THIRSTY? Here Are the Valley’s Favorite Cocktails and Cocktail Bars
here’s what our readers picked in the most recent Best of the Valley poll
According to voters in our 2024 Best of the Chippewa Valley Reader Poll, these are the best cocktails you can sip and savor locally!
1. Smoked Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned at the Red Mixer. The Red Mixer’s (2526 Golf Road, Eau Claire) secret weapon in this drink? Local maple syrup. The cocktail is smoked right in front of your eyes and garnished with a Luxardo cherry and torched orange peel. Thirsty yet?
2. Brown Sugar Bourbon Old Fashioned at Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse. The Brown Sugar Bourbon Old Fashioned at Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse (4751 Owen Ayres Court, Eau Claire) rose to the top three this year, another delicious take on the classic cocktail making it a fast favorite.
3. Great Grampa at The Lakely. Practically a given at this point, the Great Grampa at the Lakely (in the Oxbow Hotel, 516 Galloway St., Eau Claire) remains a steady favorite in the Valley. A Lakely Legacy cocktail, this drink is made with rye whiskey and garnished with a lemon peel.
According to voters in our 2024 Best of the Chippewa Valley Reader Poll, these craft cocktail hotspots are sure to appease any cocktail connoisseur.
1. Helix Wine, Craft Bar & Cafe (1444 Front Porch Pl., Altoona) became a fast favorite in the area thanks to its chic-yet-casual atmosphere, tentative waiters and bartenders, and – of course – the top-tier cocktail (and wine!) options.
2. Dive (perched atop The Listmore Hotel, 333 Gibson St., Eau Claire) settled into second place this year. The uber cool, classy and never stuffy rooftop bar delivers a house-made, curated selection of craft cocktails, select beer, and wine.
3. Chippewa River Distillery & Brewster Bros. Brewing Co. (402 W. River St., Chippewa Falls) may exclusively offer Trumie’s vodka for its cocktails, but don’t think that limits its options; there are over 30 drinks to choose from. From Chippewa-Colada to American Pie, to Cucumber Cosmo and its special “Naughty Jen,” there’s something to satiate everyone’s thirst. (Plus, it’s a brewery, too!)
