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August 2026 Dispatch: Summer, It Turns Me Upside Down

Not to fully embrace the monthly Jimmy Kimmel bit featuring a montage of local newscasters exclaiming, “Can you believe it’s [insert month] already?” as if a new month wasn’t upon us twelve times a year, but how the hell is it already August?

We still have 51 days of “technically it’s summer” summer until fall officially kicks in on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. I’m not Mr. Summer by any means, and this season’s extreme heat coupled with jackpot-payout high ConEd bills has me longing for autumn, my favorite season since I was a boy.

What gets me down more is the constant passage of time and almost another summer in the rearview with little to nothing to show for it in my life or personal or professional accomplishments. I know there was one gentleman in the recent LAST CALL reader survey who pleaded for “less angst, please” but I’m afraid that’s not a bug, it’s a feature.

Believe me when I tell you, I write every day and do my best to be productive to feel like I’m being conducive to society, sure, but primarily to pay my rent and my bills and not obsess over the things I don’t have or can’t afford as I doom-scroll to the many friends and strangers alike on social media who seem to live their lives without that level of panic and desperation. This has been an incredibly trying summer in what’s turning out to be my most difficult year in, well, years for reasons I won’t bother you with. Let’s just say, the shadow of that grand piano hanging over my head by a wire is getting bigger.

So instead, I would like to offer a brief and mild rant on BLTs.

Despite being a former longtime member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, I never embraced or celebrated the simple joys and summertime tradition of a Tomato Sandwich (white bread, fresh thick-sliced tomatoes, mayo, salt and pepper) best eaten over the sink that serves as a seasonal Proust’s madeleine to so many.

I have nothing against tomatoes, especially the heirloom and standard varieties at their summer peak right about now here in New York. Though I rarely add vegetables like lettuce or tomatoes or pickles or peppers or (G-d forbid) onions to my sandwiches or hoagies, largely due to their “wetness” but also because I simply prefer meat and cheese and the accompanying complimentary condiment.

My two exceptions are the BLT and the Turkey Club. Right now, as noted by Substack Doyenne in a recent Feed Me dispatch, we are in the eye of the storm of bespoke limited-time BLT season. But as I noted yesterday in her comments section, while I have respect for beautiful in-season tomatoes, their juicy adulation is at the detriment of the bacon. In so many photos of these offerings, like the one above from Cabalar (a place I genuinely love) in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the tomatoes are way too big and completely dominate the whole affair.

My local and beloved Court Street Grocers has been teasing the countdown until their popular BLT returned to the menu this week and when it landed their Instagram stories were an endless loop of regulars celebrating the occasion tucking into their BLTs. My barbershop (shout-out Blue & Black!) is just up the block from CSG and last BLT Season when I picked up my annual BLT to go to enjoy at home, but they time the B61 bus deposited me in Brooklyn Heights the $17 sandwich had become a slippery, sloppy affair from all the wet tomatoes, greens, and mayo. Yes, I probably should’ve enjoyed it at the shop with a stack of napkins and a root beer, but I didn’t.

My primary grievance is treating the bacon as an afterthought in favor of the homecoming queen heirloom tomatoes and her court of artisanal greens. I don’t care if it’s supermarket bacon or a heritage brand, as with the Negroni, I just want equal parts (or equal representation) in the core components. Enough with the scant slices. Stack ‘em up. Let’s put the “B” back in the BLT.

And beyond that, just give me lightly toasted white or country white bread, a generous swath of mayo (preferably Hellman’s) applied to both interior sides of the bread, and then equal parts bacon, lettuce (preferably iceberg), and 2-3 “normal” slices of tomato. No aioli, no basil mayo, no hot honey, hot sauce, or assorted herbs.

And that’s why it’s probably better for me, and everyone involved, if I stick to diner BLT’s like my mother and stepfather used to serve at Murphy’s Corner in Oneida, New York, or simply make them at home to my own specifications and standards.

(I drafted this before a friend, knowing my thoughts on the subject, forwarded me “The Secret to a Perfect BLT Isn’t What You Think” this morning, where author J.J. Goode has a lot to say on the subject in his latest for the New York Times.

Any and all hot takes on BLT’s are welcome in the comments!

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Fall/Holiday 2026 Brand Partnership Opportunities with LAST CALL

If you work for or are a publicist for a like-minded brand in the beverage, food, consumer packaged goods, or publishing industry and would like to learn more about rates and details for Fall/Holiday 2026 and Dry January 2027 partnership opportunities on LAST CALL, please shoot me an email me for more information. Featured sponsorship placements include Standard Placements, Dedicated Dispatches, and our popular Holiday Gift Guides (Food & Provisions, Drinks & Spirits, The Spirit of Italy, Books & Cookbooks). Discounted rates for first-time bookings are available through early August.

Ride or Dive: New York Transit Museum x Montero Bar & Grill

Next week on Tuesday, August 11, Barchives, a periodic public event series dedicated to bringing local history and archival collections out of the library and into neighborhood bars, will be posting up at Montero Bar & Grill along with The New York Transit Museum, which is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.

Join Alex Pincus, CEO of Crew, the new owners of Montero, who will be sharing insights on the Brooklyn bar’s 87-year history as a neighborhood institution. I’ll be making the quick trip downstairs to join Alex in the discussion, offering my perspective on what makes a dive bar a dive bar and how these often endangered species serve as an essential community hub. I’ll also have copies of my award-winning book Last Call: Bartenders on Their Final Drink and the Wisdom and Rituals of Closing Time (featuring Montero) available for sale and to sign.

The event is fully booked but you can join the waitlist on Eventbrite.

Tuesday, August 11 at 6:00 p.m.
Montero Bar & Grill
73 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11201

Learn More & Join the Waitlist

Meet Me In Milwaukee

I’m excited to share the news that this September I’ll be in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to be a part of the third-annual Botanical Bitter Royale, hosted by the talented team at Bittercube Bitters and Heirloom Liqueurs, in collaboration with the Pour Inc. Group, taking place at the historic Muellner Building in Wauwatosa.

Join some of Wisconsin’s finest bartenders for a spirited day of craft cocktails, gourmet bites for premier local food trucks, and a lively competition.

I’m honored to be among this year’s panel of guest judges including Justin Burrow (Houston’s Captain Foxheart’s Bad News Bar & Spirit Lodge), Karen Bell (James Beard Award-nominated Milwaukee chef), Mikel McGee (award-winning floral designer and founder of Milwaukee flower shop 414loral), and Keven Bush (synthwave project Immortal Girlfriend).

This will be my first time in the great state of Wisconsin (the home of many bar world friends of mine like Toby Cecchini and Brian Bartels) and though my time there will fly by I’m hoping to pack in as much regional highlights as I can, especially an inaugural visit to Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge, hopefully a supper club Friday Fish Fry, and my road game tradition of picking up an on-field cap of the hometown MLB team (the Brewers’ team logo remains one of the finest in the league).

So whether you’re a cocktail enthusiast, a food lover, or simply in search of a remarkable day out, the Botanical Battle Royale is set to dazzle. Celebrate the artistry of cocktails, the beauty of botanicals, and the spirit of community at this one-of-a-kind event. This popular event has sold out the past two years, so don’t dally in securing your ticket.

Botanical Bitter Royale 2026
Saturday, September 19, 2026 from 1:00 p.m - 5:00 p.m.
The Historic Muellner Building
7300 W Chestnut Street
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, 53210

Get Your Tickets!

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BTP’s Books!

Way back in 2010 in anticipation of the launch of my debut book Bitters, I enlisted the acclaimed Charleston creative studio and consulting team Fuzzco to design my website. I was a big admirer of their portfolio and collaborations and though my budget was nowhere near their average fee, they found me, my pitch, and my forthcoming book worthy to take on and I remain forever grateful for their generosity in both creativity and spirit. Until recently btparsons.com was the primary home of my books and how to purchase them, but my four years writing here on Substack eclipsed the need to keep it going. So that bespoke side has sadly been sunsetted, but rest assured that btparsons.com now redirects directly to LAST CALL. And you can now find all of my books listed on LAST CALL as well. Just click on the “Books” tab of the navigation bar on the LAST CALL landing page or find them via btparsons.com/books.

I recently stocked up with my publisher Ten Speed Press so if you would like to order signed copies of any of my books, or learn more about wholesale opportunities to stock any of my books at your bookstore, bottle shop, distillery, or business, please email me for more information.

Popina with Patrick

As owner James O’Brien can attest, despite living a quick 10-minute walk from his restaurant Popina I certainly don’t get there as much as I wish I could. But when Faccia Brutto Spirits’ founder Patrick “Commendatore” Miller invited me to dinner and I saw that Popina’s seasonal Corn Agnolotti was dropping on the menu this week, it was easy to agree upon a restaurant.

PS: If you’re in the neighborhood this week they’re hosting a "Backyard Party” with my dear friend Katie Parla this Thursday, August 8 to celebrate her latest book, Rome: A Culinary History, Cookbook, and Field Guide to the Flavors that Built a City.

I arrived at the restaurant first (as I always do) and despite the charm of Popina’s backyard urban oasis, I made the resy for inside with the comfort of air conditioning as the air was thick with the promise of rain. Patrick was running a bit late due to traffic and encouraged me to order a Negroni, which I did. Though the Italian icon is in my frequent rotation, whenever I raise a well-made Negroni to my lips it’s a reminder of how much I truly love this drink.

Once he pulled up, Patrick didn’t waste much time taking care of ordering for the table (the perks of dining with a former executive chef). As long as my Corn Agnolotti was making an appearance I had no issues. I was craving it so much I almost placed a second order to bring home.

We kicked things off with a quarter-loaf of Sourdough Bread from Winner bakery served with olive oil and a mound of soft butter dotted with fennel pollen. This was accompanied by Popina’s signature Carolina Gold Rice Arancini served in a slick of sticky, slightly spicy saffron honey; Yellowfin Tartare with green tomato and Fried Shallots (the server graciously offered them on the side for this guy), and a dish of in-season Heirloom Tomatoes atop creamy creamy Stracciatella drizzled with a savory bagna càuda dressing.

We each ordered a glass of crispy Verdicchio from Le Marche for the pasta course, which included my highly anticipated Corn Agnolotti (corn sugo, ricotta, black pepper) and the house classic Rigatoni (tomato, guanciale, black pepper, pecorino). The Agnolotti was just as delicious as the last dish of it I had on a hot August night a year ago, and Patrick kindly looked the other way when I at the last two pieces.

Patrick opted for chicken and fish for the final course. The Hot Chicken Milanese was a given, and the Swordfish with braised beans and burst cherry tomatoes was a surprise star of the night (and made for a most welcome lunch the next day).

Grazie, Patrick for a wonderful dinner and conversation. So nice to catch up.

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My LEGO Orca (Finally) Sets Sail

One thing I did accomplish last month was finally constructing the LEGO Jaws I pre-ordered two summers ago that had ben sitting in my antechamber closet ever since. Over the Fourth of July weekend I sliced open the box and set out to build the Orca and its crew (and Bruce the Shark) from the pile of 13 numbered numbered plastic bags filled bricks and accessories. Enzo naturally, and inconveniently, insisted on landing a hand (paw) to the proceedings sprawling out across the kitchen table across the instruction manual and loose LEGO bricks with is metronome-like tail threatening to send pieces flying with each snap and thwap.

This was the biggest, most cumbersome, and most challenging LEGO set I’ve ever attempted. Each time I hit a seemingly possible phase of construction (like connecting the bow to the rest of the ship, threading the thin twine through the mast) I’d find out via LEGO forums online that these were by now famously difficult and quite common mishaps that sent many folks giving up or throwing the set across the room. I followed the uniform advice of “step away and return to it later” that that did help matters, as did watching helpful videos online. The final build wasn’t perfect. I gave up on some parts you’ll never see (like the underside of the Orca). Lacking a display surface out of Enzo’s eyesight and reach I placed it high up atop the cabinets over the stove, one of the only areas of the apartment I’ve never seen him claim or seem interested in exploring.

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Georgia Fulton’s “Everlasting Summer” Playlist

Around this time of year I always turn to Friend of LAST CALL Georgia Fulton’s “Everlasting Summer” Dive Bar Jukebox contribution, her sun-baked personal love letter to the looming end of her favorite season.

“I’m a through and through summer person. I love everything about it. Waking up and throwing on some knickers and a dress, the beach, fish and chips, fresh fruit, the tomatoes I’m growing upstate. I love the intensity of a heatwave and the way it reduces an entire city of sophisticated people to utter only one sentiment: It’s soooo hot. I wear my tan as a badge of honor. It proclaims the lazy fun of the many beach days I’ve had. You can see it, and it’s true—I’m good at all this summertime stuff.”
— Georgia Fulton

Georgia has been much busier than usual this summer working hard to breathe new life into Sam’s Restaurant as the new owner of this historic Cobble Hill pizzeria that dates back to 1930. I’lll be stopping by soon to see the space and talk to Georgia about the forthcoming opening, and stay tuned for her third record-setting Dive Bar Jukebox appearance with an all-new playlist inspired by Sam’s.

Raising a Glass to Louis

This past Friday, July 31, was the “Gotcha Day” of the late, great Louis, an adopted former farm cat from Mill Creek, Washington, who lived 16 of his 18 long years with me until we said goodbye on September 24, 2021. We always celebrated his birthday with a can of Cento tuna, a new toy, and a fresh bag of treats.

It took me more than four years to even consider bringing a new cat into my life. The constant sadness and painful memories of our final days together tore me apart, and each corner and windowsill, and soft chair made my apartment feel even more empty without him.

Since Enzo moved in over a year ago I find that my memories of Louis, specifically his mews, motor-like purrs, and that signature “murr” to announce himself when he hopped up on the bed, are fading from my memory. Enzo is a big boy with a big personality who completely fills the room, and my life, with his presence.

There will always be room in my heart for Louis, and I hope he’s up there looking down us in with love and amusement, and welcoming all our @distillerycats friends who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge to show them around.

I’ll never stop telling Enzo stories about Louis and our adventures together, as we move on together making a new lifetime of memories together, however long that may be.

Long live, Louis! May his legacy carry on in spirit.

Hamilton the Hipster

Ally Marrone and Robby Dow, Grand Army | Brooklyn, New York

This was my favorite drink featured on Grand Army’s popular “Cats” menu in the fall of 2021 that they lovingly dedicated in honor of Louis. This Negroni variation was inspired by Hamilton the Hipster, an internet-famous cat with a distinctive curlicue mustache.

Ingredients

• 3/4 ounce Fords Gin

• 3/4 ounce Mulassano Vermouth Bianco

• 3/4 ounce Cardamaro

• 1/2 ounce Cynar

• Garnish: Grapefruit twist

Directions

Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a double Old-Fashioned glass over ice and garnish with a grapefruit twist.

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• LAST CALL logo and design by Ed Anderson.

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• Paid partner content or sponsored dispatches on LAST CALL are labeled accordingly.

Welcome to The Lowdown, a regular Paid Subscriber exclusive featuring what (and where) I’ve recently been eating and drinking.

On today’s The Lowdown…

• It’s Officially Summer in Carroll Gardens when the Linguine with Spicy Crab Marinara Hits the Menu at Frankies.

• Summer 2026 in a Glass (Literally) at Dante Aperitivo.

• Snacking While Watching World Cup at Bar Ferdinando.

• Singapore Slings and Smoked Pork Chops at Tavern Next Door.

• Don’t Sleep on Ciao, Gloria’s “Miso Corny!” Cookies.

• House of Pizza & Calzone’s Ham & Anchovy “BTP Special.”

• Taste-Testing Salt & Straw Ice Cream’s Berry Series.

• And more!

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The Lowdown

Linguine with Spicy Crab Marinara
(Frankies 457 Spuntino)

457 Court Street, Brooklyn, New York 11231

Since moving to Brooklyn in the spring of 2010, I don’t think a summer has passed me by where I haven’t posted up at Frankies 457 Spuntino in Carroll Gardens for their Linguine with Spicy Crab Marinara, a limited window dish that I think about all year long. The restaurant will always hold a special place in my heart as it was the site of my very first dinner in Brooklyn after the moving truck pulled away.

After running around on errands all morning on an oppressively muggy Friday that promised rain I called an audible and walked into Frankies, where I was immediately greeted by The Franks (owners Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo) who were holding court at a front table by the window, all the better to monitor the neighborhood action. With the oncoming rain they weren’t currently seating in the garden and Falcinelli said, “Post up at B1 at the bar. Take a load off and have a nice lunch.”

I started things off with a perfectly balanced and spirited Negroni to keep me occupied until the bartender brought out the pair of crostini I had ordered, Chicken Liver Mousse and Ricotta and Honey. Each crispy slice of toasted bread was topped with a fat quenelle of their respective topping and a crack of pepper, which bridged the gap from savory and velvety chicken liver mousse to sweet and tangy and creamy ricotta and honey (my all-time favorite from the crostini lineup and one I often serve at home when entertaining).

