BARS
Altstadt
Brendan McGill’s German“Bierhalle”—large but cozy, with a roaring fire—is the perfect happy-hour spot on a Thursday or Friday night. While they have standards like hot pretzels, the wursts (like turkey and duck fat white sausage) and other fare like red potatoes, red cabbage, and herbs with a warm mustard vinaigrette are delicious. Then there’s the beer: more than 30 to choose from, as well as mulled wines. 209 First Ave. S., 602-6442, altstadtseattle.com NICOLE SPRINKLE
Atlantic Crossing
The Seahawks might rightly have dominated Seattle sports conversation in 2013, but let’s not forget we have a reputation to uphold as a soccer stronghold as well. With the World Cup coming in June and the English Premier League nearing a dramatic finish, soccer bars are a must, and there is none finer in Seattle than Atlantic Crossing. Plenty of TVs carefully arranged to provide maximum excitement set the mood, but it’s the food that sets AC apart: creative takes on pub classics, well-executed and flying out of the kitchen even during the busiest moments. 6508 Roosevelt Way N.E., 729-6266,
theatlanticcrossing.com ZACH GEBALLE
Canon
Canon is where you go with your father to discuss business and Hemingway over a glass of whiskey. Honestly, though, you won’t get much talking done, with all the fawning over your drinks you’re sure to do. Canon’s whiskey concoctions are unreasonably delicious—this is the kind of bar that puts egg whites in their whiskey sours. Don’t take my word for it, though; Cannon’s daunting list of accolades places it at the top of Seattle’s most venerated bars. 928 12th Ave., 552-9755, canonseattle.com KELTON SEARS
E. Smith Mercantile
The bar in the back of E. Smith Mercantile is no secret. There are no hidden entrances or mysterious doorbells, just a horseshoe-shaped bar tucked behind the quaint boutique opened by Kate Pool and daughters Jesse and Sara. The shop is named after Kate’s grandfather, E. Smith, and harks back to simpler days in his small mining town of Atlanta, Idaho. Its products also reflect a simpler time: artisanal foods, American handcrafted products, sturdy leather bags, and vintage apparel. Tired shoppers can retire to the bar for craft cocktails and small bites in an intimate 14-seat space that feels like you’re at a cozy campfire. Drinks at E. Smith may evoke the same experience, as its cocktails often echo the flavors of a gold miner’s era—honey, vanilla, whiskey, and mesquite—the good ol’ days. 208 First Ave. S., 641-7250, esmithmercantile.com TIFFANY RAN
Rob Roy
A bulwark against Belltown’s ever-rising douche tide, Rob Roy is one of the city’s finest cocktail bars. Ever since its inception, it’s managed to fuse unusual ingredients (like gunpowder) with classic techniques in a space that feels both welcoming (the couches are super-comfy) and disorienting (hoof lamps, anyone?). 2332 Second Ave., 956-8423, robroyseattle.com ZACH GEBALLE
Sun Liquor
A small, dark bar on a somewhat-forgotten corner of Capitol Hill, Sun Liquor remains my favorite spot to cozy up with a cocktail and a first date. While of course the full range of spirits from their hilltop distillery is on display, the bartenders are rarely pushy about them. The drinks can be the star of the show, or you can sip a beer and both pretend that you find Tinder silly. 607 Summit Ave. E., 860-1130, sunliquor.com ZACH GEBALLE
Twilight Exit
To make a good bar, all you need is beer, hamburgers, and a jukebox. It’s outrageous how few places manage to ace the trifecta, but Twilight Exit does—and throws in an arcade room and a wonderful outdoor seating area to boot. In the heart of the Central District, you can easily spot the place by its ever-morphing, acid-influenced wall mural. Twilight Exit is Merriam-Webster’s definition of “chill”: all of the fun with none of the fuss. 2514 E. Cherry St., 324-7462, twilightexit.com KELTON SEARS
Vif Wine & Coffee
This cafe and wine bar took over the former Herfy’s Burgers space to become Fremont’s gem of a breakfast spot and daytime eatery. Vif specializes in natural wines and specialty coffee; more recently, its Pho Friday has become a neighborhood event for which to mark calendars. Visitors can also snack on breakfast pastries, lunch salads, and tartines made from local produce—and enjoy a day of laid-back people-watching. In French, vif means bright, lively, and vivacious, which aptly describes the establishment’s wine selection and its space, where natural light pours in through every large window. 4401 Fremont Ave. N., 557-7357, vifseattle.com TIFFANY RAN
Zig Zag Cafe
Bar-watchers were curious to see what would happen to Zig Zag when Murray Stenson left his long-time perch behind the bar in 2011. Would the pioneer of Seattle cocktail culture flop without him? Fortunately for all of us, Erik Hakkinen has proven more than capable of filling those shoes. Zig Zag remains a rare cocktail lover’s dream, with an ever-evolving selection, creative specialty drinks, and bartenders willing to answer your questions, no matter how silly they seem. 1501 Western Ave. #202, 625-1146,
zigzagseattle.com ZACH GEBALLE
