Cold Drinks

There’s a Secret Scotch Bar in Chinatown

Goes by the Name of Cold Drinks, Which Sounds About Right

By Joe Starkey ·
None 7 Photos Cold Drinks
Secret bars. So played out, right?

Just kidding, they’re still great.

Especially when they’re Cold Drinks, the new scotch-focused, hidden bar on the second floor of Chinatown’s China Live building. It’s soft-open now, and here’s the slideshow.

After entering the main lobby of China Live with your people, you’ll turn right and head up a nondescript stairway to the second floor. Turn right again. Before you: a large gold door, on the other side of which lies a completely different world.

To your left will be huge windows overlooking Chinatown. To your right will be a black marble-topped bar running the length of the room, manned by professionals with experience from some of the best bars in the city. They’ll be decked out in custom tuxedos from Al’s Attire. Of course they will be.

Peruse the drink list and opt for something like a Sometimes Old Fashioned with duck fat-infused Speyburn 10, rye, smoked pepper syrup, three different bitters and a toasted cinnamon stick. Or perhaps something from their painstakingly sourced scotch list with rarities like Macallan Limited Edition #1. Don’t be shy, it’s only here to help you have fun.

You love fun.
Joe Starkey

Joe Starkey is the tallest person in the room 90% of the time. He enjoys liquors that aren’t smoky, dive bars that are, and has a vague dread that someone, somewhere might be having more fun than him.

Vitals

Cold Drinks
644 Broadway
(between Stockton and Grant)
San Francisco, CA, 94133
415-788-8188
website

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