When the oversized shallow bowl of Linguine with Spicy Crab Marinara made an appearance it warranted my full attention and the first bite of the sweet crab and spicy marinara sparked a highlight reel of all the times I’ve had this dish each summer. I almost forgot to ask the bartender for a side plate of bread to sop up every bit of sauce, scarpetta style. I may need to get back from a Xerox of this experience while it’s still on the menu.

Without a doubt, sweet closers like Tiramisu, Vanilla Crème Brûlée, Ricotta Cheesecake, and a Chocolate Tart were all tempting, but my move is always the Red Wine Prunes & Mascarpone. I’ve shared this dish with skeptical friends and every time we’re both nearly dueling with our dessert spoons to see who can get the last bite of spiced, wine-soaked prune and tangy mascarpone.

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Summer 2026 in a Glass (Literally)
(Dante Aperitivo)

51 Bank Street., New York, New York 10014

Last Friday as I navigated my usual route, taking me from the Flaitiron Eataly to the LEGO store to the Union Square Greenmarket to Breads Bakery to Dante West Village to Salt & Straw, I took a detour to Dante Aperitivo to take a break and beat the early afternoon heat with a midday refresher. While I had attended a visiting pop-up there two summers ago hadn’t been back since they officially opened but I had been quite taken with their scenic neighborhood location on Bank Street.

I was worried they were closed but I just happened to be the first person coming through ( the girlypops don’t start queueing up until late afternoon). Their GM, a stylish woman named Valentina welcomed me in and I recognized the charming Neapolitan bartender Federico Lombardi, the former Head Bartender at the acclaimed bar Paradiso in Barcelona.

While I had already sampled the Summer 2026 at Dante’s West Village outpost the memory lingered and had me craving it, especially on a particularly hot and sunny Friday afternoon. Dante always features a seasonal signature drink named simply after the season and year, and this summer’s offering really stands out with its blend of Código 1530 Rosa Tequila, Cocchi Rosa, freshly pressed watermelon juice, lime, topped with Perrier-Jouet Rosé and served on the rocks in a svelte highball garnished with a so-thin-its-nearly-see-through watermelon slice. Its juicy profile is super-refreshing and the kind of drink I wouldn’t mind drinking by the carafe.

When it was still relatively quiet before other guests joined me at the bars and sun-kissed tables by the windows, Val came over to introduce herself as she also writes about food culture, and it turns out we had a lot of mutual connections through our the Southern Foodways Alliance. She also wrote a moving essay for Gravy, SFA’s quarterly journal, about personal identity and community and how working in the service industry after moving to Texas from Colombia “began cracking open the safe where my Latina identity lay.” I recalled reading it in Gravy when it was first published last winter but unexpectedly meeting the very author in person was the highlight of my day. A bonus fun-fact: Julia Kuo, the talented artist who illustrated Val’s essay also illustrated all the spirited cats in my book Distillery Cats. Small world…

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Vongole alla Patatine
(Bar Ferdinando)

151 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231

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Dive Bar Jukebox

Welcome back to Dive Bar Jukebox, a LAST CALL paid subscriber exclusive where bartenders, writers, chefs, musicians, and a cast of cool characters answer the question: If we were hanging out together at a bar and I put ten credits on the jukebox, what songs would you punch in and why? The responses reveal thoughts on, and tales about, their favorite dive bars along with a curated, annotated playlist for your listening pleasure.

Please welcome today’s special guest…

Laurymar Lopez Melon

Bartender Laurymar Lopez Melon ("Laury” for short) hails from Isabela, Puerto Rico, where she lived with her single mother until they moved to Houston, Texas, to seek better opportunities for the family when Laury was 12. “I experienced major culture shock and struggled to find where I fit in,” she recalls. “The things that felt normal to me suddenly felt different, and for a long time I learned how to adapt to whatever space I was in. I became very good at shapeshifting.”

During her college years in Ohio, Lopez Melon started working at a high-volume, off-campus bar doing everything from crowd control to working the door to cleaning the bathrooms before eventually stepping behind the bar as a bartender, banging out simple drinks like Vodka Sodas, Jäger bombs, Dirty Shirleys, and Starry Night shots [chilled equal parts of Jägermeister and Goldschläger]. “I graduated cum laude with a degree in philosophy thinking I was supposed to pursue a more traditional career path, but bartending gave me one of my first real experiences of community,” says Lopez Melon.

After some traveling in a brief attempt at figuring out her life, Lopez Melon moved to New York City with her cat Comet, planning to tend bar until she plotted her next move. In time she was part of the opening team at SoSo’s, a neighborhood cocktail bar in Lower Manhattan, that would serve as the foundation for what would become her proper cocktail education.

“I was honest about my experience. I told them my favorite cocktail was a Mojito and that I didn’t know what a Vesper was,” says Lopez Melon, who eventually became the head bartender by working hard to learn the foundations and families of classic cocktails, tasting through spirits, perfecting her technique, and mastering the fine art of hospitality.

“Hospitality became the thing that I figured out I wanted to do,” she says. “And alongside it, I started reclaiming and figuring out my identity and what it meant to me.”

The last couple of years were spent at Milady’s and Bar Madonna, where Lopez Melon continued “exploring and experimenting with what kind of bartender I wanted to be.”

Today you can find Lopez Melon at Bar Snack, Iain Griffiths’ East Village neighborhood bar recently ranked No. 3 in North America’s 50 Best Bars, a venue that she says feels like a culmination of everything she’s been working toward. “It’s fun, fast-paced, and intentional; a space that feels bigger than itself,” she says. “As a young person in this industry, it can feel like you’re under a microscope. But I want to emphasize that there is always room to explore, to figure out what’s right for you, to disagree, to pivot, and still show up with grace and work ethic.”

Laurymar Lopez Melon’s colleagues and regulars aren’t the only ones in town to notice her hard work, as PUNCH recently recognized Lopez Melon as one of the Best New Bartenders of 2026. “It still feels surreal and intimidating,” she says. “I don’t know if I’m the most naturally creative person in the room, but I do know that I love this craft—learning, teaching, and creating spaces where people feel like they belong.”

Read on as Lopez Melon explains why a certain non-working jukebox at an East Village bar happens to be her favorite one in town, the art of crying at 1:00 a.m. at a dive bar, her now not-so-secret “walk on” song, and a playlist that follows the arc of a night out—“from walking into the bar to settling in to realizing it’s finally time to go home to your cats.” Lopez Melon reminds us that “These aren’t cowboy songs, and they’re not deep cuts. They’ve just been there for me, and they make me feel good.”

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Talking Dives with Laurymar Lopez Melon

What is your favorite dive bar and why do you love it?

Laury: I think I’m still looking for it, quite honestly. But I will give love to H&H Reserve in Williamsburg. It doesn’t fit the stereotypical dive bar mold, but it is a neighborhood bar at its core. When I worked on Metropolitan Ave, it was where I ended up most nights. It wasn’t trying to be anything. The music was good and random, but never so loud that you couldn’t overhear the absurd conversation next to you. And the crowd skewed older, which I appreciated. It was one of those places where if you stayed long enough, everyone started talking to each other. Also, they kept Rumplemintz in the freezer. A bar after my own heart.

What makes a dive bar a dive bar?

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If you would like to order signed copies of any of BTP’s books or learn more about wholesale opportunities to stock any of his books at your bookstore, bottle shop, distillery, or business, please email btp@btparsons.com for more information.

Last Call: Bartenders on Their Final Drink and Wisdom and Rituals of Closing Time

*James Beard Award Finalist* | *Spirited Award Winner* | *Named One of the Best Books of the Year by Chicago Tribune*

“Brad Thomas Parsons’ Last Call is a glorious multi-tool of a book. Its profusion of smart cocktail recipes makes it invaluable behind the bar—or tucked into your suitcase, as it’s also a supreme travel guide to some of the finest saloons in America, a treasure map for late-night explorers. It’s also, sublimely, a gravelly disquisition on life, death, pleasure, and what it all means. Parsons has become our preeminent thinker-drinker—our best surveyor of that heady, complex zone where liquid spirits meet the human spirit.” —Jonathan Miles, Author of Dear American Airlines and Anatomy of a Miracle

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Distillery Cats: Profiles in Courage of the World’s Most Spirited Mousers

“Cats + Booze! Brad Thomas Parsons has channeled his inner cat lady to discover the ultimate formula for happiness.” —Kerry Diamond, Editorial Director of Cherry Bombe

Penguin Random House

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Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs

*Spirited Award Finalist*

“Brad Thomas Parsons’s Bitters quickly became the definitive guide to a mysterious but essential cocktail ingredient. He’s done it again with Amaro, a gorgeous, comprehensive, and delectable exploration of the world’s bittersweet aperitifs and digestifs. Parsons’ passion for the history, culture, and personalities behind these herbaceous concoctions, coupled with Ed Anderson’s gorgeous photography, make Amaro a must-have.” —Amy Stewart, author of The Drunken Botanist

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Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All

*James Beard Award Winner* | *IACP Award Winner* | *Spirited Award Finalist*

“Brad has not only written the definitive volume on bitters, but also proven himself a bartender of the highest order: an inspired mixologist and a gifted storyteller whose generous, engaging voice makes you want to order round after round.” —Matt Lee and Ted Lee, authors of The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook

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This super-sized 4th Anniversary Special Edition dispatch will most definitely be truncated in your email inbox. Be sure to select “View Entire Message” to enjoy the whole kit and caboodle in your browser.

7/11: Celebrating 4 Years of LAST CALL

Wake the kids, phone the neighbors!

We’re kicking off the 4-year anniversary of the launch of LAST CALL on July 11, 2022 (Enzo wasn’t even born!) a day early in order to soak up the celebratory mood all weekend long.

While you have to wait until tomorrow, Saturday, July 11 (7/11… get it?) to get your free small Slurpee, we tip our cap to our friends at 7-Eleven who are celebrating the 60th anniversary of their signature Slurpee. I stopped by our local 7-Eleven on Atlantic Avenue yesterday to “borrow” one of their new anniversary cups to get a jump-start on Enzo’s photo shoot, but tomorrow 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes stores nationwide will be offering a free small Slurpee all day long.

This year’s special limited-time Slurpee flavor is Mountain Dew Confetti Chill, what’s billed as “lemon birthday cake flavor citrus x vanilla icing.” Personally, I’d stick with a classic flavor like Coca-Cola, Cherry (maybe a mix of both?), or Blue Raspberry.

With all that (#notsponsored) Slurpee news out of the way, I want to kick things off by thanking the thousands of engaged (and engaging) readers among you here who continue to support my work at LAST CALL, especially all of you who have been here since Day One back in the summer of 2022. And a special shout-out to all the subscribers here, old and new, who continue to help underwrite LAST CALL as Paid Subscribers. It’s benefactors like you who have helped make LAST CALL a certified Substack “Bestseller” for four years running.

Writing is a solitary and often lonely pursuit. On paper, all these visits to bars and restaurants for tastings and interviews likely seem pretty cool (and they mostly are), but the churn of researching/writing/publishing/promoting/(repeat) takes its toll. That’s why engagement from readers is always welcome and helps me feel like I’m working less than a vacuum and more of a community of readers. I realize it’s a lot to ask to even keep up with reading these frequent dispatches, but your engagement, feedback, comments, and sharing dispatches are always helpful and most welcome.

Having direct access to readers was one of the big reasons I joined Substack and I truly appreciate all the readers out there who I’ve continued conversations beyond the dispatches with via email, text, or DMs here or on Instagram. Sometimes it’s to talk about the Knicks, ask about a specific bottle of amaro, order a signed copy of one of my books, share a photo of a drink they made from a recipe here, ask for for Italy recommendations, or grill me on why I really hate onions.

More and more I tend to run into readers out in the wild who are kind enough to say hello when they run into me hanging out a favorite bar, standing on line at the grocery store, on a constitutional along the Brooklyn waterfront, or sitting at a table outside of of Eataly with a caffè and cornetto. It’s always such a nice thing to happen to a writer but I’ve noticed a shift of most people saying kind words about one of my books to, “I’m a big fan of LAST CALL!” So if you see something (me), say something (it doesn’t have to be that you love my work). I’m a nice guy. I promise.

I know we all have our own personal and very justifiable reasons to not offer your financial support here, but if you were to ever reconsider today would be a perfect day to become an Annual Paid Subscriber. Even better, if you sign up by Sunday, you can still take advantage of our “Freedom of Choice” Subscription Sale (full details in the next bucket below!). And if you’re already a Paid Subscriber (grazie mille!), today would be a perfect day to surprise a friend, family member, colleague, or your favorite bartender with a Gift Subscription to LAST CALL. Think it over, won’t you?

Enzo already called it a day and disappeared underneath my bed for his 4-5 hour afternoon nap and my brief morning constitutional to L’Apartment 4F revealed it’s already much hotter out than it looks has me considering just staying in today in the comfort my AC (though I dread the upcoming ConEd bill). But I may rally for a mild celebration with myself here in the neighborhood or, if I have the energy, in the Big City. Or maybe I’ll treat Enzo and myself to a ham and anchovy pizza and anitpasto from The House of Pizza and Calzone. We shall see.

In the meantime, here’s to looking ahead to Year 5!

Have a great weekend! See you on the other side…

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LAST CALL Fun Facts

While most of my friends and colleagues who have Substack newsletters remain coy with their subscription numbers and that’s understandable. Whenever I get a little excited about an accomplishment here, for every person drafting a milestone post are throwing high-fives for finally hitting 500 subscribers in a year, others quickly bring me back down to Earth with their casual announcement of reaching 100,000 subscribers.

I joined Substack at the right time, I think, compared to those signing up now. With so many writers moving to Substack every day, and the company’s shifting focus on the kind of content and experience they highlight and champion, it’s more challenging than ever for readers to commit to multiple paid subscriptions (believe me, I know).

When I started LAST CALL, my personal goal was to achieve 5,000 total subscribers (free and paid) by the end first year, and within the first two weeks I had 1,000 subscribers with more than 100 paid subscribers. It took me a bit longer to hit that 5,000 mark and I’m still chasing that goal of 10,000 overall subscribers, but have been inching closer every day with nearly 8,000 subscribers.

LAST CALL Followers Growth

“Followers” at Substack are the total subscribers (paid and free) along with readers who interact with LAST CALL via the Substack app or Substack Notes. Followers can opt to receive updates via email but most get an alert or notification via the Substack App. That continued steady growth (now at 19.4K total Followers) is most welcome, but it’s very difficult to convert Followers to Subscribers.

LAST CALL Subscribers Growth

“Subscribers” include readers and subscribers (free and paid) who elect to receive updates via email and/or the Substack App. That post-holiday 2025 spike has been a longer than hoped for plateau that’s dragging out like a long, flat drive on Nebraska’s Interstate 80, mostly due the slow but steady churn of losing more subscribers than new ones I gain.

The look at Subscriber growth over the past year period paints a darker picture. It wasn’t just a Freudian slip on my end when I typed the graph caption as “LAST FALL” by mistake. As with my book sales, that Q4 Holiday spike makes a huge difference but tends to trickle off as things do when the post-holiday glow fades away with the reality of the demands of another new year. I’m currently at 7.9K Subscribers (which includes the number of Paid Subscribers) and have been trying to get back to that north of 8K December 2025 watermark. Wish me luck. But I can’t do it without you.

LAST CALL Reader Age & Gender Breakdown

Substack doesn’t provide reader age or gender information for individual newsletter publications, though they share that 25–34 year olds represent the largest user segment, accounting for roughly 24% to 27% of the audience while 25–44 year olds combined make up the largest overall age bracket on the platform.

While it may not be fully in sync, I’m including some age/gender demographics from my Instagram which should offer some insights.

Reader Gender

• Men (59.4%)

• Women (40.6%)

Reader Age Range

• All

  • 25-34: 17.1%

  • 35-44: 43.2%

  • 45-54: 22.9%

  • 55-64:10.8%

• Men

  • 25-34: 18.1%

  • 35-44: 45.7%

  • 45-54: 23.2%

  • 55-64: 8.8%

• Women

  • 25-34: 15.7%

  • 35-44: 39.5%

  • 45-54: 22.6%

  • 55-64: 13.7%

LAST CALL Demographics

• LAST CALL is read across all 50 U.S. states and 122 countries.

