Paste Magazine: A Brief Guide to Charleston’s Cocktail Scene
For the uninitiated, Charleston, South Carolina can be a tough city to grasp. King Street—the city’s sprawling hub—was once mostly known for its yawning stretches of corporate restaurants and chain stores, which you can still find in abundance. It was where tourists went to check out a Banana Republic or American Apparel, as though those stores had something different in Charleston than the rest of their locations. In fact, the corporate absorption of the downtown had become so massive that the National Trust for Historic Preservation had listed the entire city on their 10 Most Endangered Historic Places list for the better part of the 2000’s.
Fortunately, South Carolina overhauled their alcohol laws in 2007, loosening the reins for the first time in decades, finally doing away with a ridiculous law that required all liquor to be served in mini bottles, so as to better regulate its sale. What followed was a boom of independent bar owners and restaurateurs reclaiming the commercialized street with reckless abandon, a fierce eye on innovation and a keen respect for tradition and craft. There are so many places find a good cocktail, so many glasses to poke your nose into that it can be overwhelming. But there are a few cocktail bars that have truly made their mark on the city. Here are five you should check out the next time you’re in “The Holy City.”
The Belmont
The Belmont has become my customary first stop when I pull into Charleston. Joey Ryan got this bar up and running in 2010, overseeing a sharp dressed crew bedecked in long black skinny ties with a bright red “B” and white dress shirts. I usually kick my trips off with Ryan’s “Off Duty Bartender”, a boozy, bitter and delightful mix of Rye whiskey, Fernet Branca, Cynar and Punt-e-Mes. Their extensive liquor selection and sizable amaro collection are well worth your time and the sacrifice of your liver. The vintage looking space, decked out with tin ceilings and retro lighting, gives just enough of that Mad Men feel without getting too kitschy.
Proof
Just up the road, Craig Nelson has meticulously assembled what might be my favorite cocktail menu in Charleston. Constantly changing, insanely creative, and surprisingly reverent, Proof’s cocktails represent roots in classic compositions and spirits, with fresh squeezed juices and house made sodas and ginger beer, but with a penchant for more pungent flavors like mezcals and scotches. The tiny space and intimate, candle-lit vibe are a perfect excuse to tuck into a corner or sidle up at the bar and enjoy more than a necessary amount of libations from one of the most dedicated minds in the Southern cocktail scene.
Xiao Bao Biscuit
Let’s face it, you will go to Xiao Bao for the food, but if you are wise, you will stay there well past your meal because even after you have been to Belmont, you will still want more of Joey Ryan’s drinks. Ryan helped open Xiao Bao with friends Joshua Walker and Duolan Li, and his cocktails do tend to stand out. Particularly the Sichuan Sting, a cheeky mix of Sichuan peppercorn infused gin, lemon, ginger beer, dashed with house made orange bitters.
Gin Joint
Whether seated at the patio or bellied up to the tiny six-seat bar, you can either peruse the expansive cocktail and spirits list, or jump straight to the “Bartenders Choice” option. Combine two of the 16 listed words for a surprise cocktail that could be “sweet and spicy” or “bitter and vegetal,” it’s all up to you and the whim of bartender Joey Raya. With a strong focus on classics, Raya’s list lends a fresh perspective to centuries of respected tipples.
Husk
Directly beside Sean Brock’s acclaimed restaurant is the namesake’s bar. Tucked into what may as well serve as a narrow hallway, the warm wood and exposed brick feel as though you stumbled into something that’s been there for a hundred years. Admittedly, I have never had a cocktail there. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, and here, the order of the day is Bourbon. After all, why would you not peruse their lengthy collection of whiskeys? Especially in a place where the chef has been very openly involved in bidding wars for vintage bottles of Pappy Van Winkle with none other than Julian Van Winkle himself! And with a whiskey list boasting over 54 bourbons and 16 rye whiskeys, you’d be hard pressed to find a better way to enjoy one of the most well regarded restaurants in the low country.
Leon’s Oyster Shop
Here’s one to keep your eye on. Leon’s isn’t open yet, but the oft praised Brooks Reitz—formerly of the Ordinary—and restaurateur Tim Mink—the brawn behind Taco Boy, Monza, Poe’s, Closed for Business, and the Royal American—are opening an oyster-centric bar that is sure to be one to check out once its doors are open. If Reitz offers anything like he did at the Ordinary, Leon’s will be quickly known for its carefully crafted, creative cocktails.