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America's Most Anticipated Spring Bar Openings of 2015

Add these 16 new bars to your drinking itinerary.

Bar Ferd'nand, Seattle.
Bar Ferd'nand, Seattle.
Sitka & Spruce

This spring and summer catch a fresh batch of new bars opening from coast to coast. Whether, it's a place to grab beer and whiskey in Boston (Hops N Scotch) or the Denver bar helmed by Tales of the Cocktail's American bartender of the year Sean Kenyon (The Occidental), below, the hottest bars to visit in the upcoming months.

ATLANTA

AMER

Location: Inman Quarter, 280 Elizabeth Street
Key Players: Brian Lewis, David Durnell  
Projected Opening: Spring
Bocado vets Brian Lewis and David Durnell are opening an amaro-focused cocktail bar in Inman quarter. The atmosphere will mimic what the duo has going on at their popular New American, and the drinks will pair with the kitchen's lighter bar fare.

Bocado

AUSTIN

Small Victory

Location: 108 E. 7th
Key Players: Josh Loving, Brian Stubbs 
Projected Opening: Summer
Cocktail expert and ice aficionado Josh Loving has partnered with another pro, Brian Stubbs, to open Austin's most anticipated bar. The minuscule, 800-square-foot space will be a hub for cocktail geeks, as well as fans of sherry, wine, and bar snacks.

Rendering: Dick Clark Architecture

BOSTON

HOPS N SCOTCH

Location: Inman Square, 1248 Cambridge Street
Key Players: The team behind Coolidge Corner Wine and Spirits
Projected Opening: End of March
Beer and whiskey hot spot Hops N Scotch has an Inman Square location in the works that could open any day now. Cocktail-wise, expect playful riffs on classics like the tamarind whiskey sour, which is on the menu at the bar's original location.

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CHICAGO

TIKI BAR

Location: Logan Square
Key Players: The teams behind Scofflaw and Slippery Slope
Projected Opening: Later this year
Chicago's most anticipated bar opening is also the one we know the least about. A yet unnamed tiki bar from the people behind Scofflaw and Slippery Slope will debut in the Logan Square area sometime in 2015. More to come.

Marc Much/Les Palenik/Shutterstock

DENVER

THE OCCIDENTAL

Location: LoHi, 1950 West 32nd Avenue
Key Players: Sean Kenyon, Todd Colehour
Projected Opening: May
The more casual offshoot of adjacent sister establishment Williams & Graham is the bar to watch in Denver. Head mixologist Sean Kenyon won best American bartender at Tales of the Cocktail last year, so his drinks will be well worth what will likely be a long wait.

BAR FAUSTO

Location: RiNo, 3126 Larimer Street
Key Players: Jonathan Power, Koan Goedman 
Projected Opening: Spring
Chef Jonathan Power (Populist and Crema Coffee House) and Koan Goedman (Huckleberry Roasters) will helm Bar Fausto, which specializes in craft cocktails and charcuterie. The massive 2,000-square-foot space was designed by FinArt and will hold about 100 imbibers.

Adam Larkey

HOUSTON

Spare Key

Location: Midtown, 2416 Brazos St
Key Players: Chris Frankel
Projected Opening: Spring
Mad scientist Chris Frankel, of Anvil Bar & Refuge is a cocktail bar called Spare Key inside popular midtown eatery Cook & Collins. The upstairs cocktail den will offer classic cocktails with some experimental ingredient combos. The Chronicle notes that the bartender will make special use of "fortified wines, exotic spirits and house-made ingredients."

Michael Paolucci

LOS ANGELES

E.P. & L.P.

Location: West Hollywood, 603 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Key Players: David Combes, Grant Smilie, and Axwell of Swedish House Mafia
Projected Opening: April
E.P. & L.P. the Asian restaurant and bar partially funded by Swedish House Mafia's Axwel boasts a rooftop lounge called L.P. with sweeping views of the city and whimsical drinks like adult boba cocktails and shareable punch bowls.