• Highest Percentage of All U.S. LAST CALL Readers and Subscribers by State:

  • New York (22%)

  • California (15%)

  • Illinois (5%)

  • Pennsylvania (4%)

  • Texas (4%)

• Percentage of U.S. LAST CALL Paid Subscribers by State:

  • New York (33%)

  • California (24%)

  • Washington (6%)

  • Pennsylvania (5%)

  • Massachusetts (5%)

• Percentage of international LAST CALL Readers and Subscribers by Country

  • United States (94%)

  • Italy (2%)

  • United Kingdom (1%)

  • Canada (1%)

  • Switzerland (1%)

LAST CALL Audience Overlap & Recommendations

• LAST CALL Substack Newsletter Audience Overlap

  • David Lebovitz Newsletter (25%)

  • Letters from an American (13%)

  • Elizabeth Minchilli’s Newsletter from Italy (10%)

  • The Mix with Robert Simonson (10%)

  • Ruth Reichl’s (9%)

  • Michael Ruhlman’s Newsletter (9%)

• Top Source of Incoming LAST CALL Subscriptions Generated from Substack Recommendations

  • David Lebovitz Newsletter (2,551)

  • Luke Flunder Wine World (908)

  • Elizabeth Minchilli’s Newseltter from Italy (893)

  • Michael Ruhlman’s Newsletter (736)

  • (364)

  • A Tiny Apt. (351)

• Top Outgoing Subscriptions Generated from LAST CALL Substack Recommendations

  • Michael Ruhlman’s Newsletter (457)

  • A Tiny Apt. (444)

  • David Lebovitz Newsletter (254)

  • Victoria Cece’s Slutti Spaghetti (216)

  • Elizabeth Minchilli’s Newsletter from Italy (126)

  • Feed Me (132)

  • American Weekender (123)

  • Perfect City (93)

Top 20 Most Popular LAST CALL Dispatches of the Year (So Far)

1. “The Photograph On the Dashboard, Taken Years Ago” (1/24/2026)
   This year’s annual BTP birthday essay takes on the dark side of birthdays and the spiritual weight of being.

2. “Stir Up an Alpine Slide” (2/24/2026)
   A cold-weather cocktail with the spirit of a summertime spritz.

3. ”Road Game: Lancaster, Pennsylvania” (2/2/2026)
   A birthday weekend getaway to beat the wintertime blues set amidst a major incoming snow storm.

4. ”Tanti Auguri, Enzo!” (2/26/2026)
   Everybody’s favorite LAST CALL contributor and vanilla-caramel-fudge-swirl colored tabby cat turns two.

5. “A Bittersweet Story of Vermouth & Chocolate” (4/9/2026)
   A spirited presentation and tasting with Cocchi’s Roberto Bava.

6. “Buon San Valentino!” (2/14/2026)
   Heart-shaped pizzas, chocolate Negronis, and a BTP after-hours playlist for all the young lovers.

7. “City Guides: Seattle’s Pike Place Market” (4/15/2026)
   A BTP guided-tour on where to eat, drink, snack, and shop at Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market.

8. “It’s Pączki Day!” (2/17/2026)
   From Lancaster to Greenpoint… all about the Fat Tuesday fried confection that’s much more than your average jelly doughnut.

9. “The Food and Drink Themed Alternate Identities of Minor League Baseball Teams” (3/25/2026)
   An Opening Day tribute to the quirky food and drink-themed “alternate identities” stepping up to the plate across the MiLB.

10. “A Spirited Talk About All Things Spirit-Free with John deBary” (1/16/2026)
    Talking about the publication of The Nonalcoholic Bar along with Two Featured Recipes.

11. “Peter Luger x Facia Brutto Spirits = Lugermeister!” (3/18/2026)
    Two Brooklyn-based brands unite to launch a bespoke German-style kräuterlikör.

12. “Dive Bar Jukebox with Jonathan Miles” (2/6/2026)
    One of my favorite writers and longtime friends makes his DBJ debut with a heartfelt and elegiac “sonic memory reel” filled with tales from dive bars, juke joints, saloons, road houses, jazz clubs, and Irish pubs around the world.

13. “Come As You Are: Celebrating 30 Years of Seattle’s Palace Kitchen” (3/9/2026)
    A deep-dive interview with Palace Kitchen Opening Chef and TD & Co. Managing Partner Eric Tanaka on the 30th anniversary of my favorite Seattle restaurants.

14. “Blue Seattle” (1/22/2026)
    Soaking up Seattle nostalgia with the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run, BTP’s favorite movies set in Seattle, ranking the films of Cameron Crowe, and revisiting Singles 34 years later.

15. “Tobin Shea’s Little Tokyo” (4/21/2026)
    The story behind how a Los Angeles bartender’s unassuming Negroni variation took flight to become a must-try drink.

16. “Out On the Town: Bar Ferdinando” (4/13/2026)
    The restoration and return of New York City’s oldest Sicilian restaurant.

17. “LAST CALL x The XXV Winter Olympic Games: Opening Ceremony” (2/7/2026)
    Our first ever Olympic coverage kicks off with LAST CALL correspondents Amy and Crasta chronicling their weeklong adventures at the The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

18. “Out On the Town: Caffè Giocosa Pop-Up & Checking Out Chicchetti Hour at Bar Bianchi” (2/20/2026)
    The Florence bar where the Negroni was first poured for Count Camillo Negroni in 1919 pops-up in the West Village.

19. “A Perfectly Delicious Palace Kitchen-Inspired Happy Hour Pairing” (3/13/2026)
    The story, and recipe, behind the Palace Kitchen’s beloved Olive Poppers.

20. “Going Green for St. Patrick’s Day” (3/16/206)
    Raising a glass to growing up on WPIX and the Yankees, Phil Rizzuto, The Odd Couple, Solid Gold Crazy Eddie, Tom Carvel, and Cookie Puss.

The “P Word” (Paywalls)

When I first joined Substack in 2022 I was fortunate to have an in-house Substack A&R Representative assgined to me to to help field my many questions and offer guidance and best practices. That’s no longer the case, especially with thousands upon thousands of new Substack newsletters seemingly launching every day in addition to the much-publicized on-boarding of more and more bold-faced names.

But one piece of advice they shared on Day One was that when it came to paywalls on dispatches, “the concert should be free and the backstage pass should be exclusive.” That makes sense on principle, but not always in practice.

I made every dispatch for the first three months of LAST CALL free to all readers but also allowed readers to sign up for a Paid Subscription, which hundreds of people elected to do to as a sign of support.

For the first year or two I tried to send one free dispatch a week (typically on Tuesdays) along with a paywalled exclusive feature (typically on Fridays). These Friday exclusives rotating between several set themes I had established. This went on for a while, with free dispatches going behind the paywall after 1-2 weeks, but I wasn’t always consistent with what was paywalled and what was free for various reasons I wrestled with. Maybe it was a worthy debut author I wanted to champion, or a big-name personality who warranted to be read about by all, or an exclusive feature that I just couldn’t keep to myself and shared with all readers.

A few Paid Subscribers let me know in last year’s Reader Survey that they felt by giving so much content away for free took away from the perceived value of their paid subscription. I completely understood and took that feedback to heart.

While it hasn’t been consistent, last fall I adopted sending out a “meaty” monthly dispatch on the first of the month for all readers. On paper, this is the only dispatch that free readers are guaranteed to receive each month. While there will be exceptions, readers and subscribers should expect to see more paywalled posts on LAST CALL. This serves to truly reward Paid Subscribers with their ongoing support as well as hopefully spark a free reader make that jump to the other side.

I hate paywalls as much as everyone else does. Whenever I encounter one I’m instantly annoyed and close the browser in defiance leaving that unread, unaccessible story in the rearview mirror.

I did used to offer two options from Substack where you can either continue reading this one paywalled post courtesy of the author and the move where you had a 7-day preview where you signed up for a paid subscription for one week with an option to cancel. I can count the number of people who actually became paid subscribers on one hand. Too many people gamed the system, which I get, and would barn-storm around the archives, cherry-picking what they wanted to read and then cancelling and high-tailing it out of here just before their free preview ended. Recently I had a paid subscriber sign up and then read every Dive Bar Jukebox in a day and then unsubscribe leaving “Sorry… just not for me,” as their reason.

I occasionally try to read a few specific Substacks of which 90% of the posts are behind a paywall. What’s worse is that the gate slams down after only three sentences, top. Perhaps I am being too generous with the free content. But rest assured, whenever I do activate a paywall I always try to share a good portion of the story, hopefully enough to get you engaged and leave you wanting to read through to the conclusion. Like my own life, LAST CALL will always be a work in progress, but I promise to keep everybody up to date on any changes and always welcome feedback and constructive feedback.

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LAST CALL Exclusive Features

An update on the current lineup of LAST CALL exclusive features.

Dive Bar Jukebox

Dive Bar Jukebox was the OG Friday exclusive and used to run every Friday, which was crazy that I was able to sustain that output halfway into Year 2. While a lot of the “homework” is on the featured guest, nearly each person has shared how much fun, and how difficult it can be, to fine-tune their 10-song playlist with commentary. I also experienced a fair share of no-shows who eagerly signed up and then ghosted me.

So it now remains a rotating that I committed to continuing with a frequency of 1-2 a month. feature as it can be unwieldy to maintain weekly. I’m still very proud of this feature and how it’s caught on with readers. There are dozens of DBJs within the archives for your reading and listening pleasure, and I look forward to adding even more in the months ahead.

Reader Survey Feedback on Dive Bar Jukebox

• “I would say that I really loved all the DBJ’s, but I remember when you were doing those weekly I thought to myself—gosh that’s a whole ton of work to do every week! I’ve done monthly newsletters before (former President of the Nevada Old-Time Fiddler’s Association) and I always felt so much pressure to gather all that content and put it all together and out to our membership monthly.”

• “DBJ is always a treat, not just you introducing great folks in the business to me that I would otherwise never know or know about, with their take on your questions and all the great music you and they share with us!”

• “I don’t have Spotify, so lots of music links in Dive Bar Jukebox have been inaccessible for me. I’m not as interested in the music portion of LAST CALL, even though I am a huge music fan. To paraphrase Sother, I’m just here for the food and drinks.”

• “I am not a big music or live music follower, so this is generally just content that is lost on me.”

• “I learn about music I didn’t know about and music I had forgotten about.”

• “Dive Bar Jukebox—What’s not to love? I just wish i could afford to be a paying member so I can see the full interview and Spotify lists, sigh. But that’s ok. I get a taste.”

• “A very tiny nitpick, but I wish some contributors to Dive Bar Jukebox were older and liked jazz.”

The Lowdown

When I launched LAST CALL I included a section at the end of each Tuesday dispatch called The Lowdown. This was my “bits and bobs” of quick hits consisting of bulleted items prompted by what I’m Drinking, Eating, Reading, Watching, Writing, Listening to, etc. This little nightcap generated tons of clicks so my then-assigned Substack A&R rep encouraged me to expand The Lowdown into its own exclusive feature, which is now just focused on Drinking and Eating highlights.
Reader Survey Feedback on The Lowdown

• “I love the inside information about the New York restaurant, bar, and beverage scene. I have also learned a lot about alcoholic beverages in general from reading Last Call and Brad’s books.

Out On the Town

Out On the Town, a regular Paid Subscriber exclusive where I break down a recent visit to a particular bar or restaurant—whether an old favorite, a new spot, or a first-time visit to a “new to me” joint. It’s sort of like but not really a review of a space but is also more about the overall experience with a longer time spent at one venue rather than the hop-around style of The Lowdown.

City Guides

I constantly receive emails, texts, and DMs from friends and strangers alike who are heading somewhere and ask me for restaurant and bar recommendations. Launching City Guides allowed me to share personal, detailed recommendations for some of my favorite spots to drink, eat, and hang out. Aside from a couple outliers, it’s mostly been breaking down BTP’s Brooklyn by neighborhood.

If you look at the frequency you’ll likely understand how much work goes into this feature and hasn’t quite moved into the regular rotation as much as I would like. It still mostly remains in dry dock, but I plan to keep it alive in some form. I’d like to weave in more guest star appearances like I did with David Kaplan for the Columbia Street Waterfront District City Guide who shared his expertise along with tips and suggestions for his own favorite haunts in addition to my personal picks.

Reader Survey Feedback on City Guides

• “Perhaps offer more city/neighborhood recommendations. More Lancaster PA -- how about Lititz? I’d meet you at Kole’s Chophouse or Cavolo’s or Piccolo’s or Beccafico or Per Diem, haha!”

• “More city guides, if you’re able!”

Off the Backbar with Enzo

The first eight installments of Off the Backbar with Enzo were free to all readers but will now be joining the ranks of Paid Subscriber Exclusives. As a drinks writer I receive a lot of sample bottles from brands both big and small and don’t always have the time to give them my full attention in a timely manner. Though it’s open to all brands, this was my way to shine a spotlight smaller independent brands by featuring adorable photos of Enzo interacting with the bottle while offering some background on the brand, tasting notes, and a cocktail recipe. This was also planned as a pretty turn-key feature and not a deep dive (I mean, Enzo is just a cat after all). And note, too, that these have all been editorially selected brands. Nothing has been sponsored at this point and if it ever was it would be clearly noted as such.

Reader Survey Feedback on Off the Backbar with Enzo

• “Enzo has great taste, and I’ve cherished reading about obscure spirits that I might otherwise have never heard of.”

• “As for ‘Off the Backbar,’ i like learning about the amaros, and of course the cutie that is Enzo.”

• “I’m loving the ‘Off the Backbar’ write-ups & would definitely enjoy more on the spirits in your collection. I mean, get that sponsor money but I like learning about what you’ve collected & why.”

• “I want some more meat to the ‘Off the Backbar’ feature.

• “It’s all great, but the ‘Off the Backbar’ posts could have a little more information about how the bottles rate versus more other comparable bottles and other information that might persuade us to seek them out.”

• Not sure I can tell them all apart just based on the titles. I can’t tell how many of the ‘Off the Backbar’ selections are sponsored content vs. not sponsored. Again, I completely understand the need for sponsors to subsidize things—but I’d prefer to know when something is making your list because you genuinely love it vs. because you’re being paid to love it.”

  
  (BTP: As noted above, at this time Off the Backbar with Enzo hasn’t featured any sponsored brands. Any sponsored content on LAST CALL is always clearly labeled as such. It’s all Enzo and me and is intended as a “softer” fun feature rather than the complete history of a featured bottle. This was been a way for me to put my bottle collection (and Enzo) to work and that’s great feedback about going even further into the collection.)

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LAST CALL x Like-Minded Brands

While there are some Substack newsletters out there who storm the ramparts in the name of independent journalism, featuring occasional brand partnerships never affects my editorial bias or conflicts with coverage. Most readers have responded very well to these on-brand messages from our sponsors, which are always editorialized with content including recipes and interviews as well as special offers and promo codes. I’ve only had one reader in the last year who canceled their subscription due to “advertising.” The reality is that even with the generous reader-funded support, LAST CALL is a business venture and partnering with like-minded brands from time to time helps keep the lights on.

The reality is that, like many Substack publications, LAST CALL is a one-man band. Aside from the many creative and generous special guests who provide their time and expertise, there are no additional contributors (well, aside from Enzo) or husbands or wives or partners who help pitch in. I’m truly doing what I can to help support myself here while also providing hopefully engaging, entertaining, and informative stories, interviews, essays, features, recipes, and more.

This past year at LAST CALL we’ve featured collaborations with a number of independent brands we’ve established relationships with, including The Italian Spirits Company, Fast Penny Spirits, St. Agrestis, Atheras Spirits, and Casamara Club, among others.

If you are a brand in the beverage, food, consumer packaged goods, or publishing world who would like to receive more information about Fall and Winter 2026 opportunities to partner with LAST CALL, contact BTP.

LAST CALL Summer 2026 Survey Results

Thank you to all the subscribers who took the time to answer the questions on the LAST CALL Summer 2026 Reader Survey. There’s an inherent vulnerability soliciting feedback from readers, especially when it comes to improvements. Compared to the number of total subscribers, the sample size doesn’t represent all LAST CALL readers, but each and every response will help make LAST CALL even better in the year ahead. We had an even bigger response than last summer’s inaugural survey.

For the breakout below, note that percentages don’t add up to 100% as many queries offered the opportunity to select more than one answer, so consider it as “X% of those who answered.”

How Long Have You Been a LAST CALL Subscriber (Free or Paid)?

• 3 Years (37%)

• 2 Years (24%)

• Since the Beginning, Baby! (July 2022) (18%)

• 1 Year (16%)

• 4 Years (3%)

• Fairly Recently (3%)

Where Did You First Learn about LAST CALL?

• Instagram (33%)

• Email from Author (15%)

• Substack Recommendation (13%)

• Substack App (10%)

• Other: “David Lebovitz”

What Inspired You to Subscribe (Free or Paid) to LAST CALL?

• Content (85%)

• Writer/Author (79%)

• Quality (34%)

• Substack Recommendation (5%)

• Recommendation from Friend or Family (6%)

• Personal Recommendation (5%)

• Other: “David Lebovitz,” “Attending an in-person amaro event at LUCA”

How Do You Prefer to Receive and Read LAST CALL?

• Email (Desktop/Laptop) (62%)

• Email (Mobile Device) (56%)

• Substack App (26%)

Overall, How Satisfied or Dissatisfied Are You With Your LAST CALL Experience?

• Very Satisfied (74%)

• Somewhat Satisfied (23%)

• Somewhat Dissatisfied (3%)

How Would You Describe LAST CALL?

• Entertaining (87%)

• Informative (85%)

• Engaging (72%)

• Creative (62%)

• Unique (51%)

• In-the-Know (51%)

• Other: “Great But Uneven,” “Boozy,” “Bespoke,” “Personal”

Being as Specific as Possible, What Do You Like the Most about LAST CALL?

