Florida's Finest Bars

600 South, Pensacola

In the best bars around Florida, drinking has matured. The trend in liquor is artisan and a bit retro: The herbal punch of gin (think Hendrick’s, Broker’s and Plymouth) has gained fans; small-batch craft bourbons (Booker Noe) get respect once reserved for Scotch; and age-old rye is on the comeback. The list of rare rums and tequilas gets longer, and the vodkas become more artisanal, with fewer candy store flavors.

The finest bars insist on mixing with fresh ingredients. Sure, drinks are $10 and up, but that’s cheaper than some appetizers, and for recessionary wallets, small-plate dining and gourmet drinking at the bar are a potent economic strategy.

Here’s a caseload of classy bars to try:

» O Lounge at Yolo, Fort Lauderdale.

O Lounge at Yolo, Fort Lauderdale

A Las Olas spot with hot deejays and decor still gets cool behind the bar, where all the fruit and juice is fresh, from pineapple to red jalapeño to strawberries. Vodka is perked up with balsamic vinegar and cracked black pepper.

» Esca, Sarasota. This three-decker spot has music and quite a view of bay and skyline, along with a crowd of slick young downtowners. Yet it’s more than buzz; drinks are as sophisticated as the small bites of artichoke cobbler or espresso-glazed ribs. The career bartenders like to custom blend from a long shelf of juices and syrups — all made in house.

» 600 South, Pensacola. This doubles as a classy meet-market and the cozy bar of the New World Landings boutique hotel. Drinks are clever enough to match edible luxuries like crawfish beignets and duck egg rolls.

» Urbane, Tallahassee. The bar changes its drink menu as seasonally as the kitchen does its menus in this city-hip restaurant with country flavors. In spring, that means local blueberries from the Saturday farmers market for vodka martinis. “They’ve been wonderful,” says co-owner Pam Pollett. Summer’s likely to be sweet on watermelon juice.

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Tags: Dining & Travel