When Erika Flowers is not hard at work leading Compère Lapin’s exquisite bar program or traveling internationally for distillery visits and speaking engagements, she enjoys sampling cocktails with friends, made by her friends. As a graduate of Turning Tables, a New Orleans nonprofit building diversity in the bar industry, she is a big supporter of her local community. The Bronx-born bartender with Belizean roots—and finalist for U.S. Bartender of the Year—is also a self-proclaimed rum girl, but she is an equal opportunist when it comes to an innovative craft cocktail. Here are the five NOLA bars Flowers recommends to please every palate:
Fritai: A James Beard Award semifinalist, this Haitian street food restaurant in Tremé is best known for its culinary offerings, but drinks are an integral part of the menu, according to Flowers. Fritai stays true to its roots by highlighting clairin, a sugarcane spirit native to Haiti, available both in cocktails and tasting flights. “It’s a full experience when you go there. I love that,” Flowers says. “From the food to the drinks, it truly feels like I’m getting a taste of Haiti.”
Nightbloom: This relative newcomer to the Bywater neighborhood is serving up creative cocktails to an area already rife with beloved dive bars. Proprietors Adrian Mendez and Joaquin Rojas (who own another popular spot, Bacchanal Wine Bar) created a home where chefs do pop-ups, artists showcase their work, and neighbors and tourists connect with one another. “I love how intentional they are with the products they have behind their bar,” Flowers says. “They’re carrying a lot of Black-owned spirits and smaller companies. Even the wines they are showcasing, I feel like they’re not wines I’ll see everywhere. They’re trying to introduce people to some really great offerings.”
Jolie: If you’re looking for a chic vibe in the Warehouse District, put Jolie on your itinerary. It was a finalist for “Best U.S. Bar” at this year’s Tales of the Cocktail conference for good reason. “It’s a great date night space, but sitting at the bar by yourself, you’ll always find someone to talk to,” Flowers says. Their extensive, elevated cocktail menu is the star, amplified by delicious small or large plates and funky DJs setting the mood. For a sexy and swanky night out, visit for their Cirque de Jolie aerial burlesque experience.
Bar Tonique: This dive bar sits at the edge of the French Quarter across from Louis Armstrong Park, attracting both locals and tourists looking for well-priced and well-made cocktails. Flowers notes that it’s been one of her staples for years. “My experience there has shifted as I’ve gone from just the consumer who is sitting at the bar to now the person behind the bar,” she says. The space was formerly a brothel waiting room, so it’s still no-frills, dark, and full of stories. And you can’t beat the daily $6 cocktail specials, including daiquiris and mai tais.
Barrel Proof: As the name suggests, this is the place to go for all things whiskey (some four hundred bottles), but Flowers confirms their margaritas are also a standout. “They have a great happy hour and it’s a fun spot to bring groups of friends,” she says of the community-focused spot in the Lower Garden District. Known as an industry watering hole for bartenders to unwind after their shifts, it also plays host to food vendors for pop-ups, along with DJs, drag shows, and all sorts of New Orleans revelry.