• “Your writing, content, and sweet disposition (except onions!) on so much material of interest to me. I also really appreciate everything you've got going on, especially that upcoming book, and still making time to put out LAST CALL content for us—so, thank you!!”

• “Your writing is so very personal. The columns come across like a letter to a friend.”

• “I love the depth and breadth of BTP's coverage. He knows the industry inside and out, and he writes with such care and curiosity about new cocktails, new bar programs, new evenings out.”

• “Music playlists and drink recommendations.”

• “I can not tell a lie, it’s Enzo! Just kidding but he’s definitely the cat version of Ed McMahon. Everybody needs a great sidekick. I love Brad’s storytelling, it’s always a pleasure to read about so many great places that I’ll probably never see but he brings things to life so I’m living vicariously through his writing. Love the cocktails, liquor, and all things good related. It’s one Substack I never delete.”

• “I enjoy the thoughtful and colorful posts about life in NYC.”

• “Every darn thing. The City Guides and The Lowdowns for sure, but the brutal honesty in your writing about life keeps me coming back.”

• “I am learning so much about amaro thanks to you, and cocktails in general. Also, not living anywhere near NYC, I like learning about great places to go there, and i also enjoy reading about your travels. (i used to live in St. Louis, and i used your itinerary when visiting there to plan my own stops there when visiting family and friends a couple summers ago). ALSO, CATS!”

• “Content is fantastic; especially your CNY roots.”

• “I like the specific recommendations for places to go in New York City, a place that can be large and overwhelming about guidance.”

• “It deserves a longer email, which I've been meaning to write, but the way Brad writes his parents, his life, and his interests touches me greatly.”

• “References to our local culture (Brooklyn), rabbit hole stories of time well spent (It can be Bourdain like, which is pretty great.) and just your general cocktail knowledge.”

• “Personal yet informative.”

• “Enjoy reading about Enzo as well as your personal reflections.”

• “1) It's personal; 2) Your personality shines through; 3) I'm a huge fan of cocktails and cocktail culture, and I live vicariously through your food and drink experiences; 4) recommendations on places to go (we live close enough to Lancaster, PA to have enjoyed Pizzeria Luca many times on your recommendation); 5) cocktail recipes (this could be the 1st reason); and 6) the overall sense of being part of a community with shared interests.”

• “The human stories, describing how innovative and delicious drink and food bring us together, establishing and nurturing community. I also love the recipes and being able to make a list of places I'd like to visit.”

• “The writing! It’s all about the skill of writing and pulling the reader in. Brad does that!”

• “I enjoy your ‘voice’ as you write—it’s open and honest, self-deprecating, informative, joyous, vulnerable, sometimes raw. Your recommendations for drinks/bars/food/spirits are great, and your taste matches up with mine quite often. You make me want to hang out with you IRL.”

On the Flip Side, What don’t you like about LAST CALL--What’s Missing and What Could Be Better?

• “You don’t do it often, but once in a while, you go off on a political rant. Every person I am interested in hearing from doesn’t have to be political. Stick to the topic. Same with sports. Don’t t care who my favorite Giants pitcher voted for or supported, just throw the ball. And Pitchers should bat.”

  (BTP: Believe, me… I keep most of my political “rants,” as you say to myself or for conversations with friends. But this current cruel, dangerous, and destructive regime presents a climate where silence isn’t acceptable.)

• “I tend to skim the posts detailing the food and drinking articles about cities I know I’ll never visit … but I still find them enjoyable.”

• “I can’t think of anything. I think too many people today think they’re the armchair critic but that’s not me. I’m very happy with the content and I can’t think of anything I would change.”

• “I would like to see more cocktail recipes with ingredients that I have on hand. The Christmas gift list is great, but it comes too late and has way too many items.”

  (BTP: Since launching the Holiday Gift Guides I’ve moved them further out from the holiday each year, settling on the week leading up to Thanksgiving.)

• “Pretty happy with the deal. Sometimes it’s a little inside baseball, but that’s also part of what I like.”

• “Wish I knew when there was new content I don’t spend a lot of time on Substack.”
  (BTP: If you’re a subscriber you can choose how you’d like to be notified of new posts in your Substack settings.”)

• “I can’t say that this has happened, but so many content creators who do indeed get to go to cool places and meet cool people, get braggadocios. Try to remain grounded. Name dropping or location dropping is a bore.”
  (BTP: Hopefully I haven’t crossed that line.)

• “I've read LAST CALL long enough that I know what you do at the holidays, so I would like a new spin on the holiday editions.”
  (BTP: Point taken. That’s certainly fair. One thing about the Holiday Specials is that they’re inspired and modeled on The Late Show with David Letterman’s annual holiday specials and the comfort of tradition and familiarity and hitting the same beats year after year.)

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A Long Holiday Weekend with a Side of Heat Dome

No matter your true feelings on celebrating the current state of America, I hope those who are ringing in the long holiday weekend marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in your own special way—maybe it’s a cookout, a concert in the park, gathering the family for the local parade, hanging out at your local beach or lake, posting up at a dive bar, cranking out frozen drinks from a blender, or floating your worries away aboard a seafaring vessel.

I should have learned my lesson with last year’s Fourth of July chaos that living a couple blocks from the Brooklyn Waterfront and a quick walk from the Brooklyn Promenade—two of the most desirable viewing points for this morning’s historic Sail4th 250 flotilla and tonight’s fireworks display from the Brooklyn Bridge—offers no special access or privileges. That is instead afforded to select locals, VIPs, and hoards of citizens who hold one of the access passes that were raffled off earlier this week.

I know, I know… BTP Problems. But I went out for an early morning constitutional this morning at 8:30 a.m., the streets and Adam Yauch Park still littered with tree branches snapped off during last night’s severe storm, hoping I’d be able to walk up and down the piers before the crowds assembled but was swiftly turned away at the first checkpoint as the Goodyear Blimp floating overhead mocked me from above.

Yesterday morning I had my last official access of the weekend at the Brooklyn Promenade, where I posted up on a bench with a wraparound view of the Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn Bridge, waterfront, and the Statue of Liberty. I soaked it all in for a half hour or so while tearing apart a sugary and sticky kouign-amann from nearby L’Apartment 4F.

I looked down at Concrete Shoals, the dockside clubhouse where I briefly entertained, or at least aspired, to post up to watch the fireworks overhead until I saw how much they were asking for a ticket for such a, rightfully so, envy-inducing perspective. Tall ships and yachts were docking as the Staten Island Ferry and tugs crossed paths on their respective routes. I was hoping to catch sight of the Italian Navy training ship, the Amerigo Vespucci. She’ll be docked at Pier 86 through July 8 though there is, naturally, a ticket required for a topside tour.

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The Spirit of ‘76

Semiquincentennial doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue as easily as bicentennial, but just as I’m getting accustomed to writing it out and using it with confidence in conversation, its expiration date looms with this Saturday’s July Fourth celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.

I won’t spill too much ink or time here with a sidebar about the current State of America and wonder what, or if there is even anything, worth celebrating about such an occasion. National pride is nice to have, even if its reserved for chants of “U.S.A! U.S.A!” while watching the USMNT World Cup match later tonight, but it has taken on more sinister symbolism in our current divided nation.

I may be the only person who has never purchased a now classic Old Navy Flag t-shirt that has become a Fourth of July mainstay, but I do have a small American flag stick-pin that was once belonged to my father, a former U.S. Navy veteran and a proud member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign War, that I keep in an ashtray on my dresser, just as he once did, that’s primarily home to loose coins, affixing it to the lapel of my sport coat when the occasion calls for it.

Unlike most LAST CALL readers, I was actually around for the 1976 bicentennial still have some flashes of memories from that Central New York summer when I was seven years old and, as a proud member of Generation X, spent my days roaming around the neighborhood putting miles on my banana seat bicycle (my beloved yellow-and-blue Huffy BMX bike would be a few years away) with my pack of young friends playing baseball, swimming at the pool at the Palmer’s house, talking about movies and TV shows, and getting into good-natured mischief.

My brother Scott had already taken me to see Jaws on opening weekend that June and we closed out my ‘76 film school education that December with King Kong and Rocky. That next summer would bring us Star Wars (then just Star Wars and not Star Wars—Episode IV: A New Hope) which blew my mind and remains a pop-culture touchstone for me. Two years later in the summer of ‘79 when I was 10, I was hanging out at the Palmer’s pool when I found out about my parents’ separation and eventual divorce when my mother and my future stepfather pulled up in our familiar blue-and-white Oldsmobile and had me climb into the backseat, my wavy red hair wet still slick from swimming. My destination was unknown, as a pin was put in the map of my childhood marking the moment where I would begin to navigate this new chapter of my young life.

The build-up to the bicentennial celebration over the Summer of ‘76 may have been focused on New York City—which back then I only experienced through a perspective driven by popular culture and WPIX—with Operation Sail and the Parade of Ships and a fireworks display for the ages centered around the Statue of Liberty. But even upstate in Canastota, that summer was spent in anticipation of the bicentennial.

While I have no photographic proof available to illustrate this, I spent a lot of time that summer at the Canastota Public Library, a historic two-story Carnegie library built in 1902 that remains one of my favorite hometown landmarks. I can’t recall the frequency, but my mother enrolled me in some kind of activity program held on the second floor to keep me occupied during the day.

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Listen to the Music

PUNCH recently published a new essay of mine, “Montero Bar & Grill Sets Sail Into a New Era,” which pondered: Can a beloved and historic bar maintain its charms under new ownership? I had been privy to the news that Pepe and Linda Montero were planning on retiring and selling the Montero Bar & Grill, their beloved almost 90-year-old nautical-themed Brooklyn Heights dive bar a few blocks from the nearby waterfront, a year before the news became official.

Beyond the legacy of the bar and what its future might hold after being acquired by the Crew the seafaring restaurant group owned by brothers and lifelong sailors Alex and Miles Pincus, I had bigger concerns as I’ve lived above the bar since moving in two weeks before the pandemic flipped the world upside down in March 2020.

Thankfully, they soon assured me that they wanted me to stay (it takes a certain kind of character to live over a dive bar next to a BQE on-ramp), and promised longtime regulars that they planned to “keep Montero, Montero.”

I like to think that I know a thing or two about what makes a dive bar, a dive bar. I’ve often written about neighborhood dives and featured several examples in my book, Last Call. Since the summer of 2022 I’ve been curating the popular “Dive Bar Jukebox” series here on LAST CALL, where a cast of cool characters--including musicians, bartenders, authors, chefs, and restaurateurs--answer the Dive Bar Q&A and share an annotated playlist of songs they would play and why if I put ten credits on the jukebox at bar. I even spent two long years, and a lot of late nights, working on a book about dive bars until I gave up after spiraling to the realization that most of them didn’t give a damn about being featured in a book. (I still have the spreadsheet in my Google Drive with hundreds of potential cross-country dives of which I planned to visit many with photographer Ed Anderson.)

In my essay for PUNCH, which I hope you’ll jump over to read, I spent an afternoon at Montero with Alex as regulars drifted in and out and music played on the speakers and the local news looped highlights of the Knicks playoff run on the overhead TV. We had a long conversation about the bar’s legacy and its future, and the weight of responsibility he and the Crew team feel as stewards and their plan to make sure the historical bar lives on into a new era.

So if you’re still worried about Montero changing for the worse in any way, do yourself a favor and read the story first before leaving any knee-jerk comments online.

I also spoke with Amethyst Valentino, the ethereal host of Montero’s popular Thursday through Saturday night karaoke sessions for the past 18 years, where she possesses a Stevie Nicks-like presence, complete with witchy woman vibes and a firm-but-welcoming den mother presence swirled in a wisp of magic and mystery.

The at times raucous karaoke parties take place directly below my kitchen, but I’ve grown used to its specific vibrations which feel like a cool neighbor having friends over for a party. By now I can name the most of the oft-requested songs in three notes, like “Paradise By the Dashboard Light,” “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” “Mr. Brightside,” “Landslide,” “Zombie,” and “Under Pressure.” And I get a kick when I hear someone singing songs from the BTP Songbook, like “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” “Girlfriend in a Coma,” “Boys Don’t Cry,” “Pretty in Pink,” “Can’t Hardly Wait,” or “Common People.”

When I first moved in I had planned to develop a persona of the eccentric guy who lived upstairs and drop in on Saturday nights in a big bathrobe like Brian Wilson, wearing TCB sunglasses and balancing a whiskey sour in one hand and a microphone in the other, belting out an immaculate rendition of “Suspicious Minds” before disappearing back upstairs.

That still hasn’t happened, for better or worse, and, in fact, since moving in I’ve only performed two karaoke numbers downstairs. The first time was a late December night with friends and one of them put my name down without telling me so I really had no choice when Amethyst called my name. Luckily it was one of my favorite songs, “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass, which was especially on point as its about sailors and bars and lost love and ships at sea. And dare I say, I owned it, and wondered why I didn’t do this more often. Amethyst even gave me her personal thumbs-up approval.

While there’s a quote or two from our Karaoke Queen in the PUNCH story, I wanted to share my full Q&A with Amethyst in all its glory as a companion piece of sorts. I hope you enjoy it.

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A Magical Mystery Moment with Karaoke Queen Amethyst Valentino

As a beloved host, you seem to possess, and enlighten the room, with a certain spirited, ethereal charm. Could you imagine Montero without you being an elemental part of the bar experience?

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Off the Backbar with Enzo

While I have a collection of bottles that would rival many neighborhood bars, the truth is that unless I’m tasting or testing recipes I rarely drink at home. (Don’t worry, though, I make up for that deficit out in the wild.)

But judging by the big eyes and wide smiles of friends, neighbors, and delivery guys who come by and the excited commenters whenever I post a pic of my makeshift bottle shop on Instagram, others would be going to town if they had ready access to such a lineup.

Thankfully, Enzo—who already spends an inordinate amount of time hanging out atop the kitchen cabinets and casually taking a break from his many naps to selectively topple the overstock bottles on the floor like bowling pins—has stepped up to raise a hand paw to volunteer his services to aid in making the most of my always-growing collection.

Welcome to Off the Backbar with Enzo, where my favorite vanilla-caramel-fudge colored Knicks-loving tabby cat will recommends a weekly bottle pick for me to share with LAST CALL readers along with a cocktail recipe.

A friendly reminder that this popular new series will become a paid subscriber exclusive starting in July, so be sure to subscribe to LAST CALL to keep up with all the spirited Off the Backbar with Enzo action.

Salute!

—BTP

One Bottle After Another: Talking Cedar Spirits’ Kayak Gin, Aperitivo & Amaro

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Welcome to The Lowdown, a regular Paid Subscriber exclusive featuring what (and where) I’ve recently been eating and drinking.

On today’s The Lowdown…

• Checking Out Some of the New-Look, Disco-Era Drinks from Conor Johns at Tavern Next Door.

• A Tale of Two Summery Soft-Serve Swirls at Leo.

• World Cup Watch Parties at Leon’s with a Don’t-Miss, Deliciously Messy AF Merquez & Frites Sandwich.

• A Gimlet and a Gilda Walk Into a Bar at the 14 De La Rosa Pop-Up at The Long Island Bar

• Could this Strawberry-Basil Campari Seltz at Bar Ferdinando by my Aperitivo of the Summer?

• A Big Scoop of Chocolate Caramel Smoked Budino Ice Cream at Salt & Straw.

• One Last Order of Wango-Tango Wings from Brooklyn’s Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.

• And more!

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The Lowdown

Brandy Alexanders and Breakfast Corn Dogs (Tavern Next Door)

327 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn, New York 11231

Last month, Billy Durney’s red-hot Red Hook Tavern in Red Hook, Brooklyn, opened a new space right next door called, appropriately enough, Tavern Next Door. Thankfully, at least for now, the line to Tavern Next Door isn’t as daunting as the one is for its neighbor, home to one of the most buzzed-about burgers in town. Even better, there’s some overlap on Tavern Next Door’s menu so you can enjoy the exact same dry-aged Tavern Burger at the bar as well.

My dear friend and associate Conor Johns has taken his Head Bartender role to Tavern Next Door where he’s created a cocktail list that showcases a lineup of drinks dusted off from the ‘70s and ‘80s, refreshed with a modern point of view and quality ingredients along with some unexpected presentations.

On the menu under “Strong & Stiff” you’ll find a Wisconsin Old-Fashioned, a Rusty Nail, White Russian, and Adam’s Appletini, while the “Shaken & Refreshing” section delivers a Blue Hawaiian (nearly everyone at the bar when I was there had one of these tall, pebble-ice-packed Windex-blue drinks in front of them), Singapore Sling, Amaretto Sour, and a Tequila Sunrise.

I kicked things off with an Amaretto Sour, a favorite drink of mine, though Conor counters the drink’s often tooth-achingly sweet profile with some vegetal spice. He shakes things up using St. George Spirits Green Chile Vodka, Adriatico Amaretto, Giffard Crème de Fruits de la Passion Liqueur, Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur Verde, Contralto Bitter, lemon, and egg white and garnishes it with half-moon dusting of smoked paprika.

