What to Order at The Bower Bar, in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District
The bar hosts a unique cocktail program featuring field-to-glass drinks with ingredients sourced from Sugar Roots Farm
The Bower Bar, interior / Photo: Courtesy of The Bower Bar
Early gardens in New Orleans featured a bower, a characteristic trellised walkway dating back to Sieur de Bienville’s founding of the city in the area now known as the Lower Garden District, where vegetable gardens remain as a remembrance of that earlier era. Today the neighborhood hosts The Bower, a locally sourced American restaurant driven by the seasons and ingredients harvested by Louisiana farmers. In the same building is The Bower Bar, with 20 seats around a central bar and an additional 24 at marble bistro tables. Living green walls and plants from locally owned landscape architects Luna Botanicals create the lush look of a garden hideaway.
Mood Ring / Photo: Courtesy of The Bower Bar
Guests can enjoy the same cuisine found next door, along with the famed charcuterie boards offering daily cheeses and artisanal meats accompanied by house pickles. The unique cocktail program features field-to-glass libations with a special focus on seasonal herbs and flowers from Sugar Roots Farm. According to beverage director Mickey Mullins, one of the most popular drinks is the Magazine Margarita, prepared with house strawberry tequila, lime and triple sec. Says Mullins, “It’s a nice play on a classic cocktail. Because we infuse the tequila with fresh strawberries, our customers really appreciate that housemade taste. We like to use local strawberries, especially when they are in season. There is nothing better than Ponchatoula strawberries—they are the perfect natural sweetener. This drink is such a crowd-pleaser.”
Bower Sour / Photo: Courtesy of The Bower Bar
Kissed by a Rose, a drink that was originally offered on Valentine’s Day, became so popular it stayed on the menu. This beautifully cloudy refreshing highball, made with vodka, rose syrup, orgeat, lemon and absinthe mist, is a drink for all seasons. Another standout is the Bower Sour, a unique play on the traditional whiskey sour utilizing fresh hibiscus flowers from Sugar Roots Farm, making the drink pink. And 51 Problems blends the earthy taste of beets with smoky mezcal, Suze, passion fruit and lime, making it all approachable and smooth.
