University Heights bar Park & Rec has the easygoing vibe of a backyard barbecue. A ping-pong table, communal benches, and strings of white lights fill the oak-shaded patio—a welcome pocket of outdoor drinking space in a sunny city with surprisingly little of it. Grilled cheese and tater tots, from beloved food cart Royale With Cheese, are served alongside pints of beer. In other words, it might be the last place you’d expect to find such a stellar cocktail menu. But thanks to input from two nationally acclaimed barkeeps, Trevor Easter (Bourbon & Branch, Heaven’s Dog) and Anthony Schmidt (Fairweather, Rare Form), Park & Rec is more than a place to play shuffleboard. It’s a spirits snob’s dream. Start with the Carousel, a grapefruit-vodka concoction with elderflower and soda, before moving on to the Cabrillo, a mix of mezcal, pineapple syrup, and lime—ideal for sipping in the sun.
University Heights bar Park & Rec has the easygoing vibe of a backyard barbecue. A ping-pong table, communal benches, and strings of white lights fill the oak-shaded patio—a welcome pocket of outdoor drinking space in a sunny city with surprisingly little of it. Grilled cheese and tater tots, from beloved food cart Royale With Cheese, are served alongside pints of beer. In other words, it might be the last place you’d expect to find such a stellar cocktail menu. But thanks to input from two nationally acclaimed barkeeps, Trevor Easter (Bourbon & Branch, Heaven’s Dog) and Anthony Schmidt (Fairweather, Rare Form), Park & Rec is more than a place to play shuffleboard. It’s a spirits snob’s dream. Start with the Carousel, a grapefruit-vodka concoction with elderflower and soda, before moving on to the Cabrillo, a mix of mezcal, pineapple syrup, and lime—ideal for sipping in the sun.
