We approach the bar with the same commitment to integrity, purpose and taste that you'll find on your plate at Restaurant Eugene. The potent potables which fill our glasses are born from thoughtful passion beginning with the producers. Like the farmers who grow our vegetables, the spirit makers we support behind the bar are just another part of our family. Serving up these potions of perfection is Bar Manager Gabe Bowen. He's worn many hats at Restaurant Eugene and a few across the way at Holeman and Finch Public House but his role as Bar Manager fits him like a waistcoat. What started out as a flight of fancy for Gabe, has turned into a passion and a career. He spends his nights inspiring and delighting guests with hand-crafted cocktails. During the day he can be found concocting house made liqueurs, including the coffee liqueur Chef Hopkins uses to put the shine on our our lacquered duck. He also has a passion for homemade bitters, which he considers the salt and pepper of his craft. His hand crafted palliatives help bring uniqueness and seasonality to our cocktail menu. Take this week's strawberry liqueur, for example. Making their debut on our upcoming spring cocktail menu is a trio of bitters he has developed using the finest of the season: whiskey-lavender, rhubarb and his tribute to forgotten southern favorites, ‘original bitters no. 44’. His allegiance to his art has garnered him a trip to New York to represent Atlanta at The Manhattan Cocktail Classic. He took home the win here at home with his ‘Dear Francesca’, a Campari and Scotch cocktail that whimsically represents the book of the same name.
While dinner at Restaurant Eugene is always cause for celebration, stopping by the bar makes every night an impromptu special occasion. Here you can enjoy a sip or dine from our full menu and you’ll see Gabe at his best, playing matchmaker to Chef’s masterfully planned bites and the intricate nuances of a well balanced cocktail. If you are looking for a new scotch to fall in love with or really want to experience all the joys of gin, he can put a flight together for you, accompanied with tasting notes.
His commitment to providing guests with a tasteful experience and just a splash of education are some of the reasons we are proud to have Gabe on our team.
