Cocktails, Events, Going outCindy Yubest bars in Vancouver, best cocktail bars in Vancouver, best cocktail bars in North America, bar takeover, Employees Only, New York, New York bars, speakeasy, 50 Best Bars, Botanist Bar, cocktail culture, cocktail bars, guest shiftsComment

A Manhattan’s Manhattan - A Bar Takeover by New York’s Employees Only at Botanist Bar in Vancouver

Cocktails, Events, Going outCindy Yubest bars in Vancouver, best cocktail bars in Vancouver, best cocktail bars in North America, bar takeover, Employees Only, New York, New York bars, speakeasy, 50 Best Bars, Botanist Bar, cocktail culture, cocktail bars, guest shiftsComment
A Manhattan’s Manhattan - A Bar Takeover by New York’s Employees Only at Botanist Bar in Vancouver

It’s been a minute. More precisely, nearly three years since my last visit to New York. And I’m looking forward to the day when I can call off my self-imposed moratorium on US travel and return to the Big Apple.

There’s a lot about the city that I miss, but perhaps one of the biggest qualities is its dedication over the past hundred years refining its cocktail scene. Whether you’re a sophisticate or prefer the simpler things in life, there’s a handcrafted beverage at hundreds of establishments in New York to suit your mood.

One of the spots my pal Glenny and I visited on our last trip there was to Employees Only — a speakeasy in the West Village located behind a psychic parlour that’s had it’s time around the sun yet continues to land on many Best Bar lists. It was a memorable evening, filled with great drinks but also a sighting of Adam Driver’s doppelganger, or maybe it was the actor himself. It was a late night.

Since our visit to New York, our own bar scene in Vancouver has levelled up — to the point where the World’s 50 Best Bars North America ceremony was held last year in the city and will be again this year. The ceremony itself was a ton of fun – just so grateful to be standing in a ballroom next to some of my favourite bartenders in the world.

Throughout Vancouver, there are numerous bar takeovers and guest shifts that pop up, but none as highly regarded as the ones that often occur at Botanist Bar — itself ranked No. 26 in North America.

Take the case of Employees Only, which had their own guest shift at Botanist earlier this month, featuring Principal Bartender/Bar Manager Matt Maretz and Bartender Frances DeVoe. This was a guest shift that I could not miss, and as expected it didn’t disappoint.

From the refreshing Slippery Slope (tequila, sherry, clarified grape and green apple) to Lost in Translation (green tea and dashi-infused vodka) that transported me to Thailand, each one was fun and delicious – just like how I remembered my last visit.

And of course, there was the Manhattan – which they added Grand Marnier. Plus, some other je ne sais quoi, that is an Employees Only spell. Or maybe that was the on-site tarot card reader.