About Town Magazine Winter 2020

{ DISCOVER } ANNE WATSON / RAISED BY WOLVES

FIVE SLINKY

es i as e k a e p S

BY BETH DEMMON

Raised by Wolves

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San Diego may be best known for its craft beer scene, but there’s nothing like its speakeasies.

Strictly speaking, our not-so-secret liquor lounges cunningly hidden behind false walls, password-protected cellar doors, and through kitchen freezers aren’t speakeasies in the traditional sense; the repeal of Prohibition negated the need for people to secretly imbibe. But the aura of enjoying cocktails covertly concocted by some of San Diego’s top mixologists has led to a boom of speakeasy-themed bars across the region.

Establishments like Prohibition in the Gaslamp District and Noble Experiment in East Village are among the first clandestine cocktail bars in San Diego. Since then, similarly secret saloons have exploded in popularity, partially thanks to San Diego’s rise in respectable cocktail programs like Sycamore Den, KINDRED, and Starlite. This sudden—and some would say overdue— appreciation and demand for expert bartenders creating innovative cocktails have forced prospective bar owners to up their game and many have turned to the speakeasy model.

While San Diego is far from the only city embracing secret taverns, through those creative concepts and burgeoning culinary prowess, we’ve mostly managed to shed the preconceptions that America’s Finest City is only good at making fish tacos and West Coast-style IPAs. With that in mind, here are a few speakeasies helping to put our region’s name on the map.

classics. I’m keen on the Dealer’s Choice—it’s a safe bet to place yourself in these capable hands.

FORBIDDEN COVE Although San Diego’s cocktail masters have historically dominated the speakeasy scene, it was only a matter of time until a craft brewery got in on the action. Kilowatt Brewing’s new hidden lounge, dubbed the “Forbidden Cove,” features housebrewed beers and undistilled cocktails mixed with fruit, juice, and other tropical ingredients. The “Enchanted Garden” starts with a sour Berliner Weisse base and adds guava, mango, and ginger—a beer-forward twist on classic tiki flavors. ✲

Realm of the 52 Remedies

REALM OF THE 52 REMEDIES

PROHIBITION LIQUOR BAR

The menu at this futuristic apothecary changes with the seasons—for example, fall/winter 2019 drew inspiration from Hong Kong—so repeat visits are required to sample every remedy. Reservations are strongly encouraged.

A recent revamp has refreshed San Diego’s original speakeasy, and a strictly enforced weekend dress code keeps the crowd’s vibe authentic to the 1920s experience. An Old Fashioned is the drink of choice but be prepared to enjoy it in true Roaring Twenties style—no cell phones are allowed at the bar.

VIN DE SYRAH

RAISED BY WOLVES Between Raised by Wolves, Noble Experiment, and False Idol, CH Projects has a stronghold on the San Diego speakeasy scene. But it’s Wolves that soars; the constantly rotating menu features seasonal specials and timeless

ANDREW JORGENSEN

Entry to Vin de Syrah, one of San Diego’s oldest underground establishments, is granted only after you identify the correct doorknob, cleverly camouflaged to make guests earn their way into the subterranean wonderland. Sidle up to the bar, order a classic dirty martini, and prepare to fall into the rabbit hole.

Vin de Syrah

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