The 5 Best Cocktails Around Summit County

A memorable mixed drink depends on balance. Spirits, citrus, bitters, sweetness, temperature and dilution all play a role, while modern bartenders continue to reinterpret classics with ingredients ranging from tropical fruit to chile oil. Summit County’s beverage scene reflects that mix of tradition and experimentation, and Best of Summit gives readers a chance to recognize drinks that have earned a place in their mountain-town routines.

Old Fashioned | The Silver Crown

The Silver Crown puts whiskey at the center of its bar program, with a selection that emphasizes premium whiskey, Scotch and bourbon alongside other spirits. That focus provides a natural setting for its Old Fashioned, a cocktail whose spare construction places the base spirit front and center. The bar pays close attention to details such as glassware, temperature and clear ice when preparing classic drinks. Its beverage program extends to wine, draft beer and nonalcoholic cocktails, while charcuterie boards and other dining options give guests something to pair with a whiskey-forward evening.

Old Fashioned | Legends Steaks & Seafood

Legends Steaks & Seafood pairs its Old Fashioned with the classic pleasures of a steakhouse menu. The restaurant centers dinner around steaks and seafood, with selections that include filet mignon, New York strip and ribeye alongside oysters and other seafood dishes. The bar complements those meals with cocktails, wine and spirits, placing the Old Fashioned comfortably within a traditional steakhouse experience. Guests can settle into the bar for a drink or carry the cocktail into a full dinner built around steaks, seafood and shareable accompaniments.

Put the Lime in the Coconut | El Perro Negro

Put the Lime in the Coconut shows how El Perro Negro stretches beyond conventional margaritas while keeping its cocktail program connected to Mexican and tropical flavors. The drink combines banana rum and charanda with acid-adjusted pineapple, passion fruit, saline and coconut water, then undergoes clarification with coconut milk. El Perro Negro limits the cocktail to two per guest. It appears within the bar’s tropical section alongside drinks featuring agave spirits, guava, tepache and other fruit-forward ingredients, while the larger beverage program highlights tequila, mezcal and spirits from producers selected for their emphasis on craft and tradition.

La Penicillita | Rootstalk

Rootstalk places La Penicillita among its luxurious cocktails, using Del Maguey Santo Domingo Albarradas mezcal as its foundation. Lime and pineapple gomme introduce acidity and sweetness, ginger contributes spice and red chile oil adds another savory, fiery dimension. The drink fits Rootstalk’s broader approach to beverages, where seasonal ingredients and less conventional combinations appear throughout the cocktail list. The restaurant also maintains an extensive wine program and a dedicated collection of nonalcoholic drinks, allowing its beverage offerings to function as an integral part of the dining experience rather than simply an accompaniment.

Tim’s Manhattan | Sauce on the Blue

Tim’s Manhattan builds on one of the enduring whiskey cocktails with a specific combination of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Carpano Antica vermouth and black walnut bitters. A Luxardo cherry completes the drink. The cocktail sits within an expansive beverage program at Sauce on the Blue that includes several other whiskey drinks, spritzes, nonalcoholic cocktails and an extensive collection of bourbon and rye. Guests interested in exploring whiskey can also build flights from the restaurant’s selection. Tim’s Manhattan remains a concise expression of that larger focus, bringing bourbon, Italian vermouth and nutty bitters together in a recognizable classic format.

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