Awards News

These 10 best bartenders are pouring Dallas' craftiest cocktails

We love bartenders because they make us delicious drinks.

As part of our annual Tastemaker Awards, CultureMap celebrates the best in food and drink, and there's no group more celebratory than bartenders.

Tending bar is a complex task, requiring a wide range of skills including precision, hospitality, multi-tasking, teamwork, patience, attentiveness, the ability to perform under pressure. It's also a creative job that allows room for personal expression and a large degree of autonomy.

We'll toast the nominees and announce the winners at a Virtual edition of the Tastemaker Awards on July 30.

Here are our 10 nominees for the 2020 Tastemaker Awards Best Bartender of the Year:

Daniel Al-Qassem - Bowen House
Al-Qassem is part of the team at this acclaimed Uptown Dallas bar where his special skill is his ability to read people and intuit what they want.

Julie Bennett - AC Dallas
Bennett learned the ropes of bartending at the Fairmont Dallas Hotel, where she worked with old-school professionals who knew all the classic techniques. She then dove into some of Dallas' more advanced craft havens such as Henry's Majestic and its adjoining speakeasy the Atwater. Hotel bars are her sweet spot; she worked at the Adolphus before signing on with the new AC by Marriott in downtown Dallas.

Wilborn Blalock - Tipsy Alchemist
In Dallas there is not a more cutting-edge, out-there bar than Uptown haunt Tipsy Alchemist, where they're mixing up some of the most fantastical cocktails around. There is fire, ice, liquid nitrogen, and smoke. Holding court is Wilborn Blalock, the bar manager in charge of creative concepts, whose goal is to push Dallas' cocktail scene in new directions. A native of California, he's been with Tipsy since it opened four years ago.

Daniel De La Sancha - Paradiso
A native of Massachusetts, De La Sancha recalls wanting to become a bartender as far back as kindergarten, when his teacher asked the class to draw a picture of what they wanted to be and he drew a photo of himself behind a bar. He moved to Dallas in 2011 and diligently worked his way up through the ranks, at bars and restaurants such as Las Palmas, Jose, Eureka, and Kona Grill. His favorite cuisine is French and he likes bringing those kinds of culinary techniques to his cocktails.

Josh Hendrix - Las Almas Rotas
Hendrix is easily one of the most liked figures in Dallas' mixology world. "He doesn't know a stranger," says one peer; "he's a sweetheart," says another. He started in Atlanta with pit stops in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, and has been on the Dallas scene for more than a decade, at numerous high-profile bars such as Proof + Pantry and The Standard Pour. He's supportive of other bartenders, of bars, and of the local scene.

Mario Ortez Huerta - Alamo Club
Huerta is a former sargeant in the Marines who studied criminal justice ethics at Mountain View College. He's tended bar at Knife Dallas, Scout at The Statler, and Musume in Dallas' Design District, and most recently at the Alamo Club.

Loren Marino - Virgin Hotels Dallas
Understated and calm, Marino balances a thirst for learning new things in the field with a genuine interest in people and what they have to say. He's worked at all types of bars, both in Dallas and Chicago: the hole-in-the-wall, high-end steakhouses, hotel bars, craft cocktail bars, picking up tips and techniques, but always paying attention to the customer. "Everybody has a different story," he says.

Kayla McDowell - Bowen House
McDowell has slowly but surely worked her way up to the top tier of bartending, first getting to know the service scene by waiting tables at restaurants such as Chili's and Bread Winners, before gravitating to cocktails. She's been behind the bar at State & Allen, Hopdoddy Burger Bar, and at The Nova on Preston, and now is part of the creative team at Bowen House Dallas.

Marty Reyes - Swizzle
Texan native has been in the service industry for 25+ years, including Dick’s Last Resort, Bowlounge, Industry Alley Bar, Cibo Divino, and the Green Door Public House. He and his wife Jen Ann Tonic bring a special twist: They're longtime tiki aficionados whose endeavors include organizing the 2019 rendition of Dallas Tiki Week in June.

Zach Smigiel - Billy Can Can
Smigiel is a repeat Tastemaker Awards nominee for best bartender (he was nominated in 2017), with a heavy resume at cocktail hot spots such as Midnight Rambler, Victor Tangos, The Porch, and Black Swan Saloon. He's a former attorney and originally from famed Flint, Michigan, with Midwestern roots that keep him grounded.

tastemakers awards cocktails

Global tastes

New botanería pairs drinks with free bites near Dallas Farmers Market

Chef Karla Soria Palomino's menu delivers authentic Mexican flavors and bold heat.

