Coastal cocktails: the long-time staple on bar menus gets an upgrade with craft spirits and over-the-top garnishes.
It started with a lonely woman named Mary at Harry's New York Bar in Paris. She was nursing a cocktail made with tomato juice and vodka while waiting for her habitually late date. It was the 1920s, and little did bartender Ferdinand "Pete" Petiot know he had launched an iconic drink that would spur backyard barbecues, Sunday brunches, bartending competitions, hangover remedies, and garnish sportsmanship. It was called The Bloody Mary.
In 1936, Petiot brought his famous drink to the King Cole Bar in New York, but vodka was not available in the United States. He substituted gin and changed the name to The Red Snapper. Along with the name change, Petiot also added pepper, Worcestershire, lemon, and Tabasco to appeal to American palates. In the 1960s, John Martin used the drink as a vehicle to market a new product, Smirnoff vodka, which led to what most people think of as a Bloody Mary today — a spicy, vodka-based cocktail, often made with a dollop of horseradish.
Over the years, the Bloody Mary has seen many iterations on bar menus: the Bloody Maria, which swaps out vodka for tequila; the Michelada, where a beer is added; the Bloody Caesar, which substitutes clam juice for tomato; or the Green Mary, where tomatillo juice is the base. Then there are the garnishes, and "the crazier, the better" seems to be the direction, with everything from blue crab to deviled eggs to bacon. Some are meals on their own.
Here are some spots doing interesting things with this venerable drink.
La Petite Grocery — New Orleans, Louisiana
James Beard award-winning chef Justin Devillier worked his way up at La Petite Grocery from line cook to sous chef to executive chef, and now chef/owner. When you dine here, you are dining in what was once a circa-1800s full-service grocery store that offered exotic teas, locally roasted coffees, and fresh produce to the neighborhood, with a barn in the back for horses and delivery carriages.
You have two options at this New Orleans institution: the classic Bloody Mary and The Big Red Hammer. The classic is good, but the Hammer is where it's at. The cocktail is shaken with housemade bloody mary mix and Tito's vodka, but it is the garnishes that deserve attention. The mason jar libation is topped with poached gulf shrimp, blue crab, and house-pickled vegetables. The drink is served with a fork because you're going to need it.
Shimmy Shack — Harahan, Louisiana
It started as a bank. In 2003, owners Sam and Jimmy Collings transformed it into a full-service restaurant and wine bar. Just a 20-minute drive from Bourbon Street, Shimmy Shack is a neighborhood joint. As you drive up, the zydeco music is spilling out of the open-air bar, which was once the bank drive-thru window, and the iconic sign always has a new, unusual greeting.
The kitsch does not stop there. Bar stools are maybe the most unique anywhere — Jimmy Collings created custom seating honoring important New Orleans figures and athletes, with dressed mannequin legs attached to the underside, complete with anything from fishing waders to Crocs. Don't be fooled by the off-beat decor though, as the food and drinks are outstanding. And the Bloody Mary is not to be missed — it is a towering monstrosity of pepperoni, cheese cubes, pickled okra, bacon, wasabi cream cheese stuffed olives, a cocktail weenie, and yes, a cube of king cake with a plastic baby.
Ruby Slipper — numerous Gulf Coast locations
The story started in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans when owners Jennifer and Erich Weishaupt turned a blighted corner store into a cozy restaurant, with the hope that it would help draw people back to their New Orleans community. People came.
In July 2015, they expanded the breakfast-and-brunch-every-day concept to Pensacola, Florida. The same New Orleans favorites from their original location are available, including their famous Bloody Mary. It is a pairing of a spicy housemade mix and choice of vodka, bacon-infused vodka, or tequila blanco. The Bacon Bloody Mary is topped with all the fixins', including a piece of bacon — it is a breakfast all by itself, but especially good paired with some classic shrimp and grits.
Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe — Tampa, Florida
Just outside of Tampa in eclectic Seminole Heights, Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe is dedicated to globally inspired food, eye-catching art, and live music. Soul Food Sundays are a must, with Kansas City–style BBQ, hot jazz, blues, and folk live musical acts, and a front-row seat to owner Melissa Deming's rotating collection of found object and outsider art.
The star of this meal though is the Bloody Ella. It is an extra-large serving of Ella's ancho-infused vodka, loaded bloody mary mix, BBQ rub rim, topped with a hickory smoked rib. An added bonus is you can order these singly on site, or take a group bucket that serves eight to go.
Pescado — Rosemary Beach, Florida
If you are looking for one of the best Gulf Coast views, Pescado has it. Ride the elevator up to the rooftop and head out to the deck to imbibe overlooking the sugar sand beaches and emerald water of Rosemary Beach. Founded in 2018 by the owners of Shades Bar and Grill right up the street, Pescado quickly established itself as one of the premier sunset destinations on 30A.
Their Signature Bloody Mary is not to be missed. It is made with Wheatley Vodka and New York International Spirit award-winner Charleston Bold and Spicy Bloody Mary Mix. "For our guests who would like to kick up the spice, we are more than happy to shake the cocktail with fresh serrano peppers," said lead bartender Jesse Canady. "The most exciting part of our Signature Bloody Mary are the garnishes. We include sweet glazed Nueske's bacon, Cajun spiced grilled shrimp, lemon, lime, celery, and pickled vegetables. If you are unafraid, ask for it extra spicy — you won't be sorry!"
Barefoot BBQ — Seaside, Florida
A visit to sunny Seaside should definitely include sampling the fare at the row of retro-style Airstream trailers set up alongside Scenic Highway 30A. The smoke from the meats fills your nostrils with longing as you approach Barefoot BBQ. And with their win over Emeril Lagasse in his annual BBQ Challenge, you know you're in for something good.
Most days you can find owner James Murphy at the window taking orders. His commitment to the finest quality hormone-, steroid-, and antibiotic-free meats is compounded with their dedication to scratch-made sauces and sides that keep you coming back for more — especially the mac and cheese, made with their own beer cheese blend. You will want to wash down that tasty 'que with one of their Bloody Marys, voted "Best Bloody on 30A."
Brick and Spoon — Biloxi, Mississippi
The only thing you really need to know about Brick and Spoon is there is a separate menu for the Bloody Mary. It is divided into vodka type, spice level, and an array of toppings that include deviled eggs. "We are unique in that we have a build-your-own Bloody with fifty choices," said CEO and President Blane Guillory. "The permutation possibilities give thousands of build-your-own outcomes." It is basically nirvana in a very large glass.
Story by Carrie Honaker · Photos courtesy of La Petite Grocery (Denny Culbert), Shimmy Shack, Ruby Slipper, Pescado, and Brick and Spoon · Originally published in Beach Happy Magazine, Issue 4
