Noto Italian Restaurant took the St. Louis dining scene by storm when it opened in 2020, and was named the No. 2 Best New Restaurant of the year by Sauce Magazine. Earlier this year, Noto opened a secondary concept behind the main restaurant called Bacaro, a Venetian-inspired aperitivo and cicchetti bar, at 5105 Westwood Drive, Suite A in St. Peters.
Now, Bacaro is launching a monthly series led by beverage manager Travis Shook called Travis’ Takeover beginning on Wednesday, Aug. 28. The 14 seats at the bar can be reserved at 7 p.m. for guests to indulge in an evening of drinking; however, this special night will have no drink menu. Instead, guests will share with Shook their drinks of choice and preferred flavor profiles, and he’ll craft something unique for each guest. Whether you’re more into cocktails, spritzes or just want to learn more about amari, Shook will lead you on a journey to rediscover old favorites and glean knowledge about selections you may have never heard of before.
If the unknown isn’t really your thing when it comes to cocktails or you’re just looking for something a little closer to a classic, you might rather try one of the nine new cocktails on the fall menu, such as the Italian Old-Fashioned or the Bacaro Negroni. The full food menu will be available with seasonal offerings such as whipped ricotta, sandwiches, n’duja oysters, snacks like potato chips and olives, plus Italian desserts.
To book your spot at the bar for Travis’ Takeover, email bacarostl@gmail.com with the subject line “Bar Pop Up.” The minimum beverage spend is two cocktails per person. In September, Bacaro will celebrate Negroni Week, including a Contratto bar takeover on Sept. 19. There will be another Travis’ Takeover evening on Wednesday, Sept. 25. To stay in the loop on future events, follow Shook on Instagram @liquidtrevor.
This article appears in August 2024.