North to south

Panamericano (Brickell)

BARS • First Round

The Skinny: Opened in November at the rear of Argentine restaurant Novecento (in Mary Brickell Village), Panamericano is a speakeasy-like bar, cultivating a bit of mystery, but pouring excellent, creative cocktails.

The Vibe: Ringing a nondescript doorbell grants entry through the door, into a dark speakeasy dominated by a backlit bar with spirits from around the Americas. Shelves filled with rums, whiskeys, and liqueurs from Canada to Tierre Del Fuego frame a team of mixologists who know how to craft them into something as theatrical as it is delicious.

Whether you post up at the bar or opt for a booth, your server will take their time explaining the concept behind each cocktail. The barely-lit spaces and sexy music make it ideal for an adventurous date. The literal book of a menu gives you plenty to read over — an evening here is nothing if not an education.

The Drinks: You can order any cocktail you please, but why play it safe when you can order a drink named after a Peruvian spirit journey, like the San Pedro Ceremony, whose presentation is modeled after ayahuasca rituals. Even non-alcoholic drinks come with a heavy dose of theatrics, as with the zero-proof Water Divination Ceremony, which arrives with a blindfold and a steaming cocktail glass. The list of distilled spirits is impressive, too, and you’d do well to try a flight of whiskeys or rums, if they’re on offer that day.

The verdict: For atmosphere, creative cocktails, and a story with every order, Panamericano is for my money the best new bar experience in the city. –Matt Meltzer

→ Panamericano (Brickell) • 900 S Miami Ave • Tue-Thur 5p-12a, Fri-Sat 5p-2a • Reserve.