We love to see Baltimore’s criminally underrated bar scene get national recognition — especially on the heels of a somewhat disappointing James Beard Award ceremony.
The Coral Wig, located in the alley next to Hotel Ulysses, was named one of the 11 best new bars in the country by Arbiters of Good Taste, Bon Appétit magazine. The author praised the “moody, tropical-but-decidedly-not-tiki lounge” by Lane Harlan and her husband Matthew Pierce, who also own Clavel, Fadensonnen and are working on launching a hotel in Spain.
In a text message Monday, Harlan specifically singled out her pride in Coral Wig manager Pam Haner, who is also the manager of their speakeasy W.C. Harlan. “Because of her guidance, our team is able to execute a difficult menu while also providing true southern hospitality,” Harlan said. Though the Wig has only been open for one year, she said, “the space already feels like it’s been there forever. It’s a testament to the ambiance created and to the grace of the team.”
Calling the Mount Vernon bar “a shapeshifter of the highest order,” Bon Appétit author Amiel Stanek noted that “one’s experience of the meticulously curated space depends entirely on what time of day you visit.” In the late afternoon, you can drink a pineapple-flavored martini and “you’ll swear you can feel a warm, salty breeze at your back.” As the evening wears on, the lights go “thrillingly dark.” (Banner editor Brandon Weigel is also a fan of their mint julep.)
Other bars to make the list include Austin’s Equipment Room, Wild Child in Shawnee, Kansas, and a spirit-free bar in Los Angeles called Stay Zero Proof.
It’s not the only Harlan and Pierce venture to get national attention lately: Clavel’s bar program was named a semifinalist for the James Beard Awards this year, but lost to Jewel of the South in New Orleans.
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