Drinking rakija and talking to bartenders

Serbian hospitality just hits different.

I'd say it's second only to Japan... but honestly, it might be tied. Their forms of hospitality are so different that it's hard to compare them.

Japan is all about precision, execution, and showing you care by giving guests and their drinks your full attention. There's no batching drinks beforehand or speed-pouring during the shift. Bartenders make drinks one at a time—giving each one their all—and then they thank you for the pleasure.

Serbia also has well-made drinks, but the bar scene is more casual.

You can't sit at a bar and not get into an in-depth conversation with the bartenders and everyone around you. It was the perfect example of the thesis behind my upcoming podcast—that you can learn so much about a place sitting on a barstool.

I went to a half-dozen bars in Belgrade and had an in-depth conversation with someone in every single one.

Often those conversations stretched over hours, flowing between drinks made for other patrons. We talked about the local cocktail scene, sure, but also the Yugoslav Wars, and their thoughts on the +200,000 Russians who've moved to Belgrade in the last few years. (Which was an especially interesting contrast so soon after my Finland trip.)

More than a few times, it ended with someone pulling out a favorite rakija (a local fruit brandy) from behind the bar.

At one memorable spot, they sent a barback to a nearby store because I just had to try a particular type of cookie.

This is my favorite type of hospitality—super welcoming, the kind that makes you feel like a regular even just for a night.

🥃 Where to Drink: Belgrade

Probably the definition of niche content... but alas!

Belgrade is worth visiting for a lot of reasons but I literally went to drink cocktails. The New York Times wrote an article about how they were experiencing a 'golden age' of cocktails, I was in the area... and I have traveled to places for sillier reasons.

Thankfully, it lived up to the hype!

🔗 Clickable Things

Are cocktail bars leaving craft spirits behind?
This scratches the surface of something I've been thinking about a lot. Especially as I host more pop-ups and see the realities of using the Indian gin I love vs a bottle of Beefeater—which is almost always the difference between breaking even and making a profit.

Fun fact: If you see a cocktail menu specify a brand (e.g. “Absolut” vs “vodka") it means the brand paid to be included.

Hydro-nationalism: on water commodification and freshwater futures
Water is a human right but it's not always valued in the same way that food, clothing, or housing is. I didn't think much about water until I moved to Mexico (because I didn't have to) and now I'm convinced it'll be the impetus for a lot of wars in my lifetime.

Six trends emerging from the world's best cocktail bars
Now for something more light-hearted! 😅 I’m generally only in agreement with the folks behind the "world's best bars" about half the time... but this list is on-point. And not just because they’re finally giving CDMX it’s due!

And that's all for this week!

Next up - a little bus trip to explore craft beer in Mexico.

xo,
Caro