New Year – New Fun Finds in St. Pete

Welcome to the third year of this little adventure we call Off the Tipsy Path! We’re going to start it off with a return to one of our favorite spots – St. Petersburg, Florida. This Gulf Coast city is also where the idea for Tipsy Path began (over a few beverages, of course)!

Downtown St. Pete, like a lot of cities, is seeing incredible growth. Tower cranes are everywhere as new condos and apartments are being built to meet demand. The city’s culinary and cocktail scene is growing at a similar pace. Here are just a few of the places we’ve found since our last visit.

So what’s new? How about a jungle-themed restaurant with a somewhat-hidden bar in the basement of a historic “Five and Dime” building? That’s Concrete Jungle! The restaurant occupies part of the main floor of the historic Kress building on Central. Its theme is “Tulum inspired,” meaning Mexican flair. It’s a great spot for date night dinner and cocktails! But don’t miss out on the downstairs bar! It has some added cocktails to the upstairs menu that are not to be missed – “Smoke and Mirrors” was an excellent smoked concoction and the “Platano” was a complex bourbon drink with coffee and banana. And the jungle theme ramps up to create very cool spaces around every corner. A #tipsypick for sure!

Staying with Mexico, Tequila Daisy is a tequila-focused bar (and other agave spirits like Mezcal) with some tasty drinks – and shots – and a dance floor where you can bust all of your moves that you think you should after a few said drinks/shots! Seriously, the signature cocktail the “Tequila Daisy” is seriously good! They don’t have food, but the taco truck that sets up outside is very popular.

Continuing the theme of “spaces that feel like different places,” Saigon Blonde may become one of our newest favorite spots! The décor is tropical-themed from the “1960’s” and includes three separate lounge areas that are about as unique as you’ll find – one is made from old airplane parts and the other is upstairs and overlooks the lower bar. And the drinks we had were superb - “Old Sin” is essentially an old fashioned with flavors of Vanilla AND chocolate! We will definitely be back!

One more tropical theme – this time on a rooftop!  Cane & Barrel is the new rooftop bar at the AC Marriott. It has a Cuban theme, with drinks and food to match. The indoor/outdoor spaces make for a nice way to spend an evening, or an afternoon with brunch. We admit we didn’t make our way very far through the menu, because we were drinking champagne for New Year’s Eve! We will check this one out again next time!

Now let’s completely switch themes – to Christmas! Xmas Bar is billed as a seasonal pop-up bar, but it’s still going strong as of January. We will say that this is a very festive space worth checking out if only for the décor. During the holidays, we’re told they had some great themed cocktails. But when we visited the weekend of New Year’s, we were told those are no longer being served - lots of canned drinks and shots going around. 

If you’re looking for a great space for cocktails and brunch that’s a bit #offthetipsypath… we suggest The Library. This space is part of the Johns Hopkins hospital complex just south of downtown, but folks in the know come here to enjoy the food and drink all week long. Our brunch meals were excellent. We’ll have to come back one evening for happy hour and let you know more about the cocktails.

And finally, an update on one of our #tipsypicks – a local wine bar called Bar Chinchilla has new owners! The intimate spot changed hands early in 2023, and the new owners have kept much of the cozy décor but have elevated the wine offerings… and the beer! Tipsy Hubs was most impressed with the lineup of Belgian beer on tap. The real secret is the deals on their “to go” bottles of wine! Love this place!

As always, we’d love to hear from you about your favorite places and anyplace we should check out on our adventures! Cheers to Year Three! 

Time to Revisit Nashville

 

Nashville is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. So it makes sense that there are new bars and restaurants popping up here all the time!  Not to downplay the explosion of celebrity honky tonks, but there are also plenty of places to get good cocktails off of Lower Broadway. So many, that we thought we’d update our earlier post with some more #tipsypick gems we found #offthetipsypath right in downtown Nashville.

You know we love a good speakeasy… and while it’s not a big secret (there’s almost always a wait) Hidden Bar in the Noelle Hotel downtown is one of the best in town. Not only is the location authentic – storage closet anyone? – but they go above and beyond with their holiday themes. Halloween 2023 was “The Shining” and Christmas was “A Christmas Story.” Such a fun way to spend an hour or two! But seriously, plan on putting your name on the list and visiting another bar while you wait – Black Rabbit is around the corner, and see below for another option . . .

Speaking of nearby bars, just down the street from Hidden Bar, Sinatra Bar & Lounge is another #tipsypick in downtown Nashville! Part cocktail spot, part restaurant and part jazz lounge, Sinatra has it all if you want to feel like you are as far away from a honky tonk as you can get. The cocktails are superb, with an emphasis on Frank’s favorite Jack Daniel’s, and they pair well with the live jazz most evenings. Note the artwork, some of which is from Sinatra’s own hand. The entire concept has been blessed by the Sinatra family. This is a great date night spot.

Did someone say date night? House of Cards has you covered! From the same team that brought us Skull’s Rainbow Room and Sinatra, this is another spot just steps away from Broadway but a world away as far as experiences. It’s a basement speakeasy under the Johnny Cash Museum. Yes, there’s a dress code! But they have live magicians in the bar and dining area, and live magic shows nightly. No, you can’t take pictures of the performers. Look for the artifacts like handcuffs owned by Houdini! Oh, the wine and cocktails are worth it as well – the house Manhattan and Old Fashioned for sure!

