National Mint Julep Day is right around the corner and that means it's time to enjoy this refreshing, Southern cocktail. Made traditionally with bourbon, mint, and sugar, this drink is a staple of the South and can be a delight to sip on during a hot summer afternoon in New Orleans. If you only trust seasoned bartenders to make you a cocktail, stop by any of these bars and restaurants for your mint julep fix on May 30.
Bar
Tonique
Bar Tonique made history in 2008 when it became the first free-standing craft cocktail bar in all of New Orleans, according to its website. In the last 13 years, it has remained much the same, only expanding its menu twice, but still serving up the great cocktails for which it's known. Bar Tonique's menu is divided into different drink categories, like punches, blossoms, and slings, each of which has descriptive attributes to help the customer know what they're in for. Slings are described as "Strong + Sweet + Weak + Aromatic" on the menu, one of which is its whiskey mint julep. Made with Old Forester Kentucky Bourbon, spearmint, and house-made gum syrup, Bar Tonique's mint julep is sure to satisfy. 820 N. Rampart St, (504) 324-6045, bartonique.com.
Double Dealer
Located underneath the Orpheum Theater, this New Orleans speakeasy opened way back in 1921. Double Dealer, named after the early 1900s literary journal of the same name, pays tribute to the Dixie Bohemian era in which it got its start, still showcasing musicians, fan dancers, sword swallowers, and magicians today. Customers can enjoy traditional cocktails or some Double Dealer originals named after poems and short stories from the literary magazine. If you're looking for a mint julep on National Mint Julep Day, ask the bartender if they have the supplies to make one, since it's not listed on the traditional menu. 129 Roosevelt Way, (504) 300-0212, doubledealernola.com.
Beachbum Berry's Latitude 29
Beachbum Berry's, named after "beachbum" Jeff Berry, takes inspiration from the tiki bar craze of the mid-1900s. Berry made it his mission to find each and every recipe used in tiki bars that had been lost to time after the tiki bar craze died down. Beachbum Berry's opened in 2014, showcasing these lost cocktail recipes, and is both a restaurant and bar. Enjoy some pan-fried pork gyoza or pickled veggie chips with any number of the exciting tiki cocktails on its menu. Although mint juleps are not listed on the menu, it never hurts to ask if the bartender can make one, especially on National Mint Julep Day! 321 N. Peters St, (504) 609-3811, latitude29nola.com.
Bombay Club
At
the back of the Prince Conti Hotel, this cocktail bar is a place to enjoy live
music, quick bites, and delicious cocktails. At the Bombay Club, customers can relax and enjoy
slightly upscale variations on traditional pub food like a warm jumbo pretzel
and pork belly tacos or unique bites like boudin croquettes, smoked trout dip,
and beef short rib grilled cheese. Be sure to have one of Bombay Club's mint juleps,
made from Woodford Reserve Bourbon, mint, sugar, and a float of crème de peche, alongside some of its
delicious and exciting bar food on National Mint Julep Day. 830 Conti St,
(504) 577-2237, bombayclubneworleans.com.
