Cocktail bar: Marvel Bar

Where to start with Marvel Bar? Let's begin with simply getting inside. Walk around to the back of this 100-year-old building, check in with the door guy and go through the service entrance. In the small hallway, pick the purple door. You've entered the Twin Cities' most ambitious cocktail den. Sound pretentious? It is. It's also an experience every drinker should have. Here, bartender Pip Hanson leads a highly trained staff in the art of cocktail making. They hand chip their own ice. They put emulsified olive oil in one drink (speaking of which, order the Oliveto). When we want good food, we go to a chef who uses the finest ingredients. Cocktails should be no different.

Runner-up: Bradstreet Crafthouse