There is an element of the theatrical in every bar and restaurant.
On either side of the bar — be it cool marble, worn wood or speckled Formica — there are two parallel realities.
In one, there is the customer. Someone who’s come into the bar, perhaps on a first date, knees knocking, nervously scouring the menu for a drink that will impress.
In the other, there is the bartender. A small force of wizardry is at work as she transports liquids into an elixir that will be both the memory and the conduit for the memory.
This is pure theater. The bartenders create an environment for people to enjoy themselves, to try new and exciting flavors. And also, more often than not, bartenders turn into confidants and therapists.
People come to bars hoping to connect with someone.
We spoke to a few bartenders around town to hear their perspectives.
Gate 11 Distillery
1400 Market St., Suite 108
Tucked into a prime corner location at the Chattanooga Choo Choo sits the Scenic City’s most versatile distillery: Gate 11. Lindsey Armstrong is a bartender there and can tell you about the unique flavor profile of the house-made Campari as she mixes up an excellent Negroni. When asked what drink she makes the most, she answers confidently that it’s the old-fashioned.
She says you can tell someone’s intention by what they order — that is, if they’re interested in enjoying the complexities of the liquor, or if they’re planning on … not remembering the complexities of the liquor.
Armstrong shared that one of her more “chaotic stories” while bartending happened during the weekend of the Masters Golf Tournament.
“We had a private 50th birthday party with an open bar. I got a group of 50-plus-year-olds very tipsy. I ran into them a few days later, and they told me it was the longest brunch they had ever had because they ended up bar hopping after leaving brunch. I convinced them to do shots, and they drank several mimosas. We even made a signature cocktail just for their party called ‘The Green Jacket.’ I still run into them sometimes, and we talk about it. I love the connections bartending brings me.”
Pedestrian Wine & Cheese
50 Frazier Ave., Suite 250
Okay, yes, Pedestrian is not a bar, but you can buy fantastic wine, beer and liquor there, and the owner, Bill Reed, shared some of his favorite stories from his bar in New York.
“One night at our bar in Brooklyn, a couple came in to celebrate their anniversary. After a few drinks, they challenged each other to an impromptu dance-off right at the bar. It turned into a mini party, with everyone cheering them on, then all quickly joining in to bust some moves of their own. We turned the music up and became a club for that next hour. It was one of those moments that really showed off the always-random yet fun side of New York nightlife.”
While Reed may have spent a lot of time whipping up margaritas and Moscow mules during countless happy hours, he said his go-to wine recommendation would be a pinot noir.
“It’s smooth, easy to drink and pairs well with pretty much anything — great for keeping the conversation flowing!”
Home
409 Market St.
Keegan Moncelli has been bartending at Home, the cozy bar right off Market Street, for a year and a half. The menu is filled with creative cocktails, such as the zippy Tokyo Sling with a citrus kick and the smoky Peat’s Dragon with scotch and honey. Moncelli doesn’t believe in judging people by what they order. “Everyone has a right to like what they like. I don’t think that defines their entire personality.”
When asked how he shows hospitality as a bartender, Moncelli emphasizes how bartenders want to help people have a good time, bringing a smile or listening along with what the customer is going through.
“I think people are looking for, especially in a bar environment, some type of connection,” he says.