Bar Colette starts creating your cocktail days before you even make yourself comfortable on one of its pink velvet couches. This European-inspired cocktail lounge was an exciting addition to West Village late last year, and Ruben Rolon's (Colette's Michelin-recognized bar director) artistic mixology is on full display here. His most impressive creations involve a clarified milk punch that gives many of his cocktails a simple appearance but are packed with a full sweep of flavors from the first sip to finishing notes. His menu rotates seasonally, so there's always a reason to stop in to try a new favorite or get your hands on a second round before some drinks go archival.

Christies has been an essential sports bar in Dallas since 1991. There are more TVs than we can count, and on big game days (no matter the sport), the energy is palpable. The food is much better than expected: house-made-tortilla chips are kind of good. When the weather is nice, head up to the rooftop. No matter how busy it gets, the staff is attentive, and food and drinks arrive quickly. Each seat in the house offers a view to multiple TVs, meaning you can watch all the sports at once. A dream, really.

The espresso martini has had quite the run the past couple of years, and it's pretty ubiquitous at this point, but some bars put their hip into it. Case in point: Cosmo's, which starts with house-made Vietnamese coffee, a substantially richer elixir that packs a buzzy punch. The Vietnamese coffee is mixed with Van Gogh Espresso Vodka and Kahlua then tossed in a tumbler and shaken into a creamy smooth bliss. They only make a certain amount each day; when it's gone, it's gone, so go early.

It's difficult to imagine a more fun setting for a cocktail than 4 Kahunas Tiki Lounge. The moment you step inside, you're transported to a Polynesian island haven. Thankfully, the drinks might even surpass the fantastical decor. The fact of the tropical matter is the look of a proper tiki cocktail has to be every bit as on-point as the taste does. The aesthetic, theme and booze all collide in a perfectly fun way when it comes to any of the powerful, fruity 4 Kahunas cocktails served in their shark mugs. We love sipping right out of the shark's mouth, but the little drizzle of red syrup trailing from the open mouth is the drama we desire.

While so much of the Dallas beer scene revels in variants of IPAs, it's a different local beer on the opposite end of the spectrum that we most love to see in various forms and flavors. The Temptress, Lakewood Brewing's beloved imperial milk stout, has been offered in mint, peanut butter, Oreo, raspberry and gingerbread forms, just to name a few. And they're all spectacular. Of course, the original base version is always enough to satiate us on its own. One of the most storied beers from one of the best breweries around will always be at the top of our list.

When the local craft brewery boom started over a decade ago, Lone Star Beverages in Carrollton was already slinging the best beers from not only local breweries but from the best craft breweries in Colorado, Oregon and elsewhere, including many few around here knew about. As the craft beer scene and tastes have evolved, so, too, has this shop. If there's a little-known IPA from Maine, a sour ale from Florida, a hard tea from New England or a slushy beer from Austin that you want but no one seems to have, you haven't checked Lone Star Beverages out yet.

Taking in a flick, no, a film, at the Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff feels like a refreshingly analog experience when compared with the soulless modernity of your local theater. That hand-crafted experience can be upgraded a great deal by stopping by the classy bar before you find your seat. The refreshing Baby Fay is also a rather stout drink, consisting of tequila, ginger beer, hibiscus and lemon. It beats an Icee at Cinemark any day of the week.

The husband-and-wife team of Jeff and Marissa Allen opened their first location of Cookie Society in 2018 with the goal of producing the ultimate cookie. In the beginning, there were just two varieties, chocolate chip and banana pudding. The latter has become their signature flavor, but over the intervening years, they've expanded to scores of varieties. They're baked fresh daily, so naturally they don't have all 70 varieties every day, but part of the fun is walking in and seeing what they have. There is also a cookie(s) of the month, a rotating stable of new and interesting flavor combinations such as French toast or peaches and cream. Whatever the flavor, you can expect large and perfectly cooked cookies with chewy centers and slightly crispy edges. And, there's a rewards program.

If one spot in Dallas best embodies "chill," it's here. Tyler Station's lowkey taproom offers a consistent array of affordable craft brews, and the nearby picnic area is the ideal spot to meet with friends and let the kids work off some energy outside. Bring your own picnicking supplies or indulge in any of the adjoining food trucks which range from tacos to vegan burgers. The brewery is also steps away from a DART station, making accessibility a piece of cake.

The pandemic wasn't kind to many restaurants, including Rich Vana's Heritage Table in Frisco. But out of a crisis, Heritage Table has reemerged as one of the best farm-to-table restaurants in the area. There are Southern-inspired classics like fried green tomatoes and chicken pot pie, or seasonally creative masterpieces like a wagyu beef shoulder served on a bed of sweet potato risotto or the aptly named Whole Beast, which exemplifies Vana's dedication to using as much as possible of every vegetable and protein that comes through the kitchen. The trek to Frisco is worth it for this Southern charmer that belongs in any discussion among the area's best dining establishments.