New cocktail bar Incanto brings international flair to the Heights
There seems to be as many new cocktail bars in Houston as there are bottles on the shelves at Spec’s.
For the spirits-minded and after-dark revelers, that’s a good thing. And now, a new bar with internationally inspired cocktails has opened to add to the temptations.
Incanto, 1426 Yale in the Heights, is described as a bungalow cocktail bar that draws inspiration from Italian, French, Spanish and Mediterranean cultures, specializing in aperitivos, digestivos, fortified wines and gin-based cocktails. The bar offers shareable cocktails as well as large-format drinks designed to serve six to eight guests, such as the Paradisco, a party-minded cocktail housed in a mirrored disco ball.
Signature cocktails include Thyme After Thyme (Mediterranean gin, aperitif, thyme, grapefruit and lemon); La Pera Martini (gin, sherry, vermouth, pear and black lemon bitters); Race to Roma (whiskey, Cynar, amaro, bitters and sweet vermouth); and Decadente (rum, coffee amaro, crème de cacao, port and heavy cream). These specialty drinks live alongside classics such as Pimm’s Cup, martinis and Negronis.
Incanto also offers food, including shareable bites: tuna tartare, oysters (with cucumber and mint granita), a pesto-forward take on oysters Rockefeller, tuna ceviche and a pizza lineup (prosciutto and fig; pear and gorgonzola; white mushroom; sweet and spicy tomato basil).
The 2,800-square-foot bar has been designed with bright colors and florals.
“We are thrilled to unveil Incanto, a bar that represents the culmination of our vision to provide Houston with an extraordinary cocktail experience,” said founder/owner Eddie Hafiz. “Our goal is to create a space where guests can escape the ordinary and immerse themselves in an atmosphere of enchantment while savoring exceptional drinks and bites.”
Consulting on the project is Alexis Mijares, who comes from the award-winning Julep, and whose résumé includes Austin’s The Roosevelt Room, Midnight Cowboy and Suerte.
“Bringing Incanto to life has been so much fun! Being able to mix high-quality drink offerings with a bit of a more relaxed and playful theme was refreshing and something I think people will really enjoy,” said Mijares, co-founder and creative director of Split Base Creative, a bar and beverage consultancy.
Incanto is open 4 p.m.-midnight Tuesday-Saturday 4 p.m., with expanded hours coming.