First Sip: Avery Bar

It's hard to resent the Ritz Carlton for waiting so long to give us a classic drinks lounge.

first sip

Photo by Anthony Tieuli

It’s hard not to be annoyed with the Ritz. That it took more than 10 years for them to bring us a quality bar like Avery is maddening. Capitalizing on the lobby-as-cocktail-lounge trend (see: the Liberty, the W), the hotel recently reimagined the space beyond the check-in area, adding a marble-topped bar, several tables, and a long, glowing fireplace. With butter-soft leather chairs beckoning from private nooks and corners, it’s the kind of inviting refuge that the neighborhood has long lacked. Classic cocktails (a Martinez, a Vesper) and reworked ones (a Hemingway daiquiri with pink foam, a sparkling ginger Negroni), ranging from $12 to $16, anchor the drink list. Other offerings — a serviceable beer and wine list, cold bites like bruschetta and cheeses ($7–$10) — are ho-hum, but the staff is all service and smiles. We’re still irked, but given this scene, we won’t stay mad for long.

10 Avery St., Boston, 617-574-7100, ritzcarlton.com.

first sip

Photo by Anthony Tieuli