MAINE

ANJU COCKTAIL BAR

Location: 7 Wallingford Square, Unit 101
Key Players: Gary Kim, Julian Armstrong, Michael Pazdon
Projected Opening: Spring
The yet unnamed bar from the Anju team is going to be late 1800s to early 1900s-themed with a lighter menu of New American food (not a ton of deep-fried stuff). The drinks, courtesy of Michael Pazdon, will be made in the farm-to-table style with an emphasis on pickling and fermentation.

Anju/Facebook

NEW YORK

grand army bar

Location: Boerum Hill, 336 State Street 
Key Players: Noah Bernamoff, Damon Boelte, Julian Brizzi, Daniel Krieger
Projected Opening: Late March
Mile End's Noah Bernamoff and expert bartender Damon Boelte, Ruccola's Julian Brizzi, and Eater photographer Daniel Krieger are behind this highly anticipated neighborhood spot for cocktails, beer, and oysters. Construction is almost complete on the bar's wood burning fireplace and separate oyster bar.

mAce

Location: Alphabet City, 649 E 9th St.
Key Players: Greg Boehm, Zach Sharaga, Nico de Soto
Projected Opening: Late March/Early April
This 40-seat bar in the renovated Louis 649 space features a concise of menu drinks, each inspired by spices like smokey paprika, fiery Thai chilis, earthy cardamom, and of course, mace—there will be 12 in total. A menu of bar food will be provided  courtesy of Jeepney's Miguel Trinidad.

PORTLAND

CENTURY

Location: Buckman,  930 SE Sandy Blvd.
Key Players: John Janulis, Liam Duffy, Ben Hufford, Ian David, Clyde Wooten, Jacob Carey
Projected Opening: Summer
The team that brought you Jackknife, the Sweet Hereafter and the Bye and By has decided to open a sports bar. The layout will resemble a basketball court (complete with stadium-like rooftop seating) and for those that dislike the omnipresent TV screens in sports bars—you're in luck—Century will play games on retractable screens that will be hidden when not in use.

SHIFT DRINKS

Location: West End, 1200 SW Morrison St.
Key Players: Anthony Garcia, Alise Moffatt
Projected Opening: May
The huge, 90-seat bar called Shift Drinks decided it would be fitting to turn an old office space into a lounge, but with fresh, sprit-forward cocktails created by Alise Moffatt. The bar will have an art deco interior, a food menu of fast, healthy snacks, and a geeky wine list, curated by Anthony Garcia, formerly of Multnomah Whiskey Library.

Century

SAN FRANCISCO

AATXE

Location: Castro; 2170 Market St.
Key Players: Ryan Pollnow, The Bon Vivants
Projected Opening: Late March
The former Cafe du Nord/Swedish-American Hall space will house the latest project from Central Kitchen vet Ryan Pollnow. It's  going to be a 50-seat Basque restaurant with cocktails from The Bon Vivants (Trick Dog). Expect Spanish-inspired booze, like a G&T on tap, cocktails made with sherry and plenty of Iberian wines.

WhiteChapel

Location: Tenderloin, 600 Polk St
Key Players: Martin Cate, Alex Smith, John Park
Projected Opening: June
The team behind Smuggler's Cove, arguably the nation's best rum bar, is opening a similarly single spirit focused spot, this time for gin. The large 100 seat bar Whitechapel will be a good deal larger than Smuggler's Cove and instead of a pirate theme, will feautre Victorian-era decor with a few steampunk flourishes.

cdn/Flickr

SEATTLE

BAR ferd'nand

Location: Chophouse Row project on 11th Avenue
Key Players: Matt Dillon, Marc Papineau
Projected Opening: Spring
A new outpost of the popular Melrose Market wine bar will feature a wood-fired oven pus a more extensive menu, cider, and booze. This bar is part of the series of eateries coming to Chophouse Row.

Sitka & Spruce

Bar Ferd'nand

1531 Melrose Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 682-1333 Visit Website