The Wisconsin Old-Fashioned might make some Wisconsinites raise a skeptical eyebrow of concern, though I was a fan of this spirit-forward spin on the state’s more sessionable signature Old-Fashioned. Conor’s is built with a spirited base of Rye, Cognac, and Bénédictine along with Rothman & Winter Orchard Cherry Liqueur, and dashes of Bitter End Moroccan Bitters and The Bitter Truth Bogart’s Bitters. While they’re not muddled in the glass as they might in Madison, the drink offers a nod to the WOF’s classic garnishes with a fat quarter-moon slice of brûléed orange and a fire engine-red Maraschino cherry.

I closed out with a Brandy Alexander, whose normally creamy profile gets revived by Conor with Cognac, Alpe Genepy Liqueur, Crème de Cacao, Averna, Forthave Marseille Amaro, along with salted maple syrup and coconut served in a snifter packed with crushed ice. I can never sip a Brandy Alexander without recalling the the Brandy Alexander-fueled antics of John Lennon and Harry Nilsson one March evening in 1974 at the Troubadour in Los Angeles during Lennon’s Yoko Ono-sanctioned three-year “lost weekend” when they were forcefully shown the door after aggressively heckling The Smothers Brothers. I behaved, but one more may have had Conor tossing me out onto Van Brunt Street.

As for the snacks, the Disco Fries (a plate of their house cottage fries covered in smoky brisket-flecked queso and brown gravy had already been 86’ed for the night when I was there soon after their official opening. I tried the Fried Artichoke Poppers breaded with corn flakes and stuffed with pimento cheese. They had an excellent crunch but they weren’t as packed with melty cheese as I would’ve liked; the balance between artichoke leaves and creamy pimento cheese seemed off. But the real standout among the munchies was Billy’s Breakfast Corn Dog, featuring three deep-fried, pancake-battered Jimmy Dean sausages with spicy maple syrup and a dusting of confectioner’s sugar. Sadly I wasn’t able to take a picture because my partner in crime Tim McKirdy and I wolfed these down the second the dropped the plate on the bar.

A World Cup Watch Party with Cocchi Cocktails and a Killer Merguez-Frites Sandwich
(Leon’s)

817 Broadway, New York, New York 10003

Leon’s, the all-day neighborhood Italian restaurant with French and Egyptian accents from Nick Anderer and Natalie Johnson, who also have Anton’s in the West Village. Leon’s is located just south of Union Square Park, located kitty corner from The Strand.

I joined some of my friends from Haus Alpenz to help kick off their collaboration with Leon’s and catch the inaugural World Cup match between Mexico and South Africa. Cocchi’s always-charming Roberto Bava even made an appearance.

Taking the pitch among the aperitivo-ready “Cocchi Cup Cocktails” you’ll find three Cocchi cocktails sharing the stage along with three house drinks from Leon’s (along with an NA highball). There’s also several wines by the glass and beer specials available.

I eased into my corner seat at the bar with the Hat Trick Highball, a light and refreshing mix of Cocchi Americano Rosa, Hibiscus, Lime, and Soda and later followed up with a second-half Clean Sheet Negroni, made with Hayman’s Gin, Cocchi Americano Rosa, and Basil.

While both drinks delivered as expected, I was even more excited to dive into the Merguez & Frites Sandwich featured on their Bar Bites menu, which also included Lamb Arrosticini, Fava Bean Falafel, Elle’s Burger with Onion Fondue and Taleggio, and Egyptian Fries (there was talk of Wings as well though I never saw any).

The hefty sandwich arrived wrapped in foil paper and sliced in two revealing the cross-section house-made Merguez lamb sausage and thick batons of baharat-spiced fries dressed with a generous schmear of citrus aioli and Leon’s garlic-chili shatta, held together between the crispy toasted Breads Bakery baguette. That garlicky, slightly spicy citrus aioli situation really ties the whole affair together. I knew by the second bite I would likely have drops of jammy-lamby mayo staining my shirt and, yes, by the time I finished it my button-down top looked like a crime scene which no amount of dotting with soda water was going to save the situation. But it was worth every bite and I hope to return at least once more to revisit that delicious sandwich.

Leon’s will be screening Mexico vs. South Korea on Thursday, June 18 at 9:00 p.m. and U.S.A. vs. Australia on Friday, June 19 at 3:00 p.m. (See the full watch party schedule)

A Tale of Two Soft-Serve Swirls
(Leo)

123 Havemeyer Street, Brooklyn, New York 11211

Finding myself attending events near Leo in Williamsburg two weeks in a row was a good problem to have. Primarily because it meant I could swing by to grab two slices of room-temperature, square-cut Potato Pie (you likely now the drill by now: one for a midnight snack when I get home, the second for breakfast served cold straight from the fridge). But my visits also happened to overlap with their soft-serve flavor schedule which allowed me to have two different flavors within one week.

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Off the Backbar with Enzo

While I have a collection of bottles that would rival many neighborhood bars, the truth is that unless I’m tasting or testing recipes I rarely drink at home. (Don’t worry, though, I make up for that deficit out in the wild.)

But judging by the big eyes and wide smiles of friends, neighbors, and delivery guys who come by and the excited commenters whenever I post a pic of my makeshift bottle shop on Instagram, others would be going to town if they had ready access to such a lineup.

Thankfully, Enzo—who already spends an inordinate amount of time hanging out atop the kitchen cabinets and casually taking a break from his many naps to selectively topple the overstock bottles on the floor like bowling pins—has stepped up to raise a hand paw to volunteer his services to aid in making the most of my always-growing collection.

Welcome to Off the Backbar with Enzo, where my favorite vanilla-caramel-fudge colored Knicks-loving tabby cat will recommends a weekly bottle pick for me to share with LAST CALL readers along with a cocktail recipe.

Salute!

—BTP

One Bottle After Another: Espolòn Reposado Tequila

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Today’s sponsored dispatch is brought to you by The Italian Spirits Company.

If there ever was what I like to call a “like-minded” brand, and perfect partner for LAST CALL, it would definitely be The Italian Spirits Company. I’ve been working on this partnership with them for a while now and I’m excited to share more about their story and background and spotlight some true gems from their portfolio of Italian producers.

Launched in 2023, the U.S.-based The Italian Spirits Company, focused on curating and distributing artisanal Italian craft spirits, was founded by Ken Fredrickson and David Lynch. Fredrickson is a Master Sommelier, former restaurateur, author of Wine: A Beginner’s Guide, and a founding partner of High Road Spirits, a national importer focusing on the sales, marketing, and management of artisan spirit brands. Lynch is a two-time James Beard Foundation Award-winner (Magazine Writing, 2001; Outstanding Restaurant Wine Service, 2004), author of the IACP Award-winning Vino Italiano, and former sommelier and restaurateur.

While I was well-versed in Lynch’s work and his acclaimed book, Vino Italiano, we didn’t meet in person until late last year when he kindly took the time to talk and personally taste me through some highlights from their dynamic lineup.

“Italian spirits sit in the shadow of Italian wine somewhat, but once you dig into it you realize that Italian spirits culture is as deep, diversified, and significant as its wine culture,” says Lynch. We want to highlight how multi-talented and inventive Italians are as well as how integral spirits are to a proper, long, slow, Italian meal—from the aperitivo to the digestivo.”

Driven by products with regional identities that exhibit “terroir,” The Italian Spirits Company showcases authentic, artisan-crafted expressions of products that may—sometimes due to their commercial success—have been thought of as “industrial” (Vermouth) or cliché (Amaretto; Limoncello).

“I use the example of Chianti wine, which became synonymous in the U.S. with cheap straw-covered bottles. It wasn’t taken seriously,” says Lynch. “In fact, Italian cuisine in general still lags behind French in terms of being taken ‘seriously’ by the likes of Michelin, etc. Whether it’s a grappa or an amaro or a vermouth, we’re selecting products that force people to re-evaluate outdated perceptions about what’s possible (much like a well-made Chianti can change hearts and minds).”

Read on to learn more about The Italian Spirits Company from co-founder David Lynch and discover hand-picked selections from their deep and vibrant portfolio of vermouth, aperitivo, amaro, liqueur, and spirits.

Learn More About The Italian Spirits Co.

Follow @italianspiritsco

Meet the Founders: Talking with David Lynch

You have a storied history as a sommelier, wine director, and co-author of the award-winning comprehensive reference book Vino Italiano. When did you first turn to Italy as an inspiration for what turned into a career, and what is about Italian food and drinking culture that continues to inspire you?

David Lynch: I’m half Italian, and grew up close to my Italian-American (American-born) grandparents, but in terms of pursuing this as a career, the impetus came from Lidia and Joe Bastianich. Joe and I went to college together, and I vividly remember my first visit to Felidia in NYC. We were juniors, with our blue blazers and shaggy hair, drinking wine and eating stinco di vitello and watching these white-jacketed Italian guys execute the slickest tableside service. It was just a different, deeper, more authentically “Italian” kind of Italian than I had ever seen and I was transfixed by it.

Regardless, my ambition upon leaving college was to be a writer. I managed to publish work in newspapers and magazines and eventually got a job with the beverage industry trade magazine Cheers that brought me to New York in the early ‘90s—right around the time Joe Bastianich was opening his first NYC restaurant, Becco.

Joe and I hung out together in New York and he was the one who introduced me to Joshua Greene, Editor & Publisher of Wine & Spirits magazine, where I worked for several years as a Senior Editor. Then, in 2000, I left Wine & Spirits, sublet my apartment in New York, and took off for Italy to research and write Vino Italiano.

After a year in Italy working on the book, I came back and started working at Babbo as the Wine Director and ended up spending seven years there. I thrived in that environment not because I was some super-credentialled sommelier but because I was coming off this intense, full-immersion Italian experience—wine, food, culture, language, everything. I wasn’t talking about tannin-this or acid-that, I was telling travel stories and food stories and it helped contribute to this very authentic, Italophile atmosphere Joe and Mario created at Babbo. We weren’t “aping” Italian culture, we were trying (and succeeding, I think) to properly interpret and translate it. If you read Vino Italiano, yes, it’s a wine guide, but it’s just as much a celebration of Italian culture and sensibility.

How did The Italian Spirits Company come about and what is your “mission statement”?

David Lynch: Ken Fredrickson (a Master Sommelier, serial entrepreneur, and rabid Italophile in his own right) conceived of The Italian Spirits Company. He has created several spirits businesses and brands over the years, and he shrewdly recognized that the category was underserved.

Ken and I have known each other for a long time. He’s a really savvy, successful guy and he’s all about passion projects like this. I got this magic phone call from him out of the blue in early 2023: It was something like “What do you think of this idea?” followed by “When do we start?”

We assembled the initial TISC portfolio together over the course of about a year with focus on artisan-scale producers. The first two producers we “signed up,” Paesani and Scuppoz, are both from Teramo, Abruzzo; I met them both at a Slow Wine fair in Bologna (Slow Wine is a fast-growing guide that was born from the publications arm of Slow Food, and they’re begun to include spirits in their consumer and trade events). I was shocked that they weren’t already imported to the U.S.: they are both historic family operations producing traditional, hand-crafted liquori. Whereas the Italian wine import environment feels very “picked over” at the moment, there is still so much undiscovered deliciousness on the spirits side. I feel like we’ve just scratched the surface.

In terms of a “mission statement,” I’d say our mission is to highlight the diversity and regionality of Italian spirits culture—to view spirits through the same lens that we view wine. Yes, the “hand of man” is more influential in the creation of spirits products, but at the same time, spirits are capable of expressing terroir, in the sense that they express regional identity. Limoncello from Sorrento lemons is a prime example; so is Genziana from Abruzzo; or Genepy from Piedmont.

Another key element of the “mission” is to celebrate Italian ingenuity, tradition, and ritual. The more we can educate Americans about the art of the “aperitivo,” the better—I’m not talking about swilling a giant Martini in a restaurant while you’re waiting for your table to be ready. I’m talking about the slow, considered, pre-meal drink that in Italy exists entirely unto itself and gets a good hour or two devoted to it.

While wine will always be important to your personal life and career, was it a bit freeing for you to dive deep into the world of producers of other Italian spirits like aperitivi, amari, vermouth, and liqueurs?

David Lynch: Yes, it has been very freeing, and truly fascinating, to dive headlong into Italian spirits. At first, I wondered aloud what I was doing selling Limoncello and Amaretto and other types of spirits—products that some of my wine contemporaries would not think about too much, if at all. But then I’d taste a proper example—like Casoni’s IGP Sorrento Limoncello or Scuppoz’s Amaretto 592—and I’m wholeheartedly on board! In fact I think my “wine palate” has had a big influence on what’s in the portfolio, because so much of what we talk about when we’re out talking about our products is balance—or, to put it another way, moderation of sweetness. There are so many instances when I’ll taste a product of ours side-by-side with a big-name competitor (Casoni’s “L’Aperitivo” and “Il Bitter” perhaps most notably, but so many more, including that Scuppoz Amaretto and basically any of the Baldoria Vermouths) and it is noticeably much less sweet. Both Ken and I are obviously sensitive to sweetness and our portfolio reflects that for sure.

Another big thing for me has been witnessing the artisanship and tradition behind these products. On a surface level, you wouldn’t think assembling a spirits portfolio would be as “romantic” as putting together a wine portfolio, but it most definitely is!

I think a lot of people think of spirits as more industrial and more about the down-and-dirty realities of “branding” and the payola that goes with that. Yes, there’s some of that (and, let’s be real, there’s plenty of that in wine, too), but we really present our portfolio much like we might a selection of Italian wines—we tell their stories and get the product in peoples’ glasses. Bottom line: When people taste this stuff, they’re buyers. We put our trust in what’s inside the bottle, not what’s on the label (cool as so many of those labels are).

Do you think Italian terroir is the key ingredient that connects, and sets apart, so many of these regional spirits, amari, and wine?

David Lynch: Absolutely. It’s not only Italian terroir—whether it’s the incredible citrus in places like Sorrento or Southeast Sicily or the juniper that grows all over Tuscany (and is considered the world’s best) or the Gentian found in the mountainous parts of Abruzzo—but also the Italian talent for using what’s immediately at hand to create something delicious. If you read articles or books about regional Italian cuisine, there are so many different spirits products that factor into the narrative. Obviously grappa is the ultimate “terroir” spirit—the best grappas are made from the freshest pomace, which means the distillery must source as locally as possible to obtain the best raw material. One of the two grappa distillers we import, Schiavo, is a 5th-generation distiller in Vicenza, in the Veneto. He makes the grappa for the legendary Giuseppe Quintarelli wine estate. And, generally speaking, Schiavo grappa is an expression of the terroir of this little section of the Veneto, and wine regions like Valpolicella, Soave, Gambellara more precisely. Up in Trentino, meanwhile, our other grappa distillery, Marzadro, is working with the pomace of grapes like Marzemino, Nosiola, Traminer…a totally different terroir producing different raw ingredients.

How did you go about building and curating your portfolio and producers? Were you looking to have representation of major categories and sub-categories or was it simply about what you were personally drawn to?

David Lynch: Well, you can’t call yourself “The Italian Spirits Company” without having grappa, but, as even the producers themselves would concede, grappa is a category in decline. So actually, with both of our grappa producers, it’s other items that are driving interest. Distilleria Marzadro, in Trentino (which, given their profile in Italy, I was shocked to learn wasn’t imported to the U.S.) has a line of cream liqueurs, called “Crema Alpina,” that have become incredibly popular for us. And Marco Schiavo of Distilleria Schiavo created a line of cocktail products called Gajardo—a red bitter, a fernet, and a supercharged triple sec—to stay in tune with the times.

In Italy there’s still a culture of drinking spirits and liqueurs “neat” at the end of a meal, kind of the last thing you do when there’s nothing left on the table but the cloth. And with most of the aperitivo stuff, the “mixology” part is already done when they put it in the bottle. So what I’ve been finding in showing our portfolio across the U.S. is that I can speak to a product’s attributes on its own, whereas I’ll show it to a crafty bartender and they take it places I never could have imagined. I have such respect for where these people go in their mind’s eye—it’s such a different skill set than that of a sommelier, closer to that of a chef actually.

In general, building the portfolio has been done with an eye towards having best-in-class representations of classic categories (we still don’t have a mirto, among other things, so we’re still on the hunt) along with interesting new riffs on things. One of the better examples of the latter is a low-abv (11%) aperitivo called VETZ, which is basically Aperol for people who don’t like Aperol. It’s a very different flavor profile (more warm spice, hibiscus, burnt orange) and has a natural color (no red dye). The challenge here, of course, is to go up against a category-dominant “call brand” and try to win some converts—so far it’s been slow but steady, because just as creative bartenders are forever re-imagining Negronis, Martinis, etc, there’s no reason they can’t be reimagining/refining spritzes as well.

Aperitivo, amaro, and the popularity of Italian-inspired bars and restaurant bar programs continues to gain traction in the U.S. but do you think some things get lost in translation? Can you ever truly channel an Italian bar and the role it plays to the local community in New York or Los Angeles or other American cities?

