If you haven't yet made it to the Roosevelt Room, consider having a cocktail at this downtown drinkery your weekend homework. The two-year-old bar just won Time Out Austin's Bar of the Year award, largely due to the fact that their staff—including head bartender Sharon Yeung—are phenomenal at creating some of the most innovative drinks in the city. We chatted with Yeung about Austin's cocktail culture, her go-to drink and how she cures the most ruthless hangover.
How did you get into bartending?
I’ve been bartending for over 10 years and didn’t get into craft [cocktails] until about a year and a half ago, so it’s still pretty new to me. After I started at the Roosevelt Room, I knew that this is what I’m meant to do. Their whole bar program blew me away and opened all these doors in my mind.
What do you love most about working downtown?
We get a lot of out-of-towners, and most of the time they’re not used to the type of service that we provide. I like to coax people into having something they’ve never tried. It brings a lot of joy to me when they end up loving [their drink], and they’re like, “Oh my god, I’m going to start trying more gin even though I was never a gin person.”
What do you think sets Austin’s cocktail culture apart from other cities right now?
I know for a fact that our bar community is small and tight-knit, and we’re all friends with each other and love bouncing ideas off of each other. We encourage each other to grow. It has this light, friendly competitiveness as well, but we’re all homies. It’s pretty cool.
What is your go-to drink? And what do you love making for other people?
My go-to drink is probably a mezcal negroni. I love making egg white cocktails—I just think they’re beautiful.
Any bars you’re really into right now?
I love the whole staff at Peché. They’re really creative, even as individuals. We all love going there because they’re so hospitable; they always go above and beyond. I also frequent The Aristocrat Lounge. It’s dark and dingy, but sometimes you need that.
What’s your foolproof hangover cure?
A giant bowl of pho, Gatorade and two ibuprofens.
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