And since we’re talking about basement spaces – we bring you Pushing Daisies! This tequila and margarita spot isn’t exactly hidden. It has its own entrance from Broadway and is located under the sprawling Assembly Food Hall complex. But the atmosphere is fantastic – festive and intimate at the same time. And the drinks… way more than just great margaritas! The sangria was excellent and let’s talk about “Something Clarified, Please.” This cocktail requires an explanation from the professionals. Basically, it involves soaking bananas and washing mezcal with coconut. Don’t ask us… just try it for yourself! You’ll thank us!

Here’s one from the “you have to look for it” category. Pullman Standard occupies a space in the historic Cummins Station building with an entrance on Demonbreun Street. It’s #offthetipsypath unless you walk or drive past it. But it’s worth seeking out. This intimate cocktail space is perfect for a cocktail after work or just to hang out for a few. Their version of a black Manhattan known as the “Midnight Train” is very tasty!

Sometimes, presentation is everything. We visited the restaurant Hand Cut recently, where one drink in particular stood out – the Waffle Cone Old Fashioned! Unlike some smoked drinks that are just infused with wood chips, this one had a bottle of smoke all its own with a side of waffle cone in its own container. This relatively new chop house also has great food, but it’s worth a visit just for this cocktail. #tipsypick

And finally, we’ll give a shout out to one of our favorite East Nashville spots, the wine bar Authentique, celebrating one year with new owners in the same spot. They are a #tipsypick for food, wine and atmosphere. Check them out!

No doubt we’ll be visiting more #tipsypicks in Nashville. Let us know where we should go next!

🍺 A Wicked Good Time In Boston 🍺

So we spent our fall break in the great city of Boston and as the locals say, we had a “wicked good time!”

We stayed in the heart of the Theater District at the Moxy (and yes, we are fans of that Marriott brand in part because you get a free cocktail for every adult in your room). So along with walking the entire Freedom Trail and back – more than two miles each way – we also walked to some fantastic cocktail bars!

As you might expect for a town steeped in history, Boston has more than its share of historic Irish pubs. Our first stop when we arrived was Bull & Finch Pub on Beacon Hill, now known by a more familiar name – Cheers, as in the pub that inspired the iconic TV show. We had a nice cold mug of Sam Adams and a generous sized flatbread and soaked in the scenery of this basement bar. Apparently there’s a replica of the show set upstairs at the Hampshire House hotel, which was closed for a private function. Definitely worth a stop once, even though they didn’t “know our name”.

For an even more authentic Boston experience, we suggest Bell in Hand Tavern. Considered to be the oldest continuously operating tavern in America, Bell in Hand is full of history. It’s also right next to one of the oldest restaurants in America, Union Oyster House. And they have great drinks beyond a glass of beer found in every tavern. Green Dragon Tavern is another historic tavern right next door. In fact, that entire block is a postcard of old Boston.

And if you want a more modern tavern/bistro vibe, check out Bostonia Public House. You can’t argue with a place that embraces where the name “pub” comes from! They had tasty bourbon drinks and a pumpkin martini that was perfect for Autumn.

One of the great things about Boston is the diversity of the many neighborhoods. We enjoyed exploring some of them – the Theater District, Chinatown, Beacon Hill, and of course the North End, also known as Little Italy. We hear there’s a bit of a cannoli war going on here. But we admit, we chose the one that has an underground bar – Modern Pastry Underground. The cannoli was fantastic, especially when paired with creative cocktails like the Pistachio Martini (and other tasty flavors)! Definitely a great way to enjoy dessert.

Now, you know that we had to find some speakeasies! And there were several within easy walking distance. If you go into Chinatown and down an alley with an idea where to look – namely an unmarked steel door, you’ll find Offsuit. Follow the instructions to call when you get there, and within a few minutes, you’re greeted and escorted inside a small industrial space with antique furnishings. The bartender comes to you and asks what you like and takes your order. Sound familiar? It did to us! It turns out, the owners of Offsuit modeled the concept after Attaboy in New York City. It was worth the wait – the drinks were excellent! This was a #tipsypick for sure.

If you’re walking around the Theater District and see a neon-lit display of various wigs, you’ve found our next speakeasy – the Wig Shop. While the display isn’t an actual storefront like some others we’ve found, the Wig Shop does an excellent job with the theme in its drinks and on the actual menus. They had an excellent take on a Sazerac called Remember the Maine, a rallying cry following the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine in 1898. The check even came rolled inside a hair curler. The space is cozy and great for a date night or a drink after work!

Ever heard of Carrie Nation? She was the hardline prohibitionist who used to bust up taverns and liquor barrels with an axe around the turn of the 20th century! The folks here in Boston decided to honor her by naming a BAR after her. The Carrie Nation Cocktail Club is an upscale bar and restaurant with a prohibition-era theme – and yes, it has a speakeasy! It’s more of a back room hidden in plain sight up the stairs and behind a velvet curtain, but still very cool. We had some great drinks, including an excellent Smoked Old Fashioned, and really enjoyed the vibe here. Not sure Carrie would approve!

One other side note, Boston loves beer! Sure, Sam Adams is one of the most recognized breweries in the country, but don’t skip out on all the microbreweries. We tried Democracy Brewing, a local brewpub which was close to our hotel and some of the speakeasies. The beers are mainly named after local events and characters. Great space and awesome food!

There were honestly more great options than we could cover in just a few days. So for the “save it for next time” category, we’ll note that Hecate, Next Door and Yvonne’s are on our list!

So let’s just say, there will definitely be a next time, Boston.

Tipsypicks: Offsuit, Wig Shop, Carrie Nation

Anything else we missed? Let us know – but don’t tell Carrie!