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The Varnish

The Varnish is hardly a secret anymore; it’s one of Los Angeles’ most reputable watering holes. Barman Eric Alperin comes from the circle of Sasha Petraske (Milk & Honey in New York) and the opening of the Varnish in 2009 is said to have ignited the Los Angeles craft cocktail scene. How to get in: Saunter down into Cole’s, the disputed progenitor of the French dip sandwich. The Varnish is behind a discreet door at the tail end of the restaurant and housed in what used to be an old storage room. Cocktails rotate about four times a year and are meticulously generated from syrups made fresh daily