🌟 Our Favorite Sips and Tipsy Picks in Seattle 🌟

Seattle, Washington has a rich and diverse history – from a rough and swampy seaport to a tech and medical hub. We also hear they have a pretty good football team. So it should be no surprise that the city’s restaurant and bar scene is equally as diverse and interesting!

For our first time in Seattle, we knew we had to visit Pike Place Market. Yes, we saw a guy throw a fish. Yes, we saw the line outside the original Starbucks. There are dozens of fantastic local shops inside this shopping area. But did you know there are some excellent cocktail and beer options as well?

Radiator Whiskey makes the most out of a relatively compact space, which includes a wall of whiskey and cocktails on tap. You can’t miss the giant barrel on the wall! The bourbon selection from the tap is nice, but the batched cocktails from the tap are a wise choice! 

If a touch of Paris or a jazz club is your speed, Zig Zag Café is the answer. They’re a bit #offthetipsypath down the stairs on the side of a building at the market, but your reward is great food, drinks and atmosphere! We enjoyed our time here. Pro tip - check out their Happy Hour. It is where the locals gather.

Down the street from the market is another great classic cocktail spot with a taste of old Seattle, The Diller Room. It’s hard to miss this place with all the neon, which fits the history as a former hotel lobby from 1890. The cocktails are fantastic – think Black Manhattan and Espresso Martini - and they do have an impressive lineup of whiskey!

Just across the street, we felt compelled to do a local whiskey flight at Von’s 1000 Spirits … because why wouldn’t you with a menu that does indeed include that many? We also had a great classic Manhattan and Gin Martini. Just sitting at the bar and staring at the shelves is impressive! It’s popular with the tourists, but we saw plenty of locals here too enjoying their fantastic Happy Hour! That’s always a good sign.

And just down the street is Pioneer Square, Seattle’s “original” downtown. There are a couple of bars on the block that each claim to be the oldest in the city. Look them up and try them for yourself. 

If you’ve heard anything about the Seattle cocktail scene, you probably have heard of Canon. They literally wrote the book – as in a cocktail manual that is found at bars around the country. When you step in the door, it’s easy to see why – three sides of the room lined with bottles from bar to ceiling. Along with the fantastic cocktails, we couldn’t resist trying a flight of the local bourbon, featuring several distilleries in the Seattle area. We liked them all well enough that we will visit some on our next trip!

Tavern Law is an excellent place for cocktails on Capitol Hill. But if you know to ask, you should get on the list for their upstairs speakeasy, Needle and Thread. The name is a nod to the “sewing circles” that disguised brothels in the region over the years, likely in that very space. You get there by making a phone call – enough said. The atmosphere and décor is right out of the Prohibition era and the cocktails are top notch. Make sure to take time to have a drink at both venues – the Smoked Old Fashioned at Tavern Law is a great choice!

Another Capitol Hill spot we really enjoyed is The Doctor’s Office. It’s an intimate tasting room with creative cocktails and excellent service. We sat at the bar and watched the experts make their take on an Old Fashioned and a Black Manhattan. Their food also pairs well with the drinks. And if we could give extra points for a restroom, we would – don’t miss the paint job and space-age toilets WITH a remote control!

One of the more unusual and creative spots for a drink in Seattle is actually under an attraction called the Spheres. Deep Dive is like taking a tunnel to a cool underground theme park and finding excellent cocktails. The décor is a mix of elegant warm leather with a touch of steampunk. This one is worth the visit all the way around!

Speaking of unusual, how about some fantastic cocktails while being eyeballed by an elephant? Yep, that’s Unlisted in a nutshell. This intimate speakeasy just north of the Space Needle stands out for its eclectic décor – and they have an animatronic elephant in the middle of the bar. And yes, it will move its head from time to time. Her name is Ruby and she’s from the 1931 World’s Fair! The cocktails were worth the visit also! It’s a #tipsypick.

The folks at Bathtub Gin & Co lean into their menu with a surprising array of gin cocktails. The space is full of brick and leather, with the required bathtub references spread around. We even trusted our very friendly bartender when we said we like bourbon. She made a cocktail from a dark gin aged with cacao and mushrooms, among other things. It tastes better than it sounds! This is a speakeasy, meaning look for the wooden door.

And finally, if red lights and strong drinks are your vibe, Rich Rich would fit the bill! We ended one of our nights here and they treated us well! Check them out.

One note - the folks here do love their craft beers – there are too many breweries to list, so we decided to save those for another visit. We’ll have to include wineries and distilleries, because there are a number of those within a short drive! That’s our take on Seattle for our first visit! 

What did we miss? Any that excite you?

🍷 Thankful for Happy Holler 🍷

 

If you’ve been following our adventures, you know we love spotlighting local businesses in cities around the globe. But we also believe in showing some love to our favorite spots right here in our own neighborhood.

