This past Monday evening saw Salt Lake Magazine take the wraps off their yearly cocktail contest awards. While most of the specials for the month-long contest have now rotated off menus, the talent remains out there for the tasting. Rouser’s Ben Arcia took top spot from the judges, with Current’s Karissa Kermode coming in as runner-up. On the public voting front, Water Witch’s Dawson Jenkins scooped top honors. You can see all the winners here, give it a scan, and go check out their respective bars and restaurants for very solid cocktail programs.
I returned as one of the judges for the contest this year and was impressed once more by the burgeoning talent on display. Especially in little old Utah, where you can’t get a drink. Remember? If anything, this year showcased more creativity and dynamism than I recall ever seeing; many of the bar tenders really leaning into the farm-to-glass concept.
Case in point, April Long’s entry for Post Office Place. Her cocktail, What Remains (pictured top), transformed the whole bar into an experience around a singular narrative. Inspired by a declining Great Salt Lake, inside the glass, a two-toned separation mimicking the lake’s pink/blue hue. From there, the story exploded all over the space, tonally matching artwork, projections, zines, stickers, and even a phone number to call to listen to the soothing sounds of the lake, while sipping a sup.
Side eye glances at Utah’s rep aside, the state is getting more and more outside attention. Water Witch made it to the James Beard finals in Chicago this Summer, while Cosmica got namechecked (and subsequently booked up for three months) in a NYT best of piece. Keep watching this space, folks.
Big Willie’s / Willie’s Lounge owners reflect on three years behind the bar
Via press release
Big Willie’s and Willie’s Lounge, two Salt Lake City nightlife staples, kicked off a new chapter in 2023 under the leadership of new owners. About to enter their third year, the owners are reflecting on what they’ve built and sharing their vision for what’s next.
Married couple Michelle and Patrick Mannos, parents of four, had a longtime dream of owning a bar, which became a reality in 2023 when they took over Big Willie’s, a sports bar and pool hall, and its sister location, Willie’s Lounge, known as SLC’s oldest dive bar. They bring experience, vision, and a commitment to preserving the legacy of both community favorites.
“Bars are where people gather, ” Michelle said. “They’re where you celebrate, where you mourn, where you just connect. To be a part of people’s lives like that—it’s really special.” Patrick brings two decades of bar industry experience, while Michelle’s background in finance helps with managing logistics and operations. One of the couple’s proudest achievements has been maintaining continuity for employees and regulars alike and respecting the bars’ legacies.
Nearly every employee stayed through the ownership transition, some with almost a decade of service. Today, they employ 32 employees across both bars. Their welcoming approach extends to customers, fostering a tight-knit community through weekly events—Monday bingo, Tuesday trivia, Wednesday vinyl-only djs, and Thursday
Karaoke—while consistently serving fresh, delicious brews and cocktails with a focus on quality and value.
Entering their third year of ownership, the Mannoses are focused on purchasing the building, continuing growth, and ensuring that both Big Willie’s and Willie’s Lounge continue to thrive as welcoming spaces where anyone can gather, have fun, and feel at home.
“To create a place where people can come together, that’s what bars have always been about,” Patrick said.
High West releases Midwinter Night’s Dram
Via press release
High West Distillery & Saloon announces the latest release of the seasonal Midwinter Night’s Dram® Act 13. The beloved spirit, a sumptuous marriage of straight rye whiskeys finished in Port barrels, will be available Oct. 5, 2025.
“Act 13 of the mysteriously whimsical Midwinter Night’s Dram® offers and enlivened sipping experience for the winter season ahead,” said Tara Lindley, Director of Blend & Sensory at High West Distillery. “Whether carousing with a lively crowd or enjoying a more intimate encounter, whiskey lovers will find that the spirit serves as a trusted companion through brisk winter nights of every occasion.”
Midwinter Night’s Dram® Act 13 features High West’s flagship Rendezvous® – straight rye whiskeys aged 4 – 10 years – that is finished in Ruby and Tawny Port barrels. Best savored slowly on the coldest of nights, the spirit delivers notes of crushed blackberries, mandarin zest, almond shortbread, fig jam, dulce de membrillo, allspice, old vine Zinfandel, and plum syrup spilled on a mahogany table to the nose, before drenching the palate with notes of marionberry preserves, chocolate-dipped cherries, marble rye bread, mochaccino, cinnamon bark, oolong tea, winter pine, and a smoldering Havana cigar. Notes of velvety and spiced-chai cold foam, clove-studded orange flesh, and soft ginger chew linger for a soul-warming finish.
For exclusive first sips of Midwinter Night’s Dram® Act 13, guests are invited to a Woodland Masquerade Release Party at The Distillery in Wanship on Oct. 3 & 4, 2025 from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Masqueraders will enjoy early access to the limited release, live music and entertainment, and uncover hidden delights woven throughout the evening’s feast and festivities. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets for the 21+ events are available here and are expected to sell out quickly.
Dram lovers eager for their own bottles can purchase Midwinter Night’s Dram® Act 13 on Oct. 5, 2025, at High West General Store in Old Town Park City and The Distillery in Wanship for $149.99 per bottle. The spirit will also be available at state liquor stores beginning Monday, Oct. 6, 2025.
For more information about High West or High West Bourye®, contact Christa Graff, of Graff Public Relations, LLC, at 435-640-7921 or christa@graffpr.com.
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Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC. I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.
I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV. Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune. I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand. What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.
Want to know more? This is why I am the way I am.
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