Where To Score Austin's Best Bloody Marys On New Year's Day

AUSTIN, TX — Given its purported reputation as hangover cure, drinking a Bloody Mary on New Year's Day has become de rigeur for many of us. Thankfully, there are plenty of places in Austin in which to partake in this spicy, robust drink.

More on that later, but first a little history. The original name and recipe of the iconic drink is widely disputed. According to Esquire magazine, many believe the iconic drink originated at Harry's New York Bar at 5 Rue Danou. Around 1920, émigrés escaping the Russian Revolution began arriving in Paris, bringing with them vodka and caviar, the magazine explains.

Yet the bartender at Harry's, Ferdinand "Pete" Petiot, began experimenting with the possible combinations. As it happens, Petiot recently had been introduced to American canned tomato juice dubbed "tomato juice cocktail" on restaurant menus at the height of Prohibition.

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You likely know what happened next: After about a year of trial and error, Petiot combined vodka with the tomato juice, added some seasonings and voilà! A new cocktail was born, then called the Bucket of Blood, as christened by visiting American entertainer Roy Barton after a West Side Chicago nightclub of the same name, Esquire reports.

The drink had been popularized by Americans by 1933, prompting Vincent Astor to recruit Petiot to the King Cole Bar at the St. Régis Hotel in New York. Renamed "Red Snapper" for the bar's purposes (they still call it that there), the drink's reputation as hangover cure grew. Esquire helpfully included the recipe for the concoction as prepared at King Cole Bar to this day, where 850 Red Snappers are sold each month.

Here's that recipe:

The Red Snapper Original Recipe:

• 1 oz. Stolichnaya vodka
• 2 oz. Tomato juice
• 1 dash lemon juice
• 2 dashes salt
• 2 dashes black pepper
• 2 dashes cayenne pepper
• 3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Garnish with a lemon wedge and celery stalk.

Other bars quickly capitalized on the drink's popularity, re-naming it "Bloody Mary" in reference to Mary Tudor, Mary I of England and Ireland, who was known for her bloody reign against Protestants, the magazine noted. The earliest known reference with the re-appropriated moniker is a 1939 ad campaign for American-made Smirnoff vodka, according to Esquire. It's worth noting that Butch McGuire's Bar in Chicago lays clam to having been the first to add a celery stick to the mix as fiber-rich stirrer.

To nobody's surprise, Ernest Hemingway enjoyed knocking back a few Red Snappers at Harry's Bar back in the day. He even claimed to have introduced the drink to Hong Kong in 1941 saying his move in doing so "...did more than any other single factor except the Japanese Army to precipitate the Fall of that Crown Colony."

Who knows if that story is true or apocryphal, as the evidence is now lost to the mists of time. What is true is that there are abundant spots in Austin in which to partake of this New Year's tradition. Here's a sampling:

• backYARD at Waller Creek (Red River District)

Offered by the glass or carafe, the vodka-focused drink at backYARD at Waller Creek is said to be prepared with the joint's "secret house mix."

• Boiler Nine Bar + Grill (Seaholm District)

The Boiler Nine Bar + Grill's signature Bloody Mary is made with vodka, Deck Sauce Mary Mix and a little something extra: Dilly beans for a crunchy kick.

• District Kitchen + Cocktails (South Austin, Circle C)

District Kitchen + Cocktails makes its version with Dripping Springs 1876 vodka, Bloody Revolution, celery bitters and lime, all served in a glass with a tajin rim. The place goes all out in showcasing its creation, offering a Bloody Mary Bar during brunch every Saturday and Sunday (including availability on New Year’s Day). The bar includes a selection of Tito’s infused vodkas, including Bacon or Spicy Garden Medley. Guests also can enjoy dishes from District’s special New Year’s Day menu like the Prime Rib sandwich or Black Eye Peas.

• Geraldine's (Rainey Street)

And now for something completely different. For those who aren't fans of the traditional Bloody Mary (shockingly, there are such people), Geraldine’s offers its 24 Carat Magic – a savory, vegetal drink said to still retain hangover cure properties. "Get your much-needed dose of vitamins C, D, E and K, and settle your stomach with ginger with this Bloody Mary alternative," the folks at Geraldine's beckon. The 24 Carat Magic is made with Tito’s vodka, carrot juice, canton ginger, tamarind, lemon and mole bitters.

• Opal Divine's (North Austin, 12709 Mopac & Parmer Lane)

A couple of years back, we were impressed after partaking in a delightful Bloody Mary at Opal Divine's South Austin location once located at South Interstate 35 and Oltorf that has, sadly, closed down. But the Marina location off Mopac is thriving, and one can try their famed version there. Their take on the classic beverage is so renowned, Opal Divine's offers its own bottled mix for sale to Bloody Mary aficionados. Selflessly offering its recipe on the side of the bottle, the folks there break down its magical ingredients: Start with a 16-ounce glass of ice; add 1.5 ounces of Tito’s Handmade Vodka (or you favorite vodka); fill with Opal’s Divine Mary Mix, rolling it gently from shaker to glass and back again. Garnish to taste.

• Second Bar + Kitchen (downtown and Domain Northside)

Second Bar + Kitchen officials say you can complete your New Year's brunch there with its classic "The Bloody Mary WL," made with vodka, Cholula Mary and celery bitters.

• Snooze, an A.M. Eatery (North Lamar, South Lamar)

Snooze, an A.M. Eatery proudly offers its "Bangkok Bloody Mary" with powerful claims: "Kick your New Year’s hangover to the curb with Snooze’s exotic Bloody Mary offerings, including their signature Bangkok Bloody Mary," they say. It's made with Dripping Springs Vodka, sriracha, lime, cilantro, basil, fish sauce & house Bloody Mix. As the ingredients infer, "This cocktail is sure to put a pep back in your step," the folks at Snooze say.

As you can see, the range of Bloody Mary offerings in Austin illustrate the many unique twists those preparing them throw in. Sometimes, this can get to the point of ridiculousness (in the best sense of the word) with the added flourishes, sometimes added more as ironic garnish than genuine cocktailing. We've had one with giant slices of salami in them, which was actually kind of fun yet satisfying.

Whatever your preference, you're sure to find a favorite in Austin. Cheers!

Calling all bartenders! Do you have a signature Bloody Mary drink that warrants inclusion on this list? If so, please email antonio.cantu@patch.com so we can add it to the list. Readers: Do you have a favorite place for a Bloody Mary? Email us the details!

>>> Top photo from Geraldine's; all photos provided by Bread & Butter Public Relations save for the Snooze, an A.M. Eatery photo courtesy of George Lange Photography