Butcher & The Rye

Butcher's is actually two bars in one, both tucked into Richard DeShantz's charcuterie-heavy destination. It was the first Pittsburgh bar to receive a James Beard nomination for Outstanding Bar Program. The first is the main-floor bar, which has a Whiskey Wall with over 600 different bottles of brown liquor, making it a real contender for a slot among the greatest whiskey bars in the country.

But for the cocktail nerds, the second-floor Rye Bar is the place to be, perched on a loft lit by candles illuminating bespoke decor and, most importantly, slinging arguably the best cocktails in Pittsburgh, among them 12 on tap and signatures that include the spicy single barrel rum-spiked Gettin' Chile With It and the Forgive & Fernet, which turns the ol' Bartender's Handshake into something more like a complex handshake that gets you into a secret club One with really great meat.

Location: 212 6th St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Website: butcherandtherye.com