When we began house hunting in 2021, we told our realtor we wanted to be within walking distance of the Corner Lounge. It’s been our go-to for great food and cocktails since before the pandemic, and it also happens to be the oldest bar in Knoxville.

Our realtor nailed it. We’re within walking distance of the Corner Lounge and lucky to be so close to all the great spots in Happy Holler—an area in north Knoxville that’s been a hub for fun and mischief for over a century. Now, with the addition of a locally owned movie theater, Central Cinema, it’s the perfect all-in-one date night destination right on the same block!

Here are some favorite #tipsypicks in our neighborhood:

Corner Lounge (see above) – Come for the food (best chili dogs around) and stay for the cocktails! Not exactly in the “Holler,” but the reason we’re here!

The Marlowe – We’re so excited about this spot in the neighborhood. The delicious food, creative cocktails, half-priced wine bottles on Mondays, and live jazz on Tuesdays make it a standout. It’s ideal for a date night or a classy dinner out.

Oak Room by Abridged – Shh, we don’t want to share that this barrel room for Abridged brewery has one of the best bourbon programs in town!  And the food is fabulous!

Zero/Zero – This natural wine bar offers an amazing selection by the glass or bottle, along with beer and tasty food! They host pop-up dinners, dance nights with live DJs, and more. It feels like our home away from home, with owners who have thoughtfully created a cozy spot to relax, reconnect with friends, or enjoy a date night. Choose your own adventure!

The Pirate Tavern –Who wouldn’t love a pirate-themed bar in the neighborhood? They boast an amazing rum selection (of course), an extensive beer list with drafts and cans, and a food menu sure to please even the grumpiest old salt. To top it off, they host nightly events and welcome everyone with open arms!

XYZ – Again, who wouldn’t want a show bar with live entertainment in your neighborhood? They also have some of the best drinks at the best prices around. 

Central Flats & Taps – These folks were doing it right long before the Holler was cool. (or maybe long before the last time…) Great drinks, great food, great patio.

Central Bottle Shop – Though not a food or drink venue, this corner bottle shop has become our favorite spot for wine and spirits. They host tastings every Friday, and their Back Label Bottle Club is a must-join—we’re proud members ourselves!

And, not that we’re trying to sway you … OK, we are … There is plenty of free parking along the streets and a large free lot down the hill on Anderson. 

We’ll be back out on the highways and airways soon enough bringing you all the #tipsypicks … but sometimes it’s good to show some love to those spaces closest to home! What's your favorite place in the Holler?

🍷🍸 NYC: Underground Cocktails and Above Ground Natural Wine 🍷🍸

 

New York City is home to literally hundreds of great bars – dive bars, speakeasies, historic watering holes and world-class cocktail experiences. But there are some you just have to try for yourself.

For example - have you ever considered going dancing in the subway in New York City? If you’re willing to go underground near Times Square, you’ll find Nothing Really Matters. Even if you miss the discreet door on a landing, once you step inside, the disco ball is a dead giveaway that you’re in for a good time. The atmosphere was indeed fun and the drinks were better than we expected! This is a unique stop for any night out near the square.

Not far from the first stop, you’ll find the entrance to what looks like a sex shop. In the 1970’s and 80’s, that wouldn’t be an unusual sight in this neighborhood, as Times Square was full of adult bookstores and theaters. Now, the signage would appear out of place if you didn’t know that this one leads to The Woo Woo, a fun underground speakeasy behind the faux sex shop. Clutch your pearls and embrace the kitsch and you’ll be rewarded with great and creative cocktails and a fantastic experience. In fact, we had one of the best smoked old fashioneds of the entire trip here. Enjoy the visuals, it’s a #tipsypick!

While we’re at it, we should also recall our first visit to an underground subway speakeasy … La Noxe is worthy of another mention in this category from a previous visit. This former brothel turned cocktail spot is still going strong!

Now let’s go back above ground for a few #tipsypicks we recommend on the Lower East Side and the Village!

Bar Veloce (pronounced velo-chay in Italian) is a neighborhood cocktail bar that we think is hidden in plain sight. That’s maybe because we haven’t noticed it until now! But it will definitely be one we’ll return to. It’s the kind of place you can enjoy an afternoon cocktail or glass of wine (which we did) and escape the madness that is NYC. We hear it gets quite lively at night though! We’ll be sure to let you know. (We should note that there are several locations, all locally owned, but we visited the one in the Bowery.)

Another neighborhood spot nearby with a well-earned reputation is Mother’s Ruin. Yes, it’s named after the historic nickname for gin during prohibition, so there are gin drinks aplenty. During the day it’s a low-key spot for great drinks and food including brunch, but at night it can be a bustling hot spot, mostly for locals. We will visit this one again as well!

