Comments (0) Best Bartender - 2009

Johnny Michaels at La Belle Vie

What's your alcoholic attitude? Aristocratic as a g&t made with Earl Grey-infused gin? Funky as a black-cherry vodka mixed with cranberry juice, dried cherries, black pepper, and goat cheese? Or as playfully abstaining as a marshmallow Peep floating in a blue raspberry soda? Whatever your sipping preference, you'll be in good hands with Johnny Michaels, one of the Twin Cities' pioneering cocktail craftsmen. The dashing barkeep is most often found in the La Belle Vie lounge, but his influence is much wider, as he's designed the sophisticated, scratch-made drinks served at Barrio, Solera, Smalley's Caribbean Barbeque, and Cafe Maude. One of his newer creations, the Kingston, a refreshing mix of allspice rum and grapefruit spritzer, may be the best cocktail we've had all year. So do yourself a favor and surrender the car keys.