Five Miami Bars to Try for a Proper Cocktail

The weekend is here, and it's time to celebrate with a proper drink. Thankfully, the art of the cocktail is alive and well in Miami. From the Anderson on Miami's Upper Eastside to Sweet Liberty in South Beach, bartenders are slinging thoughtful classics and imaginative creations.

Here are five stories guaranteed to quench your thirst for spirited knowledge.
Sweet Liberty's Bartender Table Takes Patrons Behind the Bar
Sweet Liberty's menu features a selection of interesting, well-made drinks and solid bar food, but to get an elevated experience (and a taste of what it's like to spend a shift behind the bar), opt for the bartender's table experience. For $75 per person (plus tax and gratuity), you'll be escorted through a secret door and past the bar's extensive liquor cage, then into the heart of the establishment — behind the bar.
Copper 29 Brings Craft Cocktails to Coral Gables' Miracle Mile
Nestled between the Starbucks on the corner of Ponce de Leon Boulevard and french pastry shop Janette & Co., the speakeasy-inspired bar looks to classic New Orleans watering holes for inspiration.
At the Anderson on the Upper Eastside, Everything Old Is New Again
The Anderson's cocktail menu is divided into two categories — "New Wave" and "Originals." New Wave drinks are takes on classic libations of the '80s and '90s. The Like a Virgin ($11) is a spin on the cosmopolitan, the drink made famous in the '90s by the characters of Sex and the City, who slurped the pink beverage all over Manhattan in the HBO runaway hit series that defined dating long before Girls.
Fall Cocktails at the Local Craft Food & Drink Spice Up the Menu
Since opening in 2011, Coral Gables' the Local Craft Food & Drink has been known for its fine pub grub and extensive beer selection. With nearly two dozen well-curated items, it's a great choice for beer lovers. If, however, you simply opt for a brew when dining, you're missing out on Will Thompson's cocktails. The bartender recently introduced a menu featuring a dozen libations — all priced at $13.
The Pubbelly Boys' First Bar, Pawn Broker, Will Whisk You Away, for a Price
Pawn Broker, perched atop the Langford Hotel in downtown Miami, is something different. Instead, you step through its marble-covered lobby into a gold-and-green elevator.