouth, NH

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"My go-to cocktail is a Zyr (vodka) and soda." —Aaron Brooks, bartender at Zebra's Bistro and Wine Bar in Medfield

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"A Manhattan. Or beer. Usually lots of it." —Rob Hoover, bar manager at La Brasa

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"My go-to cocktail order when I go out is a mezcal gimlet. No sugar. Down. It has to be fresh lime juice and just a little. It helps the flavors of the mezcal come out. If I trust the bartender/establishment, I'll get a rye Manhattan up with an orange peel." —Sean Barney, bar manager and cocktail chef at il Casale Lexington, as well as cocktail chef for il Casale Belmont and restaurant Dante

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"Añejo tequila Manhattan." —Chris O’Neill, bartender at Deuxave

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"Boulevardier. Substitute cynar for vermouth." —Vincent Conte, lead bartender at Posto

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"Last Word." —Rob Ficks, lead bartender at Craigie on Main

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"Rum on the rocks." —Peter Szigeti, beverage director at Committee

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"Michter's Manhattan — and please do not shake it, ever." —Kerem Benyamini, general manager at Rowes Wharf Sea Grille and Rowes Wharf Bar at the Boston Harbor Hotel

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"Maker's Mark Manhattan on the rocks, no cherry." —Mike Thomas, bar manager at Gather in District Hall

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"Plain and simple, a good añejo tequila neat." —Lindolfo Silva, lead bartender at The Painted Burro

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"Once the sweaters are out, bourbon cocktails are the mainstay, although a negroni to start the evening never hurt anyone!" —Davide Crusoe, beverage director at Chopps American Bar and Grill in Burlington

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"I'm all over the place and try to go with what seems right at the time. Could be a sazerac, tiki, or a High Life and Montenegro." —Eric Cross, beverage director at Five Horses South End

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"Always try out a cocktail off the menu at a new spot. Then I think I can say my go-to cocktail would be a daiquiri." —Mike Wyatt, bar manager at Ward 8

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"Mamie Taylor: Glenfiddich 12 year, ginger beer, and lime. It’s a classic that works all year long." —Joe Cammarata, co-bar manager at Hojoko

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"Daiquiri or Toronto." —Daren Swisher, co-bar manager at Hojoko

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"Old fashioned." —Jarek Mountain, bartender at Back Bay Harry's

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"I love a classic, well-made daiquiri when I go out. Just rum, lime, and sugar; simple and delicious." —Dave Spielberg, bartender at The Salty Pig

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"Variations of negroni." —Timothy Kotkowski, Pastoral

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"A negroni when I'm at cocktail bars or cocktail-centric restaurants. Always delicious! If I'm somewhere else, it's more than likely going to be a Campari & soda." —Jared Sadoian, bar manager at The Hawthorne

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"Bourbon sidecar." —Chuck Guterl, beverage manager at Scampo

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"When I’m not drinking a beer, my go-to cocktail has to be Aviation. Our prohibition-era ancestors knew many things, and one was how to make a good gin cocktail." —Justin Lipata, bar manager at Bukowski Tavern (Cambridge)

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"Any sort of classic. A Toronto or Last Word, mainly because I like fernet and green chartreuse." —Nick Giannotti, bar manager at The Tip Tap Room

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"Low ABV IPA and a shot of fernet, or an Aperol Spritz." —Patrick Foley, bar manager at The Independent

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"Old fashioned" —Patrick Sullivan, executive director of bar operations for the Legal Sea Foods brands

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"This time of year, a perfect rye Manhattan." —Paulo Pereira, beverage director at Brass Union

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"I love just a classic daiquiri or a rye Manhattan, both simple and delicious." —Schuyler Hunton, beverage director at Foundry on Elm & Saloon

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"Negroni." —Casey Furtaw, head bartender at Osteria Nino in Burlington

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"The negroni is the king of all cocktails, the one to which all others is compared. It’s incredibly simple, but also incredibly simple to mess up. It’s the great equalizer of cocktails." —Vikram Hegde, general manager at Island Creek Oyster Bar

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"I usually drink beer and whiskey, but my favorite cocktail is an Armagnac sazerac or Hanky Panky." —Seth Freidus, bar manager at Alden & Harlow

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"I always drink negronis. I am a big fan of that drink, and if you make that drink well, you typically can make any drink well." —Todd Maul, bar director and partner at Cafe Artscience

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"Old fashioned with rum." —Ryan McGrale, beverage director at Tavern Road

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"My go-to is the Mamie Taylor. It’s a highball with scotch, lime, and ginger beer. It’s refreshing on hot summer days and has enough character to stand up to cold winter nights." —Kyle Powell, bar manger of State Street Provisions (opening in November 2015)

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"Margaritas." —Tainah Soares, bartender at Trina’s Starlite Lounge

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"Bourbon Manhattan, rocks, twist." —Corey Bunnewith, co-founder and proprietor of Boston Harbor Distillery

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"An old fashioned. Every bartender knows how to make one, and I'm a big fan of consistency." —Adam Avelar, bar manager at The Sinclair

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