Alba Heurta at Julep | Photo Credit: Julie Soefer Photography — Alba Heurta at Julep | Photo Credit: Julie Soefer Photography

By Bartender Alba Huerta

Huerta is no stranger to the Houston cocktail scene - she's been bartending since she crossed the legal age threshold. Here are some of her favorite local watering holes.

Okra Charity Saloon

It’s a gorgeous, stunning bar and they donate all of their profits to a different charity every month. You get to be a part of that by being involved in the voting process. Every item you consume, whether it’s a sandwich or a cocktail or beer, you get to have a ballot to vote and then at the end of the month they weigh the different baskets to see who got the most votes and that charity gets the money for that month.

924 Congress Avenue, Houston, TX 77002 | T: 713.237.8828 | www.friedokra.org

Poison Girl Cocktail Lounge

It’s all about the bourbon and you’ll probably find me here more than anywhere else, I just adore it. They acquired all of these really interesting bourbons prior to the bourbon bloom and they did a fantastic job. They still have some gems that you can’t find anywhere else. There are pinball machines inside and outside and a patio with a big Kool Aid man, which gets dressed up with different holidays. The vibe is cool, comforting and very Houston.

1641 Westheimer Road, Suite B, Houston, TX 77006 | T: 713.527.9929

Grand Prize

There’s a culture clash here with some people enjoying cheap beer and crazy shots and others looking for cocktails and champagne. It’s a great balance of what the Houston scene is. The two gentlemen who own it came with a dive bar background. You’ll find cocktails, unique spirits, Lone Stars, Jagermeister, and interesting wines. They also do classic frozen cocktails, which is a gateway to trying even more classic cocktails, like the Aviation.

1010 Banks Street, Houston, TX 77006 | T: 713.526.4565

Coltivare

They have classically-driven drinks developed by Morgan Weber who uses ingredients that are very rustic in flavor and quality. His cocktail program is one of the more interesting ones in the city. The food is fresh Italian and my favorite dish is the Cacio e Pepe. They always get it just right with the perfect balance of pasta, pepper and cheese. Their wine program is very good too.

3320 White Oak Drive, Houston, TX 77007 | T: 713.637.4095 | www.coltivarehouston.com

Pax Americana

Shepard Ross runs a cocktail program that is American spirits-focused. Both the cocktails and the New American food here are outstanding.

4319 Montrose, Houston, TX 77006 | T: 713.239.0228 | www.paxamericanahtx.com

Alba Heurta | Photo Credit: Julie Soefer Photography

Bartender Alba Huerta

Nicknamed the first lady of Houston bartending, Huerta started at Branch Water Tavern and Grand Prize Bar before becoming the general manager at Anvil Bar & Refuge. In 2014, she opened her own Southern-inspired craft cocktail bar, Julep. She is a partner, along with Bobby Heugel and Kevin Floyd, at the Pastry War and Nightingale Room.

Julep

"If I think of the Sazerac, I think of New Orleans specifically. But if I think of the Julep, it’s the most iconic Southern cocktail.” And so, says bartender Alba Huerta, a cocktail bar was born.

Julep is Huerta’s celebration of Southern spirits and history with an emphasis on bourbon, rum and cognac. “When I was learning to make cocktails, there were very few things that were written about cocktails in the South. I wanted to have a bar that’s regionally relevant without having to look at other major cocktail cities and mimic their style of drinks.”

The intention of the menu at Julep is to tell a story. “I have a cocktail named the Cherry Bounce Sour. Cherry Bounce is an infusion that historically was a way of preserving cherries in alcohol so that you could have them outside of the summer season.”

There are four julep cocktails on the menu plus Huerta's own spin on the classics like the Sazerac and Crusta. In addition, the menu features a raw bar.

1919 Washington Avenue, Houston, TX 77007
T: 713.869.4383 | www.julephouston.com

Cocktail Features

Featured

Two Classic New Orleans Cocktails

New Orleans is the birthplace of the Sazerac and the Ramos Gin Fizz. Try your hand at both cocktails with recipes courtesy of The Sazerac Room.

An Evening Cocktail Tour of St. Pete

What makes the colorful sunsets on the west coast of Florida even better? Cocktails. Here’s where the pros like to grab an adult beverage both indoors and outdoors in downtown St. Petersburg.

Drinking in London With Barman Giuseppe Gallo

Eat and drink in style around London with these recommendations from bartender and Italicus liqueur creator Giuseppe Gallo.

Chef's Hilton Head & Bluffton Guide

Explore the Southern sister towns of Hilton Head and Bluffton, SC with restaurant recs from chef Bradon Carter. His local favorites range from dockside oysters to brunch biscuits to Honduran tortillas with eggs and chorizo.

Chef's Grand Cayman Guide

From beach bars to sunset cocktails to late night Flamenco music, chef Massimo De Francesca tells you where the locals eat, drink, and dance in Grand Cayman

Bartender's Boozy Day in Tribeca

From a comforting egg sandwich in the morning to sunset cocktails on a ship in the Hudson to a late night off the beaten track jazz bar, bartender Meaghan Dorman gives you a full boozy day in Tribeca.

Bartender's Guide | Houston