Photo credit: Paul Torres.

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There is a novel concept open in the Dallas Farmers Market district: Called Sor Juana, it's a botanería inspired by traditional Mexican establishments where drinks are served alongside complimentary snacks and bar bites.

Located at 1908 Canton St., the space provides an immersion into Mexican culture through its food, beverages, decor, and overall atmosphere.

Sor Juana comes from Alexandra Hernández and Karla Soria Palomino. Hernández brings a background in front-of-house hospitality, theatre, and events while Soria Palomino contributes extensive kitchen experience from restaurants across Mexico and Dallas.

The inspiration behind the name and concept comes from 17th-century nun and scholar Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. Recognized as the "First Feminist of the Americas," she was a literary trailblazer who learned to read and write during an era when women were denied an education. Considered one of the greatest poets of the Baroque period in what is now Mexico, Sor Juana defied societal norms, stood up to the male-dominated clergy, and excelled in science, mathematics, music, and culinary arts.

“We wanted to pick a strong woman from Mexico as the emblematic figure of our botanería — traditionally run and frequented only by men,” Hernández says. “With our women-run botanería, which is a unique concept for Dallas, we are creating a space for everyone.”

The frame for their idea is a landmark Dallas building originally constructed over a century ago for the Desco Tile Company. Designed in a Venetian Gothic style with exterior arches and columns, the interior features original chandeliers alongside decorative, colorful tilework — including a wall fountain, a fireplace, and terrazzo floors — all preserved intact for Sor Juana, with a few new tile accents added to the bathrooms and bar backdrop.

Historic Dallas architecture meets traditional Mexican hospitality at Sor Juana.Photo credit: Paul Torres

“We tried to respect the architecture of the building by adjusting our concept to the space, rather than forcing the space to adjust to us,” Hernández says.

The duo worked with interior designer Callie Windle on the details, sourcing decorative pieces from artists both in Mexico and locally (many of which are available for purchase).

The 90-seat venue features comfortable seating centered around a dynamic bar program managed by Saúl Hernández (previously of Midnight Rambler, La Viuda Negra, and Las Almas Rotas).

True to the hospitality spirit of a traditional botanería, patrons receive a complimentary botana (bar bite) with every drink purchase. While the offerings rotate regularly to maintain an element of surprise, options range from spiced nuts, fresh fruit, and popcorn to more substantial plates like tacos and caldo de camarón.

The creative cocktail menu ranges from $12 to $16, anchored by their signature “La Nueva Sangre” — an orange blossom gin cocktail balanced with beet juice, lemon, passion fruit, and lavender bitters. Hernández notes the drink is “as complex and interesting, with a little bit of everything, just as Sor Juana was.”

The bar also pours Mexican imports alongside local favorites Shiner and Michelob for $7, wines, and zero-proof options including non-alcoholic champagne.

Happy hour runs Wednesday through Friday from 5:30-7:30 pm, featuring $6 beers, $8 wines, and $8 cocktails infused with house-made Mexican chili oil macha sauce.

Beyond the complimentary botanas, the venue offers a full food menu designed by Chef Soria Palomino. It comes with a playful warning: “Expect bold flavors and a little heat — that’s what the cerveza is for.” Signature items include ceviche, mezcal-glazed wings, tacos, and tostadas, all centered on authentic Mexican flavor profiles.

For dessert, they feature a ganzote crafted by Diana Zamora of Nena Postrería, inspired by the classic packaged Gansito sponge cake.

Community events play a major role in the space, including lotería nights, "Bring Your Own Vinyl" Sundays, and rotating local DJs every other Friday. The team is actively taking community feedback to build out future programming, including upcoming collaborative dinner series.

“Events are a way to build community and bring people together,” Hernández says. “When we started crafting this concept, we looked at every detail — from the playlist to the food and cocktails, as we wanted a total experience where every element comes together and complements the rest.”

Sor Juana is open 2-10 pm Wednesday-Thursday 12 pm-12 pm Friday-Saturday, 12-10 pm Sunday. Metered street parking is enforced until 6 pm, with free parking available afterward.