The reason for Scott & Co. and 47 Scott's success in running two of Tucson's top cocktail programs is simple: They don't take shortcuts. The ingredients are high-quality, from the spirits to the mixers to even the ice; the bartenders are walking encyclopedias of cocktail history; and the drinks themselves are as adventurous and delicious as you'll get anywhere between the coasts. While the menu rotates with the seasons (our recommendation off of Scott & Co.'s current summer menu: The Seeds We Sow, a daiquiri unlike any you've sipped before), you'd be just as well-off in asking the folks behind the bar to make something tailored to your preferences. At roughly $10 a beverage, the drinks aren't cheap, but they are unforgettable.
Runners up:
2. Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails
135 S. Sixth Ave.
623-7700
8320 E. University Blvd.
882-8013
—Either this is an unfunny joke or a sad commentary on their lives: Four votes for "Applebee's"
