Cocktail bars on the cove have started taking themselves more seriously, and the menus are the most visible proof. What used to be a short list of classics has become real, considered cocktail programming.
The five drinks below are the ones we keep coming back to. Each of them is on a menu somewhere on the strip, and each of them is worth the trip even if you weren't planning a night out.
A house spritz built on a local vermouth, served in a wineglass full of crushed ice. Fresh, bitter, low-ABV — exactly right for a long afternoon on the deck.
A negroni variation that swaps Campari for a slightly softer Italian amaro. It rounds out the edge without losing the structure. Best in a quiet corner with someone you actually want to talk to.
A short, sharp espresso martini built around a Perth-roasted bean and a generous shot of local rum. Properly cold, properly bitter, properly foamed.
The other two? You'll have to walk the strip and find them. They're worth the search.