David Lynch: There is still a steep learning curve in the U.S. when it comes to aperitivo culture and slowing everything down in general. That’s what Slow Food and the late, legendary Carlo Petrini was all about. We don’t really have a developed aperitivo culture in America, partly because most of our cities and towns are set up to accommodate cars and driving everywhere.

You go to a mid-size or small city in Italy—let’s say Ferrara, or Alba, or Bologna—and around 6:00 p.m. or so, there’s this nightly procession of people, on foot, converging on the main avenues and piazze. There’s a very communal feel to it, like everyone’s on their way to a concert or something. But instead they’re posting up at a cafe and hanging out having aperitivi—the key feature being that the aperitivo is not being taken in the same place where they’re going to have dinner later. We don’t really have that here. I don’t know if we ever will, although we have managed to bring authentic wine bar culture to the U.S., so we’ll see.

What do you think of the landscape of continuing education when it comes to amaro and vermouth and other Italian spirits and liqueurs? What strategies do you embrace when it comes to positioning The Italian Spirits Company with bartenders, bottle shops, tastings, and producer visits?

David Lynch: Short answer is there’s still lots of education needed. The first category I think of is vermouth, which we’re pretty heavy in. This may be the most under-appreciated spirits category out there right now. So many bar people I encounter don’t see the benefits of an artisanal vermouth; they see it only as a modifier and worry about spending up for something they think is going to just die in their fridge because it isn’t getting used fast enough. So, we’re spending a lot of time talking about vermouth, about its history, about how it was really a medicinal tonic before it was a commercial product (like so many of these bitters and amari), and how it can most definitely be a “main-event” ingredient rather than merely a modifier. Obviously there’s a universe of accounts with low-abv cocktail programs where vermouth is the star, but this feels like a very recent phenomenon to me.

In terms of positioning TISC, we are trying to reach bartenders who do everything with intention—who aren’t working within that “dollar an ounce or lower” mindset. Most of our stuff is small production and expensive. And I really think there are so many of our items that are markedly less sweet—or more balanced, however you want to say it—relative to their competition. My main criticism of so many craft cocktails I try is that they are too sweet. My second criticism is that there are many cocktails that simply have too many ingredients in them—to the point where all these divergent ingredients are kind of cancelling each other out.

While I don’t expect you to play favorites within your portfolio, what are a few bottles that you’d like to personally hand-sell to LAST CALL readers?

• Scuppoz Ratafia Abruzzo (20% ABV): A maceration of sour cherries in Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wine that is then fortified and sweetened. Tangy and delicious, spritz-able, but also an incredible modifier/float option in several classic cocktails.

• Paesani Amaro Gran Sasso (30% ABV): Just an exquisitely balanced amaro; plenty of bite but also fairly delicate, with no syrupy sweetness on finish.

• Casoni L’Aperitivo (15% ABV): Our Aperol alternative. It’s 15% ABV and reads way drier as a result with a much spicier flavor profile. A superior (and less expensive) way to spritz.

• Marzadro Crema Alpina Pistacchio (17% ABV): Made with real cream and a pistachio distillate. I present this to all manner of crafty bartenders and they scoff at first…then they taste it and it’s game on!

• Baldoria Bianco Vermouth (18% ABV): Baldoria Vermouths (10 expressions in total) are on another level, plain and simple. This is a classic sweet white style, based on Chardonnay wine and leavened with a healthy amount of spicy bitterness (clove, gentian, lavender) to balance the honeyed sweetness.

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Explore The Italian Spirits Company Portfolio

Vermouth

Baldoria “Dry Umami” Vermouth

• Region: Boves, Piedmont

• ABV: 18%

• Key Ingredients: Wormwood, Sweet Orange, Genepy, Mushroom, Seaweed, Ginger, Fennel, Rosemary, Sage

One of Baldoria’s many contemporary formulations created to help “bring vermouth into the 21st century,” Baldoria “Dry Umami” Vermouth incorporates outside-the-box ingredients such as dried porcini mushrooms and kombu seaweed to add a savory, umami-rich depth resulting in a forest-floor profile accented by dark green patches of aromatic ocean essence.

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Oscar.697 Vermouth Bianco

• Region: Milan, Lombardy

• ABV: 16%

• Key Ingredients: Elderflower, Bergamot, Yarrow, Black Pepper

Oscar.697 Vermouth Bianco, a modern riff on a bianco-style vermouth from producer Oscar.697, is probably one of the driest “sweet” vermouth offerings you’re likely to taste as it’s sweetened with the minimum amount of residual sugar allowed under IGP Vermouth di Torino regulations. Lynch likes to think of this formulation—rich with bergamot and a hint of black pepper—as possessing a German Riesling-like cut of sharp acidity.

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Esule Vermouth di Torino

• Region: Reggio, Emilia-Romagna

• ABV: 18%

• Key Ingredients: Lambrusco Salamino wine blended with grain spirit infused with Wormwood, Gentian, Macis, Thyme, Marjoram, Dittamo, Black Pepper, Nettle, Mint, Sage, Lavender, Ginger, Laurel, Licorice, Cinnamon, Bitter Orange Peel, Lemon Peel

With their Esule Vermouth di Torino, The Jigger Society—a collaboration between the creative team of the popular Reggio Emilia craft cocktail bar Jigger Spiriti e Cucina and the storied Medici Ermete wine family—offers this distinctive vermouth built on a Lambrusco wine base sourced from Medici’s cellars, accented with aromatic botanicals that delivers what Lynch calls a “deep, menthol-y character” reminiscent of Punt e Mes.

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Aperitivo

VETZ Aperitivo Superiore

• Region: Monferrato, Piedmont

• ABV: 11%

• Key Ingredients: Elderflower, Vanilla, Cedar, Gentian, Hibiscus, Nutmeg, Chamomile, Cassia Bark, Orange

Crafted from only natural botanicals in the rolling hills of Piedmont, VETZ (which means “buddy” in Northern Italian dialect), presents a modern take on classic Italian aperitivo with VETZ Aperitivo Superiore. It’s bright, lively, and flavorful with a subtle bitterness expressed more as a warm spice with notes of hibiscus and chamomile medium-long bitter finish. Note, too, that the amber hue can vary from batch to batch as its a by-product of the natural botanical maceration, and that VETZ has recently upped the ABV to 15% which, Lynch notes, lends a spicer edge.

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Casoni 1814 L’Aperitivo

• Region: Finale Emilia, Emilia-Romagna

• ABV: 15%

• Key Ingredients: Gentian, Cinchona, Bitter & Sweet Orange, Mugwort, Rhubarb

The Italian Spirits Company likes to think of Casoni 1814 L’Aperitivo as their ammazza Aperol (“Aperol Killer”). At 15% ABV and possessing notes of citrus peel balanced with a subtle quinine bitterness and hints of warm spice, hibiscus flowers, and candied cherries, this offering from Casoni, one of Italy’s oldest distilleries, makes a superior spritz. There’s a reason why The Italian Spirits Company believes “Casoni’s time has come to the U.S. market.” Pick up a bottle of Casoni 1814 L’Aperitivo this summer and see for yourself.

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Ginrosa Aperitivo

• Region: Milan, Lombardy

• ABV: 25%

• Key Ingredients: Pink Juniper, Rhubarb, Sweet & Bitter Orange, Cassia, Gentian Root

As with many spirits, there’s a story behind the bright, candy-apple-red and orange hue of Ginrosa Apertivo which has a rich history as classic Milanese apéritif bitters for more than 150 years. Back in 1880’s, when philanthropist and entrepreneur Annunciata Bournè took over the Bottiglieria del Leone wine shop in Milan’s Piazza San Babilà (located a few piazzas over from the famed Camparino in Galleria, unaccompanied women weren’t permitted to enter. Bournè instead flipped the rule to forbid entry of unaccompanied men and made her business female-friendly and designed a new pink-hued apéritif as a symbol of embracing a different point of view in an attempt to achieve a better balance in an ever-changing world.

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Gajàrdo Bitter Radicale

• Region: Costabissara, Veneto

• ABV: 25%

• Key Ingredients: Gentian, Licorice, Rhubarb, Green Chiretta, Sichuan Pepper, Cinnamon, Mexican Cascarilla, Orange Peel

Made at the historic Distilleria Schiavo just outside Vicenza in northeastern Veneto, , Gajàrdo Bitter Radicale represents a collaboration between 5th-generation proprietor/distiller Marco Schiavo and renowned Italian bartender Giacomo Diamante. Bright cochineal red from natural carmine color and dry and focused on the palate, this bespoke all-natural blend opens with strong citrus, floral, and spice notes with a “super-intense, geek-level” bitterness and an unexpected kick from Sichuan pepper.

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Amaro

Paesani Amaro Gran Sasso

• Region: Collevecchio, Abruzzo

• ABV: 30%

• Key Ingredients: Gentian Root, Quinine Bark, Rhubarb, Cardamom, Imperatoria (a white-flowered plant in the carrot family), Vanilla, Centaurea (aka Mountain Bluet), Orange Peel

Perched on a hillside in the hamlet of Collevecchio, just outside Teramo in Abruzzo, Paesani has been a family-run operation that epitomizes local tradition and craftsmanship. Gran Sasso d’Italia, the highest peak in the nearby Apennine Mountains also served as the namesake of their signature amaro, Paesani Amaro Gran Sasso. The deep colored, but not syrupy sweet amaro, offers hints of burnt orange peel, licorice, dark roast coffee, and balsamic with delicate notes of vanilla and citrus.

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Paesani Genziana

• Region: Collevecchio, Abruzzo

• ABV: 30%

• Key Ingredients: Gentian Root

Another standout offering from Paesani is their Paesani Genziana, one of the iconic traditional liqueurs of the Abruzzo region. Made from a neutral grain spirit infusion of gentian root which is then diluted and naturally sweetened, this digestivo liqueur delivers a delicate sweetness that keeps the bitterness in check, with notes of wild herbs, underbrush, wildflowers, and warm spices.

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Scuppoz Amaro Della Laga

• Region: Campovalano, Abruzzo

• ABV: 30%

• Key Ingredients: Gentian Root, Quinine Bark, Chamomile, Mint, Rhubarb, Wormwood, Quassia

As with many of the unique producers in their portfolio, The Italian Spirits Company considers Scuppoz Itself equal-parts laboratory and atelier as much as it is a distillery. Scuppoz (derived from a mostly forgotten regional dialect to describe the clinking of glasses when toasting) was founded in 1982 by Benito Cicconi and is now helmed by his son, “mad scientist” Adririano Cicconi. The golden-hued Amaro Scuppoz Della Laga is a masterclass in character compared to the average “gateway” amaro, with an intense gentian presence driven by warm spice and mountain herbs that delivers a warm, smoky, herbaceous finish.

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Mannamaru Amaro al Mandarino

• Region: Paternò, Sicily

• ABV: 30%

• Key Ingredients: Avana Mandarin Orange, Orange Blossom, Chamomile, Gentian, Cinchona, Burdock, Rhubarb, Yarrow, Thyme, Clove, Marjoram

From southeastern Sicily, known around the world for the quality and variety of its abundant citrus fruits—many carrying PGI designation—comes Mannamaru Amaro al Mandarino. Made from a blend of 17 botanicals, including hand-peeled Avana mandarins harvested from a long-held family plot in the village of Paternò in the southern foothills of Mount Etna, this elixir channels the bittersweet orange peel aroma of Sicily along with aromatic hints of orange blossom, rose petal, warm spice, sassafras, and an earthy root/bark essence.

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Liqueur

Casoni Limoncello di Sorrento PGI

• Region: Finale Emilia, Emilia-Romagna

• ABV: 30%

• Key Ingredients: Sorrento Lemon Peels

Another standout from Casoni is their Casoni Limoncello di Sorrento PGI, well-priced offering for a PGI-designated limoncello that’s so impressively textured and balanced. Based on a recipe that calls for 350 grams/liter of lemons—hand-harvested from the province of Sorrento in Campania—this is deeply concentrated with pure, clean, intense lemon flavors and a well-modulated sweetness to balance the sour and bitter notes. You’ll want to stash a bottle or two in the freezer all summer long.

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Marzadro Crema Alpina Pistacchio

• Region: Nogaredo, Trentino

• ABV: 17%

• Key Ingredients: Fresh Cream, Pistachio Nut Distillate

Lynch shares that after Casoni 1814 L’Aperitivo, the Marzadro Crema Alpina Pistacchio liqueur is the bestselling SKU among The Italian Spirits Company’s portfolio. For what it’s worth, it’s also my personal favorite on their diverse and dynamic list, and a favorite among bartenders. Creamy, nutty, and delicately sweet, it just may put you in mind of a bowl of melted pistachio ice cream. the base is made with fresh, locally sourced cream from Trentino while the pistachio flavor is derived from a distillate of fresh pistachio nuts that have been macerated in neutral spirit and then distilled. While Marzadro Crema Alpina Pistacchio is shelf-stable (it undergoes two separate homogenizations and pasteurization), refrigeration is recommended after opening. For a creamy, pistachio kick, try it in a Piña Colada, a Mudslide, White Russian, or Espresso Martini fo

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Scuppoz Amaretto 592

• Region: Campovalano, Abruzzo

• ABV: 28%

• Key Ingredients: Bitter Almonds

Dry, rich with character, and super aromatic, Scuppoz Amaretto 592 is packed with the essence of sweetened, toasted almonds without a hint of the cloying, confectionary sweetness this signature liqueur often possesses. Instead, what you’ll experience is a well-calibrated balance of nutty bitterness and caramel sweetness in a bright and refreshing craft liqueur. Your next Amaretto Sour or Godfather variation will thank you.

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Zabov Zabaglione all’Uovo

• Region: Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna

• ABV: 15%

• Key Ingredients: Egg Yolks, Fresh Milk, Sugar, Brandy

While it may be a bit off-season for an après-ski Bombardino craving, Lynch considers Distillerie Moccia’s Zabov Zabaglione all’Uovo a sentimental favorite pick of his, but doesn’t dispute that it’s “undeniably delicious.” This iconic egg or eggnog-like liqueur comes on with a deep yellow-gold appearance and a creamy texture that evokes zabaglione. This eggy, creamy, custardy blend can be served warm or cold and always feels a bit luxurious yet never cloying.

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Distillates

Schiavo Grappa “La Quaranta”

• Region: Costabissara, Veneto

• ABV: 40%

• Key Ingredients: Pomace of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot Grapes

With aromas of black currant and violet and a silky smooth mouthfeel and a fruity finish, Schiavo Grappa “La Quaranta” is produced at the Schiavo Distilleria just outside Vicenza, under the direction of 5th-generation distiller Marco Schiavo.

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Distilleria Marzadro Grappa “Diciotto Lune”

• Region: Nogaredo, Trentino

• ABV: 41%

• Key Ingredients: Locally Sourced Grape Pomace

Distilled from five different local varieties of pomace and aged for 18 months (“diciotto lune”) and made by sister and brother Sabina and Attilio Marzadro, Distilleria Marzadro Grappa “Diciotto Lune” delivers wood-derived hints of caramel, vanilla, and warm baking spices with a bright floral finish overlayed with the aroma of red and black cherries.

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Ginepraio Organic Tuscan Dry Gin

• Region: Ponsacco, Tuscany

• ABV: 45%

• Key Ingredients: Tuscan Juniper, Coriander, Angelica Root, Sweet Orange Peel, Helichrysum Italicum (Mediterranean shrub), Lemon Peel, Dog Rose Petals

In Tuscany, ginepraio is the word used for “juniper growth,” but, colloquially, it also translates to a thorny or sticky situation. Produced in Tuscany, Ginepraio Organic Tuscan Dry Gin is far from “thorny” and instead presents an engaging Mediterranean-inspired, juniper-driven, “London Dry” formulation. Bold, fruity, juniper-driven aromas and flavors (they incorporate three different types of Tuscan juniper) lead the way with subtle spice notes and assertive florals evoking the scents of the aromatic scrub-brush of the Italian coast.

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PUNI “Vina” Malt Whisky

• Region: Glorenza, Alto Adige

• ABV: 43%

• Key Ingredients: Proprietary Mash Bill of Malted Barley, Malted Rye, and Malted Wheat, Alpine Water, Yeast, Wine Cask Wood

From the pioneering bespoke Italian whiskey distillery PUNI (named for the nearby Puni River), comes PUNI “Vina” Malt Whisky, which has already established a foothold in the U.S. market. Distilled in custom-fabricated copper-pot stills from Scotland and aged in wine casks, the artfully packaged, PUNI “Vina” Malt Whisky expresses its Italian terroir and Alpine origins in impeccably crafted style with an alluring aroma of fruit cake and pops of sweet sultanas, orange, and cherry compote with cinnamon on the palate.

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Our thanks to The Italian Spirits Company for underwriting today’s LAST CALL dispatch.

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Bar Convent Brooklyn Book Signing

Are you one of the many LAST CALL subscribers who are part of the bar/drinks /spirits industry who will be attending Bar Convent Brooklyn this week in Industry City? If so, and you’re craving a refreshing blueberry-almond Lambrusco Spritz and a signed copy of my book Amaro (or just want to say “Ciao!”), then join me on Tuesday, June 9th from 11:30AM - 1:30PM at the Haus Alpenz booth (Booth 8A-601).

