One of the 10 best new cocktail bars in US is in Johnson County, awards group says
Less than a year after opening, Shawnee’s Wild Child is up for a national award.
The cocktail bar, which features an extensive selection of nonalcoholic drinks, is one of 10 new cocktail bars nominated for a Spirited Award, presented by Tales of the Cocktail and Diageo Bar Academy.
Bars nominated in the “best new cocktail bar” alongside Wild Child include retro Chicago bar Good Night John Boy and New York City Mexican American cocktail bar Superbueno.
Tales of the Cocktail announced its nominees on Wednesday.
Wild Child’s owner, Jay Sanders, believes his bar is being recognized because it puts sober customers first.
“We put as much effort into everybody’s experience, whether there’s alcohol in their glass or not,” Sanders said.
Tales of the Cocktail will announce the winner at its ceremony in New Orleans in July.
Wild Child opened last July at 11022 Johnson Drive, next to Sanders’ other cocktail bar, Drastic Measures.
Wild Child, decorated in floral wallpaper and bright colors, prides itself on creative cocktails, including its full-proof Little Storm (aged rum, ginger, mango, galangal, espelette, lime and a salted lime “cloud” on a wire) and its zero-proof N/A French 75 Kakigori (nonalcoholic lemon aperitif, nonalcoholic gin, nonalcoholic sparkling wine and shaved ice).
A sign on Wild Child’s wall reads “death before disinterest.”
“We do not allow ourselves to get bored,” Sanders said. “We are always looking for a new way to express ourselves.”
Drastic Measures is a two-time James Beard Award nominee.
In November, Wild Child was named one of the hottest new bars in the country by Vox-owned drinking publication, Punch.
