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Seven Detroit Establishments Serving Up Interesting Cocktails

Head to these restaurants and bars for upgrades on the classics and inventive techniques and ingredients.

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Looking to shake up your traditional drink order? Check out this guide to some of Detroit's most interesting cocktails. If you've got another favorite in the metro area, do leave it in the comments below.

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Vivio's Food & Spirits

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Check out this Eastern Market bar for iterations on the Bloody Mary. With a full page of the menu dedicated to the drink, there are some twists and turns including bacon, asparagus and prosciutto The Morning After Bloody Mary may or may not help calm that queasy stomach with a mix of Red Bull, boiled egg, bacon, and pickle. [Photo]

The Oakland

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Invested in the quality of its spirits, this late night bar in Ferndale has won awards for its bar program— any bar owners that close down shop for an annual cocktail research trip must have a few tricks up their sleeves. Strange ingredient likely to be found on their drink menu? Fire. [Photo]

Rock City Eatery

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Find unusual ingredients all over this cocktail menu. From date syrup in the Peace in the Middle East to white blossom vodka in the Purple Drank. Also: ever-changing cocktail specials. [Photo]

Centaur Bar

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Martinis are at the heart of menu at this Theater District restaurant. Many are virtually drinkable desserts— like the pumpkin martini with coffee liqueur or the dirty girl scout that’s like “the classic Thin Mint in a glass.” The Detroiter holds true to its name with vanilla vodka, spiced rum and Vernor’s— Detroit’s favorite soda/pop. Only in Detroit… [Photo]

Coogan's

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Rumor has it that this Southwest Detroit bar serves up Mexican cantaritos (tequila, lime, grapefruit soda, lemon, and orange juices). Even better, the refreshing concoction is served in traditional clay pots.

Small Plates

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Here, find a newly updated craft cocktail menu with drinks a step or two removed from old-school classics, like the Acapulco with rum, triple sec, lime juice, egg whites, simple syrup, and mint. A little bit further off the beaten path would be the aloe gin found in the Sloe Work Day, mixed with crème de cassis, dry vermouth, and an IPA-style beer. [Photo]

Whiskey In The Jar

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This low-key yet happening spot in Hamtramck has some serious drink specials. It's not a cocktail per se, a shot of Polish blackberry brandy (Jeznyowka) will start the festivities off with a punch. [Photo]

Vivio's Food & Spirits

Check out this Eastern Market bar for iterations on the Bloody Mary. With a full page of the menu dedicated to the drink, there are some twists and turns including bacon, asparagus and prosciutto The Morning After Bloody Mary may or may not help calm that queasy stomach with a mix of Red Bull, boiled egg, bacon, and pickle. [Photo]

The Oakland

Invested in the quality of its spirits, this late night bar in Ferndale has won awards for its bar program— any bar owners that close down shop for an annual cocktail research trip must have a few tricks up their sleeves. Strange ingredient likely to be found on their drink menu? Fire. [Photo]

Rock City Eatery

Find unusual ingredients all over this cocktail menu. From date syrup in the Peace in the Middle East to white blossom vodka in the Purple Drank. Also: ever-changing cocktail specials. [Photo]

Centaur Bar

Martinis are at the heart of menu at this Theater District restaurant. Many are virtually drinkable desserts— like the pumpkin martini with coffee liqueur or the dirty girl scout that’s like “the classic Thin Mint in a glass.” The Detroiter holds true to its name with vanilla vodka, spiced rum and Vernor’s— Detroit’s favorite soda/pop. Only in Detroit… [Photo]

Coogan's

Rumor has it that this Southwest Detroit bar serves up Mexican cantaritos (tequila, lime, grapefruit soda, lemon, and orange juices). Even better, the refreshing concoction is served in traditional clay pots.

Small Plates

Here, find a newly updated craft cocktail menu with drinks a step or two removed from old-school classics, like the Acapulco with rum, triple sec, lime juice, egg whites, simple syrup, and mint. A little bit further off the beaten path would be the aloe gin found in the Sloe Work Day, mixed with crème de cassis, dry vermouth, and an IPA-style beer. [Photo]

Whiskey In The Jar

This low-key yet happening spot in Hamtramck has some serious drink specials. It's not a cocktail per se, a shot of Polish blackberry brandy (Jeznyowka) will start the festivities off with a punch. [Photo]

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