Since we’re on the Lower East side, it’s no secret that we are enjoying exploring the world of natural wines. Those are varieties made without preservatives and other additives. And there are three fantastic natural wine spots all within a few blocks of each other on the LES. All of these were recommended by the folks at our local natural wine bar in Knoxville.

Somm Time is maybe the most intimate of the wine bars but they make up for it with a giant reputation for having some of the best food to go with their selection of wines by the glass and bottle as well as pairings. They also have quite a selection of orange or amber wines, also known as “skin contact” wines.

Which brings us to another wine bar in the same LES neighborhood… Skin Contact. That’s right, they embrace the selections of wine that are left to soak with the grape skins. They opened in 2020 and weathered the pandemic by focusing on natural wines and small producers, mostly from Europe, that you don’t find elsewhere. This is a great stop for wine lovers!

And finally, yet another fantastic natural wine bar in the LES … The Ten Bells. They have a lovely space that includes garage doors which they open to enjoy the fresh air, and if you think oysters go well with wine, this is your spot!  They also have a great happy hour and tapas to pair with your wine. They were among the first in the city to embrace natural wine back in 2008 and they’re still going strong!

Can we ever get enough of NYC? What are your favorite spots?

So Many Bars in St. Pete – Challenge Accepted

 

One of the ways we measure a city worth visiting is by looking at the strength and diversity of its bar and restaurant scene. Of course, we prefer to see local owners succeed! Based on that, we think St. Pete, Florida is a great spot for a vacation or just a weekend. There are so many great spots that it’s hard for us to keep up! But here are some more #tipsypicks from our latest visit.

First, we love a good speakeasy … and there are a few in St. Pete we’ve explored before ... (Dirty Laundry, Bar Chica) But how often do you find one in the back of a liquor store? That’s the genius of 1st Avenue Liquors. From the outside, it looks just like a normal liquor store on (you guessed it) 1st Avenue in the Edge District. Even when you walk inside, you see shelves of bottles. But if you peek behind one of the walls, you see the hidden cocktail bar ... the Clubhouse Bourbon Bar! We almost hate to share too much, because this is a not-so-well-kept secret spot. The drinks are fabulous, and we very much appreciate their prices, even on allocated bourbon. They say the secret is making money on the retail side so they can pass on the savings in the back. We approve! Definitely a #tipsypick.

Speaking of speakeasies, we say farewell to one of our favorites, The Saint. The Grand Central District spot has changed concepts from a themed cocktail speakeasy to more of a dance club with live performers, including burlesque. The cocktails are still well done at the new spot, named The Ball. When we visited, we did in fact have a ball! Just be prepared for “the show.”

Just down the street from the Ball is a step back into the 70’s with a spot called Lost & Found. This is a fun space with retro furniture, wood paneling, and plenty of great cocktails! We enjoyed a fantastic Manhattan, among other things. The living room area looks like it belongs on the set of “That 70’s Show." It’s a fun way to hang out for a drink!

Hanging out on a porch, patio, or rooftop is easy when you have scenery like downtown St. Pete. We’ve been to a number of rooftop bars in the area … now we’ll add The Sparrow to the list! The Sparrow is on the rooftop of the new Moxy hotel on Central, an ideal location to visit all our favorite spots. The bar and restaurant itself are full of Instagram moments, as is the patio area. We sat at a table outside and had some creative and refreshing cocktails with some lite bites. Definitely worth a visit. 

The Moxy itself has a wonderful bar space on the ground floor, aptly named Bar Moxy. This hotel chain is one of our preferred spots when we travel, and this one is now on our preferred list! Bar Moxy is a great hangout space with live music in the evenings, and you can choose to sit inside or outside. We had one of the best cocktails of the trip here – a smoked pineapple Old Fashioned! It seems this hotel bar is also popular with the locals, for good reason.

Just down the street from the Moxy, Bar Mezzo is a lively cocktail spot with rollup garage doors to enjoy the fresh air. They were very busy the evening we were there, so we suggest going early before the crowds arrive if you want a seat or room to spread out. Try the Old Fashioned!

Did we mention fresh air? If you like a good cocktail on the porch, we highly recommend Perry’s Porch! This relatively new spot at the foot of the Pier in downtown St. Pete has some excellent outdoor spaces including bar seating and chairs along the canal. Their house Old Fashioned hit the spot and they have a nice wine selection as well. 

And finally, we can’t resist a good historic hotel. The Scott is the lobby bar inside the Cordova Inn, which has been welcoming guests since 1921.  The Scott is an intimate space with a small bar offering fantastic cocktails including a Boulevardier and Sazerac. And yes, you can enjoy them on the porch in a rocking chair.

Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re taking our cocktails outside. Let us know if you have any St. Pete favorites we should know about!