DRINK
BEST TEQUILA DRINK
The Royal Rita Kauffman Stadium • 1 Royal Way • 816-921-8000 royals.com
The Royal Rita is a frozen margarita made with Jose Cuervo that comes from a machine, but its beauty lies in the presentation. The perfectly sweet, sticky and boozy drink comes in a plastic souvenir cup, and if you ask nicely, you can get the margarita in Royals blue, making this $12.50 purchase the best adult buy at the K. The Royal Rita is especially delicious on a hot day when it melts fast, making it easy to suck down. But be warned: We recommend no more than two, unless you want to get the party started, Royals Fountain Lady-style.
BEST DRINK WITH A VIEW
Teocali 2512 Holmes • 816-221-4749 • teocali.com
Teocali, at 25th Street and Holmes, opened in 2006 but, situated as it is in a commercial dead zone on a one-way street on Hospital Hill, it’s easy to miss. We suspect the Mexican restaurant will soon be a little more visible: Teocali recently expanded vertically, and upstairs you find another dining area, a full bar, a few outdoor tables overlooking Holmes, and a much larger terraza out back. The eight or so patio tables are a perfect happy-hour perch when the weather is nice, with views stretching every which way. We recommend stopping by on Tuesdays, for the magnifico 1-2-3 special: $1 tacos, $2 Tecates and $3 tequilas. Salud!
BEST LIQUOR STORE
Gomer’s Midtown 3838 Broadway • 816-931-4170 • gomers.com
One of the best things about living on the Missouri side of the state line is the ultraliberal liquor laws. This town is a booze swiller’s paradise. And free-flowing liquor means an abundance of places to buy our tipples. The best, though, is the squeaky-clean 39th Street Gomer’s. What’s not to like about this place? It’s in a convenient urban location with ample parking. The staff is so friendly, they won’t look down on you for shame-buying a handle of Popov vodka or a $7 bottle of red. The consistently cheap beer (if you need a suitcase of PBR, this is your joint) cements Gomer’s as our alcohol dispensary of choice. (We know how this makes us sound. We don’t care.)
READERS� CHOICE BEST BAR FOR PEOPLE WATCHING
1. Harry’s Bar & Tables 2. Buzzard Beach 3. The Foundry BEST BAR TO MEET PEOPLE
1. Harry’s Bar & Tables 2. Kelly’s Westport Inn 3. The Well BEST BARTENDER
1. Ryan Maybee 2. Van Zarr 3. Berto Santoro
Unanimous Double Gold Winner!!!
World Spirits Competition
“America’s first craft sippin’ vodka” Wall Street Journal
BEST BEER CRAWL
1. Falldo Waldo Crawldo 2. Crawl for Cancer 3. Zombie Walk for Hunger BEST BEER FESTIVAL
1. Parkville Microbrew Festival 2. HopFest 3. Strong Ale Beer Festival BEST BEER SELECTION (BOTTLES)
“ ” Spirit Journal “Smooth, I mean really smooth!” CNN
1. Bier Station 2. Flying Saucer 3. The Foundry BEST BEER SELECTION (TAPS)
1. Flying Saucer 2. Bier Station 3. Anton’s BEST BLOODY MARY
1. RecordBar 2. Beer Kitchen 3. Tomfooleries BEST BOULEVARD RELEASE
1. Tank 7 2. 80 Acre 3. Coffee Ale BEST BREW PUB
1. McCoy’s Public House 2. 75th Street Brewery 3. Beer Kitchen BEST COCKTAIL
1. Manifesto’s Beautiful Red Bell 2. The Rieger’s Pendergast 3. Extra Virgin’s Manhattan BEST COCKTAIL MENU
1. Manifesto 2. Westport Café & Bar 3. Gram & Dun BEST COFFEE
1. The Roasterie 2. Oddly Correct 3. Broadway Café and Roasting Co.
TITOSVODKA.COM Handcrafted to be savored responsibly. As a distilled spirit, Tito’s is GLUTEN-FREE.
Distilled and bottled by Fifth Generations, INC. Austin, Texas. 40% alcohol by volume ©2012 Tito’s Handmade Vodka. pitch.com
best of kansas city 2013
the pitch
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