Mata DolorSummer is on its way out, but those looking for one last vacation can find their escape at a local bar with a tiki cocktail.
The Caribbean-style drinks have experienced a resurgence in popularity thanks to their ability to transport people to a beach mentality through exotic fruit juice, rum and a fun plastic swizzle stick (the ones found at local bar The Fix are especially fun).
Learn to make your own at Imbibe Chattanooga, where Evan Lipson, owner and operator of craft tropical-cocktail service Tiki Ray’s, hosts Tiki Takeover the last Thursday of the month from 5-7 p.m. He’s also in the process of setting up a tropical-drink program at Mrs. B’s Reggae Cafe.
We love the Caribbean vibes of Embargo 62, where you can get a taste of Cuba on the North Shore. Order the Mata Dolor – typically served in a glass, though also available are tiki mugs and flaming scorpion bowls (think an old-timey cake pan turned upside down, with a lime soaked in Bacardi 151 in the middle that’s set aflame).
“It’s one of the most popular drinks we have,” says head bartender and manager Colby Christian, describing the Mata Dolor as the Cuban equivalent of Mexico’s pina colada. “It’s a great beach drink that goes down super-easy. You can drink plenty of them without ever knowing what you’ve done.”