WATERING HOLES

Back in my college days, I worked at a gelato shop behind the Pike Place Market. Our neighbors, the world-class bartenders (or so I heard... I was still sippin' on milkshakes back then) at the Zig Zag Cafe, were some of my favorite customers: well-mannered, good tippers, and all around nice guys. So I was proud to see that they made the cut in GQ's article "The 20 Best Cocktails in America", and had to tell you about it.

Murray Stenson of the Zig Zag Cafe, making his killer twist on the Negroni, the Trident.

While we're on the topic of great drinks, this seems the perfect opportunity to shamelessly plug my NEW bartending neighbors here in Ballard: the folks at Hazlewood. They, too, serve a great selection of cocktails (that I can personally vouch for in my post-milkshake phase) including our namesake drink, The Blackbird, a concoction involving creme de cassis, squid ink, and other incredients that we love. Hey, we might be known for our coffee here in Seattle, but we also know how to serve our spirits.

Hazlewood's dazzling bar here in Ballard