I’ll be kicking off two days’ of programming featuring Friends of Haus Alpenz special guests stopping by to sign books and share a tasty cocktail amidst all the tastings, panels, meetings, and industry schmoozing. Thanks to my friends at Haus Alpenz, I’ll be signing complimentary copies of my book Amaro and sharing one of my favorite summertime drinks, Jose Cordon’s Vino Veritas. This low-ABV, beat-the-heat spritz features a tantilizing combination of Cappelletti Pasubio Vino Amaro, almond orgeat, and fizzy Lambrusco over ice, garnished with aromatic fresh mint and a fat juicy blackberry. I served it last summer at an event at Officina del Bere 1397 and it was a certified smash, so I’m hoping to make this a summertime tradition. You’ll find the recipe below and the cocktail will also be featured in my next book, Drinking Italian)

After my guest shift, be sure to swing back by the Haus Alpenz booth on Tuesday and Wednesday to meet even more acclaimed drinks writers (and dear friends), including Clay Risen, Dave Wondrich, Shannon Mustipher, Dave Arnold, and Amanda Schuster.

While Bar Convent Brooklyn itself features two days’ worth of programming spread out across several buildings in Industry City, the publicity-driven events and activations, both on location and orbiting the conference at pop-ups all over Brooklyn and Manhattan, from today through Wednesday seems particularly overwhelming this year. I realize to be invited to too many parties isn’t really a problem one should complain about, but something about the sheer number of pop-ups from visiting bars, the overlapping conflicting schedules, and the distance between event locations makes it difficult to navigate so many desirable events compressed together.

There have been thousands upon thousands of words written about the impact of pop-ups—both pro and con—and I don’t have anything new to necessarily add. I commiserated over this with a fellow drinks writer in the back room of The Long Island Bar the other night and he pointed out that while it’s very desirable for a visiting bar team to present their point-of-view and featured drinks over an evening’s worth of buzz, entertainment, and exposure, it risks dampening the genuine experience of people visiting NYC over the course of Bar Convent Brooklyn. Imagine if you’re in town and finally have a chance to visit one of the many acclaimed or award-winning NYC bars that’s been on your must-visit list, only for that bar to instead serve as set dressing and a backdrop for a visiting pop-up bar from Denver or Boston or Mexico City or Montreal.

Personally, I’m looking forward to making the most of educational panels and tastings and meeting with the many producers in town, especially all my visiting Italians. But going through the many email invitations and missives in my inbox as I attempted to fine-tune my BCB itinerary, the number of events that weren’t a pop-up bar collaboration were few and far between.

The drinks industry is very much a young person’s game and there are many folks out there every night with the energy, stamina, support, and (somehow) means to and attend all of these many events this week. But as I edge closer to Senior Statesman status I’ve elected to attend only a handful of them and have had to be selective based on the logistics of zipping around from Industry City to Midtown to Williamsburg to the West Village then back home to Brooklyn Heights all in one night. And frankly, with Games 3 and 4 of the Knicks hopefully historic Finals run on Monday and Wednesday, making sure I’m in front of my TV (or a TV) at tip-off is my top priority.

In my years attending BCB I’ve often found the outlier event following the official end of the show—typically a more chill, casual lunch or drinks with a producer—is often the best way to wrap things up amongst friends in a favorite venue. This year at Leon’s, chef/owner Nick Anderer’s Italian restaurant kitty-corner from The Strand, they’ll be hosting select SRO World Cup viewing parties, kicking off with the Mexico vs. South Africa match this Thursday, complete with Cocchi cocktails, Merguez Frites Sandwiches, and Wings. Be sure to say hello if you see me there.

I’ll likely have a more detailed recap of Bar Convent Brooklyn in an upcoming LAST CALL dispatch, but if you’re looking for me this week, I’ll be at BCB all day Tuesday, likely most of Wednesday, and at a couple of on-the-chill-side events (that aren’t likely a pop-up and especially if I was offered an Uber or Lyft code by a savvy publicist), or at home with Enzo watching the Knicks hopefully beat the Spurs.

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Recipe: Vino Veritas

Jose Cordon, Felix Trattoria | Venice, California

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Off the Backbar with Enzo

While I have a collection of bottles that would rival many neighborhood bars, the truth is that unless I’m tasting or testing recipes I rarely drink at home. (Don’t worry, though, I make up for that deficit out in the wild.)

But judging by the big eyes and wide smiles of friends, neighbors, and delivery guys who come by and the excited commenters whenever I post a pic of my makeshift bottle shop on Instagram, others would be going to town if they had ready access to such a lineup.

Thankfully, Enzo—who already spends an inordinate amount of time hanging out atop the kitchen cabinets and casually taking a break from his many naps to selectively topple the overstock bottles on the floor like bowling pins—has stepped up to raise a hand paw to volunteer his services to aid in making the most of my always-growing collection.

Welcome to Off the Backbar with Enzo, where my favorite vanilla-caramel-fudge colored Knicks-loving tabby cat will recommends a weekly bottle pick for me to share with LAST CALL readers along with a cocktail recipe.

Salute!

—BTP

One Bottle After Another: Hera The Dog Vodka

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This regular monthly dispatch is free to all LAST CALL subscribers and readers. But why not consider becoming a Paid Subscriber? When you do, you’ll receive every dispatch and be able to access regular exclusive features like Dive Bar Jukebox, The Lowdown, Out On the Town, and City Guides; and have full access to the LAST CALL archives.

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June 2026 Dispatch: Hello, Goodbye

To channel the bombastic stylings of your favorite morning zoo drive-time DJ: “And we’re back!!”

As I type out this sentence the doppler effect of Christopher Cross’ “Ride the Like Wind” just warbled through my open window from the speakers of a passing car sailing down Atlantic Avenue—”It is the night, my body’s weak / I’m on the run, no time to sleep / I’ve got to run, ride like the wind / To be free again.” But instead of dropping today’s forecast followed by a “Get the Led Out” all-Zeppelin rock-block, I want to apologize for my month-long radio silence here on LAST CALL. Did you miss me?

I realize, too, that I didn’t think to suspend paid subscriptions during this unexpected absence. If you’re a paid subscriber and would like to request a free one-month extension to your subscription just let me know. It’s the least I can do. And if today is the day you might finally want to become an annual paid subscriber, I’ll happily extend a bonus month to new paid subscribers as well.

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Today’s sponsored dispatch is brought to you by SennzaFinne Libations.

Celebrating the Seasons with Seattle’s SennzaFinne Libations

Founded in 2019 by veteran Seattle bartenders and husband-and-wife Joey and Gillian Diedrick, SennzaFinne Libations celebrates the bounty of local botanicals sourced from the Cascadia Wildlands to create a portfolio of small-batch amari born from traditional European methods with a modern Pacific Northwest sensibility.

Meaning “endless” or “without end” in Italian, SennzaFinne (and yes, much like our amari-making friends Faccia Brutto Spirits here in Brooklyn, the misspelling of the Italian to English translation is intentional) seeks inspiration from the eternal cycle of the seasons, creating a suite of five unique and dynamic expressions that channel and capture more than just Pacific Northwest terroir, but also the passing moments, moods, and sensations representing a specific time and place.

The award-winning SennzaFinne Libations was also included in Imbibe magazine’s most recent Imbibe 75, their annual roundup that celebrates the influential people, places, and organizations that are making a positive impact on the beverage industry and will shape the drinks world in the coming year.

SennzaFinne strategically partners with distributors and brokers across the U.S. to supply their artisanal amari to bars, restaurants, and bottle shops and currently has national distribution in Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Nevada, Minnesota, and New York. Bars, restaurants, and bottle shops interested in learning more about and carrying SennzaFinne can contact Joey and Gillian for more information.

If you live in Seattle or happen to be visiting, be sure to check out the SennzaFinne distillery and tasting room near Salmon Bay in Seattle’s Interbay neighborhood. Stop by to aste through their lineup of amari, learn more about the botanicals behind the bottles, try a cocktail or two, and even chat with Gillian and Joey about about any upcoming projects in the works. Private tours are also available as well as a gift box with sample-size bottles and rep the 206 with stylish SennzaFinne merch.

Read on to learn more about SennzaFinne from founders Joey and Gillian Diedrick, and explore the terroir-driven SennzaFinne collection along with bartender-perfected recipes to stir and shake up at home.

Shop SennzaFinne Online

Follow @sennzafinne_libations

Talking with SennzaFinne Founders Joey and Gillian Diedrick

I know your engagement in Italy in 2013 cemented your love of amaro, but how did this grow from a shared personal passion into an independent business?

Joey & Gillian: Well, that was a very magical start to this whole journey. Celebrating our engagement in Firenze really cemented the realization that we both, very much, loved amaro. When we returned home, it really worked its way into our bartending. We were always looking for depth, nuance and balance. And we leaned on amaro, and bitter profiles in general, in a lot of the drinks we created.

Around 2019, we started thinking about what was going to be the next step for us in our careers. Working together to create new and interesting things to share with the world was the starting point. Thinking about amaro’s origins, using what grows around you, and wanting to celebrate the incredible variety of amazing botanicals throughout the greater Pacific Northwest (Cascadia). Combine that with our love of the bittersweet, and SennzaFinne was born.

What inspires your approach to making amaro?

Joey & Gillian: The seasons and how to drink them was the inspiration for the first four amari we developed. Thinking of them as a suite to celebrate the abundance of plants and botanicals that grow around us. And also kind of focusing that lens at moments in time throughout the year, with bittersweet flavor profiles to highlight those evocative ingredients. Our fifth amaro, which is our flagship, is more a love song to taste memories, our journey and lives together, and our years tending bar.

We Always (see what we did there?) strive to layer the flavors of the overall profile from a culinary approach. That way, there is a journey for your palate while you taste. We like to lean on naturally sweet ingredients so that we can limit the amount of sugar we use. Less sugar equals more applications.

A signature element of SennzaFinne are the regional Cascadian botanicals sourced and foraged from the Pacific Northwest. What are some of your favorites from the region and what makes them distinctive?

Joey & Gillian: Cascade Hops: A bittering agent and preservative for the past 10,000 years. We were wondering why they didn’t play more of a heavy-hitting role in the last hundred years of amaro. So, instead of them being a back-up singer why not let them play the lead? So many of them are quite brilliant and lend such a luscious long bitterness. Branding ourselves SennzaFinne (“without end”), it was an ingredient we couldn’t help but fall in love with.

Mushrooms: We wanted our Last Leaf amaro to be earthy and funky and remind you of the dry crunch of leaves on an autumn forest hike. There is such a depth and character to mushrooms that is well-known in the culinary world. We wanted to bring that into the beverage world, in an “in your face” way. We thought it might be polarizing, or perhaps not as popular. As it turns out, people really like mushrooms. And for those that don’t, we’re here to convert you!

Hazelnuts: A prized crop of the northwest, particularly Oregon. We roast them in a wood-fired pizza oven (shout-out to Delancey in Ballard). It adds such a lovely note of char to the supremely rich and supple mouthfeel that the hazelnuts bring. At 37% ABV, Rustling Wood is no slouch, but the gorgeous fattiness of the hazelnuts remove any trace of heat.

Cedar (both the heartwood and the spring tips): A venerated tree with countless medicinal uses dating back thousands of years, it is another thing we just couldn’t help but embrace. The tips are so fun to harvest, and naturally sweet with their green alpine magic. The heartwood offers a sauna-like florality and a tannic structure that we just love.

Rather than making a bespoke blend based on a common style of existing amari, the SennzaFinne portfolio is wholly unique, driven by seasons and sensations. Does that make it more challenging in your approach to educating bartenders, bottle shops, and consumers, or have you found that it helps you stand out from the competition?

Joey & Gillian: We’ve found that it can go either way. The bartenders we were in our mid-20’s didn’t have nearly the understanding of flavor components that we did in our late-30’s. Once someone has reached a point in their career where the line between the kitchen and the bar becomes blurred, unexpected flavor combinations just start to make more sense. That bartender doesn’t need any advice, you can see it in their eyes that they are already working on applications while they are tasting.

Along that line, we find chefs actually end up being some of our favorite tastings. You don’t spend much time talking about what the amari can do, or what can be done with them. You end up just geeking out on ingredients. It’s even more exciting when they want to cook with them, or have cooked with them. We love that tasting our amaro can excite and inform a dish that a chef puts out. It’s a bit of a full circle moment because when Gillian was at Eden Hill, it was always “This ingredient is amazing and fresh and we bought a ton of it for this menu item. So, you need to use X pounds of it for the bar program.” Challenge accepted.

You share more than 40 years of experience in the Seattle bar and restaurant scene. I lived in Seattle in the 2000s, a key period for the Seattle cocktail scene. What are your thoughts on being a part of that community and its role and place in the modern cocktail renaissance?

Joey & Gillian: We cut our teeth in the scene in the mid-aughts (our mid-twenties), but we never really saw ourselves as pivotal in any way. We watched friends open bars, write books, and launch a bitters empire; yet never really thought that was where we would end up. But when we met (2012) and married (2014), we found that our shared creativity really blossomed in a way that hadn’t before. Things really changed when we started working across the street from each other around 2017. We really started collaborating on things for each other’s programs, and went down the rabbit hole of “what’s the most interesting thing I could make and place on the menu?”

There is a creative, tinkering sensibility that pairs with an “anything is possible” mentality out here in the West. And within the climate of the Pacific Northwest, that is amplified even more. People are doing some really cool things out here, building off the work of those that came before. We like to think that’s where we ended up: expanding the box, opening the conversation, daring to say “why not?”

Creating SennzaFinne—seeing it on back bars all over and seeing so many people use it in cool and interesting ways—is truly humbling. We are honored to be where we are and to be loved by so many. And even more, to have the privilege to make unique delicious things, and inspire others to do the same. And that, hopefully, people will see our story, follow their hearts, and take a chance. Both in love and in life.

When I met you both for the first time at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans last summer, you carried around a compact padded travel bag that opened to reveal a stitched leather panel embossed with the phrase “Drink Me.” Has that proved to be the best way to get people excited about SennzaFinne?

Joey & Gillian: It certainly has in places that don’t have open-container laws! Seattle’s laws are pretty much the opposite. Tales was actually the inspiration for our tasting backpack. We thought “Why don’t we take advantage of being in a city with no open-container laws?” The branding on the backpack definitely helps put people at ease that you aren’t some rando handing out mystery liquor.

It’s been our experience that whether we are tasting industry professionals or novices who’ve never heard of amaro, that everyone has something to enjoy with our lineup. The challenge for us is just getting in front of more and more people. We have really run with the whole “Drink Me” image. It’s now on all our bottle neckers along with cocktail recipes. And it will be even more of a part of SennzaFinne down the road.

We’re well into embracing of amaro in the U.S., but do you still find amaro education, whether with bars or consumers, is lacking? Is amaro still an uphill battle with adoption compared to other spirits?

Joey & Gillian: It’s definitely a different landscape than twenty years ago. The box has been expanded for sure. It can be challenging sometimes though to break through the standard recipes—Black Manhattan, A**rol Spritz, etc.—that people have in mind for amaro cocktail applications. Amaro evolved from medicine into a digestif before cocktails even existed. Knowing that, it was never designed to be a cocktail ingredient—though it can be a fantastic one. Pulling back on the sweetness, allows a much more expansive range of possibilities. That is something we try to highlight in our tasting room, and in all of our signature cocktails: make modifiers more of a centerpiece, rather than a splash. It’s really fun out here outside of the box. We just want to invite more people to the party!

Learn more about SennzaFinne

Follow @sennzafinne_libations

SennzaFinne Amaro No. 1: Grassy Eden

Volume: 750 ml | ABV: 34% | Price: $46.20

Bright, fresh, and vegetal, Grassy Eden celebrates the sensation of plants bursting forth from their winter slumber. Its natural color is meant to evoke the layers of moss from the local rainforest and captivates with notes of lovage and lemon balm and the freshness of pea shoots. An aromatic bouquet of spring flowers is anchored by a bright bitterness underscored by Cascade hops. Grassy Eden plays nicely with gin and other clear spirits and knows its way around citrus-forward cocktails. But simply served over ice with a splash of soda and a slice of cucumber just might become your to-to spring aperitif.

Buy Grassy Eden Online

Try it in…

All the World Is Green

Makes 1 Drink

• 1-1/4 ounces SennzaFinne Amaro No. 1: Grassy Eden

• 1 ounce cucumber juice

• 3/4 ounce honey syrup (2:1 honey:water)

• 1/2 ounce gin

• 1/2 ounce lime juice

• Garnish: cucumber ribbon and pea shoots

​Wrap a long thin cucumber ribbon against the interior wall of a tall collins glass and fill with ice to keep it in place. Add the amaro, gin, cucumber juice, lime juice, and honey syrup to a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until well-chilled and strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with fresh pea shoots.

