At Loma, it’s all about relationships. Part of that is the close relationships between the people who created the Providence, Rhode Island, bar—it’s a family-run operation from bartender Leishla Maldonado, her partner Osman Cortave and his brother Yefri Cortave—but it’s also the through line across the cocktails, the spirits and the space itself.
In the intimate den, which is designed to feel like a cozy living room (albeit with a cooler home bar than most), the menu is divided between house cocktails that showcase Latin American ingredients such as Salvadoran crema or Mexican banana licuado, and a separate list of featured spirits that can be ordered neat or in a classic cocktail. For the latter option, Maldonado credits her relationships with spirits reps, which has enabled her to curate a unique selection. “A clairin might sit next to a Calvados, or a mezcal beside a Cognac... it doesn’t matter where [the spirits are] from or what’s popular,” she says. “It’s kind of just what story we’re trying to tell.”
Alongside each of these cocktails, servers bring out the star bottle to share its story. It’s a refreshing return to what was once a more common practice, where bartenders championed lesser-known, independent producers; in recent years, some have said that this relationship has shifted, deprioritizing craft spirits. At Loma, guests shouldn’t expect a spiel or that being a drink expert is a prerequisite; in fact, many of its customers say they aren’t regular cocktail drinkers. To the Loma team, that’s exciting. For them, it’s about creating a relationship with the guest, and guests trusting the staff to steer them toward something responsibly made, interesting and, importantly, delicious.
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One of Loma’s signature drinks, this clarified cocktail gets the milk punch treatment via Quesos La Ricura, or Salvadoran crema.
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Recently, an Italia pisco was one of Loma’s featured spirits, which starred in a floral Bee’s Knees.
The menu here is listed according to ABV. At the top of the list, there is always a handful of creative N/A drinks, from a “fernet” and grapefruit highball (left) to a warm, plantain and ancho chile cocktail.
Loma’s house cocktails pay tribute to ingredients the team grew up with.
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