USA TODAY International Edition
10Best: The Bloody Mary branches out
Long a fixture of brunch and hair- of- the- dog hangover cures, the Bloody Mary is branching out. Bartenders are outdoing one another for Instagram glory, topping the drinks with garnishes that could easily serve as your meal. Shelley Buchanan, founder of
SUNDA CHICAGO The 32- ounce Sumo Mary comes topped with a buffet of garnishes, including bacon, Chinese broccoli and herb- roasted potatoes. “This one has an Asian flair to go with the Asian fusion on the menu,” Buchanan says. “Everything’s on skewers, carefully balanced on your glass, so nothing gets soggy.” There’s also a Bloody Mary cart so you can design your own drink. 312- 644- 0500; sundachicago.com THE HUNGRY CAT LOS ANGELES Take your pick of this Hollywood hot spot’s Bloody offerings, including the Maryland Mary, made with a freshly shucked oyster. Buchanan is impressed by the preparation. “All their stuff is super, super fresh. You can almost see the pulpiness of the tomato. And it’s perfectly balanced, light and refreshing and easy to sip.” 323- 462- 2155; thehungrycat.com ST. MARY’S PUB SAN FRANCISCO In such a foodie city, you wouldn’t expect a pedestrian Bloody Mary. This Bernal Heights spot serves a spicy Masala Mary with Indian flavors and a Florentine Mary with sun- dried tomato and basil pesto. “It’s definitely a Bloody Mary town,” says Buchanan, who has twice judged a contest at the bar. “They’re really trying to figure out new, innovative ways to serve you.” 415- 5291325; facebook.com/stmaryspubsf GENIES CAFÉ PORTLAND, ORE. The difference here is the house-infused vodka, which comes in flavors like jalapeño, habanero, horseradish, bacon, lemon, ginger and basil. “If you get a garlicinfused vodka, you really taste the garlic. The next time you go and get a rosemary one, and it tastes like a complete different drink,” she says. 503- 445- 9777; geniesdivision.com THE NOOK ON PIEDMONT PARK ATLANTA With garnishes like tater tots, steak and a hard- boiled egg, this bar’s trademarked Bloody Best certainly stands out. And it’s even served with a beef straw. But what impresses Buchanan is the whopping 8 ounces of Dixie Black Pepper vodka. “You probably need a friend to share this with,” she says. 404- 745- 9222; thenookatlanta.com SOBELMAN’S PUB AND GRILL MILWAUKEE This bar made Bloody Mary history when it once topped a bucket- sized drink with an entire fried chicken, though it was just for show. But even its everyday versions are pretty spectacular, garnished with a cheeseburger, bacon skewers and even a Corona beer, Buchanan says. “They have all this food on top. You don’t have to order breakfast.” 414- 9311919; sobelmanspubandgrill.com ANVIL PUB DALLAS Although we can’t mention the drink’s name in print, this hip Irish pub serves a 32- ounce Bloody topped with so many garnishes that there’s no need to bother with a food order, nor would you have room for it. The drink is topped with a bacon cheeseburger slider and an array of other sides. “They’re giving you brunch on top of your glass,” Buchanan says. 214- 741- 1271; facebook.com/anvilpubdeepellum SAM’S TAVERN SEATTLE The Bloody Mary Masterpiece comes topped with a cheesy slider, and it lives up to its name, says Buchanan, a Seattle resident who knows this burger joint and bar well. “It has the best of both worlds, with the fun garnishes and a really good Bloody Mary. They use Bakon vodka, which adds a smokiness.” 206- 397- 3344; samstavernseattle.com PRUNE NEW YORK Buchanan says it’s worth the inevitable brunch time wait for East Village spot’s 11 different Bloody Marys, including a unique Danish Mary with aquavit, fresh fennel and marinated white anchovy. “This is quality stuff with fresh- squeezed juice. They’re just trying to perfect the drink itself.” 212- 677- 6221; prunerestaurant.com TODD ENGLISH P. U. B. LAS VEGAS Design your own libation with a build- your- own menu, but if you want to go Vegas big, Buchanan suggests ordering the All About Mary, which comes stacked with a slider, chicken wing, shrimp, corn dog, stuffed olives, celery, carrot and pickled asparagus. “They do a crazy Bloody Mary,” she says. “You’ve got to do it at least once.” 702- 489- 8080; toddenglishpub.com