2 minute read
Drink This Now
Drink This Now
NEGRONI AT HILLSIDERS
By Sarah Sipple
403 N 5th St., Kansas City, KS 66101
Flair, clever names, kitschy glassware… I love a themed bar as much as (okay, more than) anyone, but sometimes a classic neighborhood bar hits the spot. Strip away the trendy finishes, and you’re left with the studs: your drink, your company, and hopefully a comfortable spot to sit. Hillsiders has the relaxed aura of a dive bar sans the smoke-stained walls and scratchy cracked-leather stools.
Here’s your sign to stroll into the dimly-lit bar, order a Negroni and snack mix, play a game of pool, and only have spent $10.
The Negroni is batched in-house using Brokers Gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, and orange peel. It’s smooth and easy—bitter with a pleasant level of sweetness—and arguably one of the best in KC with its mild blend of citrus, juniper, and licorice root. It happens to be the most popular cocktail but by thin margins.
Add a $1 snack mix of cheese balls and nuts or a Turkey Sando on ciabatta for $8, and you’ve got yourself on a sweet and salty cycle.
“Our idea behind the menu is rooted in the neighborhood. We are not specifically focused on cocktails, so we wanted to be able to provide staple cocktails and centennial recipes, all priced at under $10 to keep the wallet in mind,” says owner Logan Smith.
Classic cocktails and effortlessly cool vibes aren’t all that Hillsiders has to offer. From Marsh Mellow Mondays with $2 s’mores kits and the Sunday Special of a hot dog and Hamms for $4 to pop-ups with burgers, live music, or comedians—there’s always something happening. But, like, you know, in a laid-back way.
