James Beard semifinalists: Barr Hill Cocktail Bar

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – They’re the Oscars of the food industry, and people and places in our region are now one step closer to winning one.

We’ve so far visited three of the semifinalists in the 2024 James Beard Awards were announced last month. Micah Tavelli of Paradiso HiFi, Cara Tobin at Honey Road, and Kristina Zontini at Super Secret Ice Cream. Last but not least, Cat Viglienzoni pulled up a seat at Barr Hill Cocktail Bar in Montpelier, nominated for Outstanding Bar.

At Barr Hill Distillery in Montpelier, the Bee’s Knees is their most popular drink — a fitting choice for a distillery founded by an apiary and whose award-winning gin has already generated a lot of buzz.

“It’s our gin that’s finished with raw local honey alongside some honey syrup and some fresh lemon. So, easy to go to, really delicious,” said Patrick Amice, Barr Hill’s general manager of hospitality operations.

He says customers often start out on their classics menu but that their “landcrafted” section is where they really show what Vermont has to offer. “And that side of the menu kind of deals a little bit more with local ingredients, working with seasonal, fresh, the most fun interesting that we can find at that time of season,” Amice said.

In the winter — and around Valentine’s Day — it might be the “Nothin’ Beets Love” featuring the red root veggie and their vodka washed with Vermont Creamery chocolate and cherry goat cheese. A tasty tipple and a sumptuous social media snap, too. Drinks like this helped Barr Hill catch the eye of top food critics, who gave the Montpelier spot a James Beard semifinalist nod in the Outstanding Bar category.

“For us, it’s huge. We were one of two distilleries nominated on the whole list and then we’re the first Vermont bar to be nominated for outstanding bar program,” Amice said.

But it isn’t just about the drinks. Amice says in the last two years they’ve elevated their food and service to match the level of their libations. He thinks that growth is what finally earned them the nomination. “It feels awesome, and it’s such a huge testament to the hard work my team puts in,” he said.

Amice says since the nomination, more patrons are heading to Montpelier to pull up a seat at the bar. “Now having this validation of, You don’t have to go to Burlington to get an amazing cocktail, or Boston, or Portland, Maine. Right here we’re making some of the best cocktails in the country,” he said.

He’s optimistic that they’ll move on to the finals, in part, because he says they’ve got an edge. The distillery on site pushes out new products like their sherry-aged Tom Cat Gin that, in turn, pushes the envelope for their cocktails, adding a new spin on an old-fashioned.

“We have a lot of exciting things that a lot of bars that are just slinging on great drinks can’t necessarily give that next-level experience and we have a good chance to give that experience. So, we’re very optimistic and very hopeful,” Amice said.

In a couple of months, he’ll find out if the James Beard judges order another round, sending them to the finals.