Who | Roger Aquino
Where | Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Current Bar | Junto Attic Bar
Past Bar(s) | Tapastre and Project Pub (Somerville, NJ), The Bradford Rooftop (Bridgewater, NJ), Verve Restaurant (Somerville, NJ), Millburn Standard (Millburn, NJ), Madison Wine & Tap Room (Madison, NJ), Pharmacie Bar + Kitchen (Montclair, NJ)
Favourite Spirit | Mezcal
Favourite Juice | Passionfruit
Favourite Classic Cocktail | Aviation
First Classic Cocktail you ever had | Manhattan Up
Favourite Part of the Job | The daily interactions with regulars, guests & strangers.
Favourite After Work Drink | Bourbon on the rocks.
Favourite bar in the world | Employees Only (NYC)
Best known for | Incorporating classic cocktails in my “Dealer’s Choice” cocktails. Not shying away from the original cocktails of the world. Also…I make a pretty good Caipirinha!
Favourite “at work” memory | The day my mentor had told me I’d be tending bar in his place as he moved on to working elsewhere. Also, my first time ever walking into a restaurant when I was 9 years old. Pops was a chef and he showed me the ways of hospitality at such a young age.
What’s the most popular cocktail in your city? Hmmm…I get a lot of Mezcal Old Fashioneds and Mezcal Negroni variations.
Favourite thing about your city | The community, the openness to new experiences and just the energy on a weekend night.
Who is your favourite fictional bartender? Coach from Cheers, for sure!
What was the last photo that you took? A Mezcal Negroni/Manhattan riff I’ve been working on these last few weeks.
Where is one place that you have never been but would like to travel to? Tokyo, Japan!
Any claims to fame? I won a St. George Comp a few years back, been a part of many others as well. I attended Cocktails in the Country with Gaz Regan yeeeears ago. I’ve attended Tiki by the Sea, BCB, Tales of the Cocktail. I’ve trained many bartenders who now run their own programs and continue to train bartenders.
Aperitivo or Digestivo? Digestivo
Sparkling or Flat? Sparkling
Paper Plane or Penicillin? Paper Plane!
Sherry or Vermouth? Vermouth
Are you available for freelance gigs? Yes I am!
Find them: Instagram
