Steven Pustorino holds the iceberg-inspired Tangled up in Blue at Hotel Greene. (Photo by Jay Paul)
Downtown mini golf lounge Hotel Greene is known for its fun and thematic atmosphere — and its cocktails. For the holidays, the venue slaloms into the season as a faux ski resort presenting the chance to snuggle near the fire while sipping a special libation. Bar Manager Steven Pustorino has a lineup of drinks to warm you from your ears to your toes.
Richmond magazine: Tell us some of Hotel Greene’s holiday details and where you find inspiration.
Steven Pustorino: [The] holidays were really big in my family growing up. It was the one time of year when we all did things together, and my parents and I would spend lots of time decorating the house. It’s always had a special place in my heart. Now, as a bartender, I can do all the cozy stuff I like, or even Tiki stuff — there’s room for plenty of play in that season. Our chalets are built to feel like you’re going into your ski lodge after hitting the slopes; there are big murals painted by Steve LaRose, lots of lights, a tree; it’s very nice. I started working on the eggnog in October. It’s aged, made months in advance. I’m also making mulled wine, rum punch, a Penicillin-inspired hot toddy and an iceberg drink I created: blue, minty, refreshing.
RM: What leads to the making of a new drink?
Pustorino: A lot of my process comes from food and seeing how I can make those layers of flavors into a drinkable form. Maddie [Pere] at Little Nickel trained me, and she instilled that in me. I turned 21 working at Rapp Session when she was there; she saw promise in me and took me under her wing. We’d bounce ideas off each other, including chef Dylan with flavor recommendations. It was a really inspirational time in my life.
RM: What’s the essence of your bar?
Pustorino: It’s transporting and unusual. There’s a beautifully decrepit vibe. It’s old and elegant, which makes it feel special, almost like you’re secretly visiting a forbidden place.