See more Grassy Eden Cocktails

SennzaFinne Amaro No. 2: Golden Hour

Volume: 750 ml | ABV: 29% | Price: $46.20

Golden Hour promises to be your “Summer Girl,” rocking a rich and luscious profile of just-picked summer berries, anchored by a backbone of hyssop and and bitter gentian. A concert of citrus peel gives way to a licorice kick from wild fennel that lingers throughout. That wispy florality of lavender and rose hips keeps you wanting more. Golden Hour is all bout that summer spritz, whether its paired with soda, sparkling wine, or that canned malt beverage someone left behind in your fridge at last weekend’s cookout.

Buy Golden Hour Online

Try it in…

Early Summer Rain

Makes 1 Drink

• 1-1/2 ounces Sake (preferably Tahoma Fuji)

• 1 ounce SennzaFinne Amaro No. 2: Golden Hour

• Fresh mint (for muddling)

• Splash of Prosecco

• Garnish: fresh mint bouquet

Add the sake, amaro, and fresh mint into a mixing glass. Muddle or press the mint lightly to release all its aromatic goodness. Strain into a rocks glass over ice or one large ice cube. Top off with Prosecco and garnish with more fresh mint.

See More Golden Hour Cocktails

SennzaFinne Amaro No 3: Last Leaf

Volume: 750 ml | ABV: 37% | Price: $46.20

A forager’s dream, Last Leaf is a celebration of the forest floor. Loaded with roots, barks, and earthy notes of mushroom, along with a healthy dose of orange peel to spark the warming spices within. Last Leaf has a thing for brown spirits and is quite at home in any Old-Fashioned or Manhattan variation. Thinking about adding a splash to spike your hot apple cider? Go right ahead. You’ll be glad you did.

Buy Last Leaf Online

Try it in…

Last Leaf on the Tree

Makes 1 Drink

• 1-1/4 ounces SennzaFinne Amaro No. 3: Last Leaf

• 1 ounce Scotch

• 1 ounce honey syrup (2:1 honey:water)

• 3/4 ounce lemon juice

• Egg white

Add all ingredients to a shaker and vigorously dry shake without ice. Add ice and shake again until well-chilled. Double-strain into a chilled cocktail or coupe glass.

See More Last Leaf Cocktails

SennzaFinne Amaro No 4: Rustling Wood

Volume: 750 ml | ABV: 37% | Price: $46.20

Rustling Wood digs down deep and finds its robust heart among roots, spices, and toasted hazelnuts. And in casting a nod to those gray days of winter in the Pacific Northwest, a bit of coffee marches in like a UV lamp to help revive and motivate. Try it riding shotgun with Scotch or your favorite spirt-forward sipper.

Buy Rustling Wood Online

Try it in…

Sail Your Ships Around Me

Makes 1 Drink

• 3/4 ounce SennzaFinne Amaro No. 4: Rustling Wood

• 3/4 ounce dark rum

• 3/4 ounce Giffard Banane Du Brésil

• 3/4 ounce lime juice

• Garnish: brûléed kumquat slice

Add all the ingredients to a shaker filled with ice. Shake until well-chilled and double-strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with the brûléed kumquat.

See More Rustling Wood Cocktails

SennzaFinne Amaro No. 5: Always

Volume: 750 ml | ABV: 35% | Price: $46.20

Always is to the four seasons like umami is to taste—it’s the fifth flavor, or in this case, sensation. Like the rest of the SennzaFinne suite, Always is a celebration of the lingering memories of all those favorite distant ingredients. The blend of hibiscus, sarsaparilla, lemongrass, and ginger will tantalize with aromatic notes that seem to last, well… forever. Always makes fast friends with mezcal, rum, and cachaça, or simply pour it on the rocks and stretch it out with some tonic or your favorite bubbles.

Buy Always Online

Try it in…

You’re a Bird

Makes 1 Drink

• 1 ounce SennzaFinne Amaro No. 5: Always

• 3/4 ounce aged rum

• 1/2 ounce lime juice

• 1/2 ounce honey syrup (2:1 honey:water)

• 1/4 ounce limoncello

• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

• Garnish: pineapple frond, cocktail cherry, orange twist

Add all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a collins glass over ice and and garnish with pineapple fronds, cherry, and orange twist.

See More Always Cocktails

Our thanks to SennzaFinne for underwriting today’s LAST CALL dispatch.

Shop SennzaFinne

Follow @sennzafinne_libations

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Off the Backbar with Enzo

While I have a collection of bottles that would rival many neighborhood bars, the truth is that unless I’m tasting or testing recipes I rarely drink at home. (Don’t worry, though, I make up for that deficit out in the wild.)

But judging by the big eyes and wide smiles of friends and delivery guys who come by and the excited commenters whenever I post a pic of my makeshift bottle shop on Instagram, others would be going to town if they had ready access to such a lineup.

Thankfully, Enzo—who already spends an inordinate amount of time hanging out atop the kitchen cabinets and casually taking a break from his many naps to selectively topple the overstock bottles on the floor like bowling pins—has stepped up to raise a hand paw to volunteer his services to aid in making the most of my collection.

Welcome to Off the Backbar with Enzo, where my favorite vanilla-caramel-fudge colored Knicks-loving tabby cat will pass along a weekly bottle pick for me to share with LAST CALL readers along with a cocktail recipe.

Salute!

—BTP

One Bottle Can After Another: Tip Top Proper Cocktails

“Bottles and cans, just clap your hands, just clap your hands…”

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Tobin Shea’s Little Tokyo

I had never been to Redbird in Los Angeles until I was in town for a conference in 2018 and stopped in for a drink at the downtown LA restaurant, located in what was once the rectory for the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, the second Roman Catholic church in Los Angeles and the seat of the local archdiocese.

The full-circle bar is split between two dining rooms and is overseen by Bar Director by Tobin Shea, a striking, affable, old-school bartender with a modern sensibility who was a 2025 James Beard Finalist for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.

With his pressed apron, ready smile, and slicked-back salt-and- pepper hair, Shea downplays his role at Redbird, insisting he’s in service of making everything and everyone else in the restaurant shine. But if you’re sitting at the bar, he has that mesmerizing quality of celebrities and other magnetic personalities to make you feel like you’re the only person in the room.

As he told me: “One of my biggest strengths as a bartender happens when someone sits down in front of me. I love talking to people—finding out where they’re from and if I know something related to that area, I try to always make those connections instantly. If you’re from Binghamton, let’s talk about spiedies. Rochester? Then you know I’m going to bring up Genny Cream Ale.”

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It’s (Almost) Enzo’s ”Gotcha Day!”

Before we officially reveal this week’s bottle pick from Enzo, a quick pause to acknowledge that not only are the Knicks kicking off their first round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday evening, but tomorrow also marks the first anniversary of Enzo’s “Gotcha Day!”

While we celebrated Enzo’s offical birthday on February 26th (the day this former street cat entered the system) it was last year on Friday, April 18th when his adoption from Brooklyn Animal Action became official and he moved in with me bringing along his two favorite possessions: a well-worn, one-eyed felt mouse and his rainbow felt wand toy.

It had been nearly four years since I lost my beloved Louis and while the constant crying may have dried up, my heart still ached. Plus I had financial, practical, and emotional concerns about the possibility of bringing a new cat into my life.

On a Saturday night last spring while scrolling through @distillerycats, an adoptable, 1-year-old cat named Karl caught my eye. He was named Karl by the two German journalists who rescued this abandoned cat from an alley near their brownstone. Plus, Karl was on my list of potential cat names, so that seemed like a sign.

Looking for a fun, loyal companion? Karl is your guy! He loves to chase toys, lounge by your side and stay involved in everything you do. Toss a ball, and he’s on it. Sit down and he will curl up next to you. He’s whip-smart, too! he once opened a cabinet and made off with a bag of treats!

Abandoned in a Kensington alley, Karl adapted quickly to indoor life and has truly thrived. Now he is a confident, curious, affectionate cat who trusts people and wants to be part of everything. If you are rummaging through a drawer, Karl will be right there. Maybe he will even find what you’re looking for?

Karl is most content when near his friends, he is surely a people’s cat who relishes your company and will be your best forever feline friend.

Want to meet Karl?

Yes, I did want to meet Karl. The next day I filled out an application and then, after a few weeks of phone calls, texts, emails, virtual home visits, reference checks, and a meet-and-greet with Karl, and a check to cover adoption fees, it was official. (While I did love the name Karl, I was desiring a two-syllable name, ideally Italian. And thus, this new cat was christened as Enzo Karl “Furrari” Parsons.

And on that fateful Friday night last April, he took a chauffered ride from South Brooklyn to Brooklyn Heights. The team from Brooklyn Animal Action found a parking spot in front of Table 87 and I ran downstairs to meet them and bring them up to my apartment. And there on the sidewalk was Karl/Enzo in a blanket-filled oversized crate, ready for his big adventure.

And trust me, every day has been and continues to be an adventure. I love this guy so much.

Off the Backbar with Enzo

While I have a collection of bottles that would rival many neighborhood bars, the truth is that unless I’m tasting or testing recipes I rarely drink at home. (Don’t worry, though, I make up for that deficit out in the wild.)

But judging by the big eyes and wide smiles of friends and delivery guys who come by and the excited commenters whenever I post a pic of my makeshift bottle shop on Instagram, others would be going to town if they had ready access to such a lineup.

Thankfully, Enzo—who already spends an inordinate amount of time hanging out atop the kitchen cabinets and casually taking a break from his many naps to selectively topple the overstock bottles on the floor like bowling pins—has stepped up to raise a hand paw to volunteer his services to aid in making the most of my collection.

Welcome to Off the Backbar with Enzo, where my favorite vanilla-caramel-fudge colored Knicks-loving tabby cat will pass along a weekly bottle pick for me to share with LAST CALL readers along with a cocktail recipe.

Salute!

—BTP

One Bottle After Another: See the Elephant Amaro di Rucola

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Welcome to City Guides, a LAST CALL paid-subscriber exclusive featuring personal recommendations for my favorite neighborhood spots for drinking and eating around New York City and beyond.

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City Guide: Seattle’s Pike Place Market

When I had a chance to first visit Seattle a handful of times in the ‘90s, I fell in love with the city from the start and made it my mission to move there. I did just that in January 1999, where it then rained for four months straight, but that didn’t dampen my enthusiasm and love for Seattle and all that it offered. After more than a decade in Seattle I moved to Brooklyn in the spring of 2010, and even though my writing career flourished here in the Big City (though you wouldn’t know if you saw my current checking account balance), for the first few years I still wondered if I made the right decision moving back to New York.

While the Space Needle is Seattle’s most recognizable landmark, Pike Place Market, one of the country’s oldest continuously operated public farmers’ markets, is known as the “soul of the city.” I worked downtown and would grab a bite there while running errands during lunch hour and it was my first stop every Saturday morning.

While it is Seattle’s most popular tourist attraction with more than 20 million annual visitors, it’s also a lively and engaging working market filled with hundreds of vendors across 500 shops, restaurants, and stalls with farmers, cooks, bakers, buskers, and craftsmen selling fresh produce, meat, seafood, flowers, pasta, pastries, coffee, cheese, chocolate, chowder, crumpets, biscuits, books, and so much more. Pike Place Market is also home to nearly 500 residents across eight different buildings throughout the Market, and the Pike Place Market Foundation raises and oversees funds to support the people living and working there with services free clinic, senior center, low-income housing, and a childcare center.

Built on the edge of a steep hill overlooking Elliott Bay and Puget Sound, Pike Place Market first opened on August 17, 1907, with just 10 local farmers and their wagons of produce. That number jumped up to 70 the following week and today the number of vendors in the hundreds.

Pike Place Market Directory

Pike Place Market Interactive Map

When I was back in Seattle last September I started each morning of my four days there walking through Pike Place Market, revisiting my favorite businesses and retracing my old Saturday morning ritual as if I had never left.

Read on for a guided tour of some of my favorite stops within and near Pike Place Market. It’s the closest you might come to being there with me. This lineup just scratches the surface. Part of the fun of Pike Place Market is taking the time to explore all the levels, stairways, alleyways, and unexpected detours. You never know what you might uncover.

I hope you enjoy this. And if you can, I hope you’ll consider taking advantage of this week’s Mid-April Subscription Sale to keep the neon lights on at LAST CALL HQ.

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Eating, Drinking, Snacking, and Shopping in Pike Place Market

DeLaurenti Food & Wine

Depending on my approach to Pike Place Market, my first stop is typically DeLaurenti Food & Wine, the two-story corner Italian speciality market established in 1946 devoted to quality meats, cheese, and provisions with an Italian focus that also celebrates the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. I usually start at the cafe up front for a quick slice of coffee, a cookie, or a slice of Sicilian-style pizza. The long L-shaped glass counter display stretched along the first floor, with a wide variety of cured meats and salumi, more than 250 varieties of cheese, and bins of prepared food like lasagna, fresh pasta and sauces along with a seemingly endless selection of antipasti. That’s to say nothing of the pantry items and provisions lining all the shelves, from tinned fish and chocolate bars to crackers, cookies, and ice cream. You’ll find a large assortment of wine upstairs along with an extensive collection of bitters.

DeLaurenti Food & Wine (1435 1st Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101)

Pike Place Fish Market

Even if you’ve never been to Pike Place Market, let alone the city of Seattle, you’ve likely seen, or aware of, the high-energy antics on display at Pike Place Fish Market, the popular operation that started there in 1930. They’re a go-to on-location set-up for any major national sporting event in Seattle, cutting to “flying fish” B-roll of the orange-colored, rubber apron-adorned fishmongers tossing large salmon through the air to the cashier whenever a customer places an order. It’s a bit of performance art and constantly draws a crowd of tourists who have to be reminded to not block the hallway. When you’ve seen the shtick in person a few times you’ve had your fill, so I stop by when it’s quieter to peruse and sample their selection of Smoked Salmon Candy and Salmon Jerky which they wrap and pack up for the flight back to New York. Their showmanship, though, is impressive, and I respect the hustle.

Pike Place Fish Market (86 Pike Street, Seattle, Washington 98101)

Sosio’s Fruit & Produce

Sosio’s Fruit and Produce, a family-owned business that’s been in the Market for more than 50 years, is very likely the one stall I’ve spent the most time in over my many years shopping in Pike Place Market. They’re famous for their exclusive (and trademarked) “Oh My God” selections—their official grading scale for the best-of-the-season fruit. It’s a tight space and you get jostled around a bit and Mike Sossio and his team are busy barking customer orders and offering freshly sliced samples of peaches, plums, apples, and nectarines.

In the summer of 2007 I wooed a long-distance girlfriend back East shipping her Seattle care packages from Sosio’s packed with Rainier cherries, Washington apples, blackberries, apricots, and morel mushrooms. We had an LDR for almost three years, but, of course, it didn’t work out.

I stopped by Sosio’s every morning last September to pick up plums, nectarines, and apples to snack on back at my hotel. When Mike Sosio overheard me saying “hotel” he seemed confused. “Don’t you still live up on Queen Anne,” he asked? When I explained that my regular Saturday morning visits had been on hold as I had moved away 15 years ago, he shook his head and said, “Man, time flies…”

Sosio’s Fruit & Produce (85 Pike Street, Seattle, Washington 98101)

Market Grill

One afternoon, a dear friend and co-worker of mine at Amazon asked me to join her for a group lunch at Market Grill without revealing that beyond enjoying a delicious Grilled Salmon Sandwich, her ulterior motive was to also invite a friend of hers to see if we hit it off. We did indeed. It turns out that not only did we work in the same office building, we also lived less than a block away from each other in Queen Anne.

A week or so later we met for coffee at El Diablo (RIP), followed by a long and meandering walk through the neighborhood where we never stopped talking and ending our constitutional with the promise of getting together for dinner the next week. I can’t remember how long exactly I dated the Late Elizabeth1. I enjoyed many aspects of my time with her (except her smoking habit) and while I wasn’t a bumpkin by any means, being around her and her talented and sophisticated family always made me feel more cosmopolitan than I had any business feeling. She eventually broke up with me due to my “lack of ambition.” Fair enough, I guess.

But what about the food?! Market Grill was one of my regular spots, and I ate there at least once a week. It wasn’t the most comfortable set-up, especially since the business nearly spilled out into the always-crowded Market hallways. The server/cook manned a large grill with a narrow U-shaped bar stretched around it. If you were lucky enough to grab a stool you often had to fend off the eager diners standing directly behind you waiting for their turn.

There was streamlined lineup of proteins to choose from—Blackened Coho Salmon, Wild Alaskan Halibut, Tiger Prawns, Chicken, Portobello Mushroom, and a daily catch—which all received the same preparation. Dressed with blackened seasons and grilled then served on a grilled long roll dressed with Romaine lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions (nope), and Rosemary mayo, served sliced in half with a side of coleslaw. I usually got the Halibut and it was incredible. Hearty, smoky, and flavorful with a pleasing layer of textures. What was even better was that I got to know the guy who ran the operation and would see him all over town. He also pulled some shifts at Frank’s Quality Produce across the cobblestone street. He was a good dude.

Market Grill (1509 Pike Place #3, Seattle, Washington 98101)

Don & Joe’s Meats

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