Courtesy of Jewel of the South.
Legend bartender Chris Hannah at his St. Louis tavern, Jewel of the South.
Though Chris Hannah is not a New Orleans native, his dedication to infusing the city’s rich history into the bar program at Jewel of the South is evidence that he’s right at home in the Crescent City. “When I finally made it to New Orleans, I found an entire service industry who all thought of this industry as a career, and it’s the first time I’ve witnessed this,” said Hannah, who has been bartending for twenty-seven years. For his creative and thoughtful approaches to spirited beverages, he was recognized this year by the prestigious James Beard Foundation as the recipient of the Outstanding Bar Award and by the Tales of a Cocktail Foundation as Best U.S. Bar Team.
Since Hannah, with partners Victoria Espinel and John Stubbs, opened the classic but elevated New Orleans tavern in 2019, several awards have found their way to the bar’s walls. At Tales of the Cocktail in 2022, Jewel of the South was named the United States Bar of the Year and Hannah was named the Bartender of the Year. The bar was also named “Best Bar in the South USA” on the 2023 and 2024 World’s 50 Best Bars list. No stranger to accolades, before his stint at Jewel of the South, Hannah ran the bar at Arnaud’s French 75 Bar for fourteen years, where he also won a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program for three years in a row, from 2015–2017.
Courtesy of Jewel of the South
Jewel of the South in New Orleans
Seeping with history, Jewel of the South’s Creole cottage on St. Louis Street is more than 200 years old. The name is a reference to a nineteenth-century establishment on Gravier Street, where Joseph Santini, one of the most famous bartenders of his time, created what has become a classic New Orleans cocktail—the Brandy Crusta. A Cognac drink, the cocktail includes lemon juice, Curacao, and maraschino liqueur, garnished with a long twist of lemon peel and served in a glass with a sugared rim (the crusta). Today the Brandy Crusta is one of the signature cocktails at Jewel of the South.
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Entry to the establishment is at the back of the building, where a lush patio serves as a relaxing place to meet up with friends or to enjoy a romantic night out. Inside, the time-worn patina mixed with modern touches lends a romantic ambiance—cozy and refined, but not at all stuffy.
Courtesy of Jewel of the South
Brandy Crusta, a signature drink at Jewel of the South.
The bar is welcoming, and many choose to perch there to watch as Hannah works his magic. Within his reach are bottles of spirits, liqueurs, tinctures, bitters, and shrubs. He confidently measures each ingredient, sometimes by eye, then stirs or shakes to handcraft a blend of flavors that hits every tastebud. Drinks are then garnished with fresh herbs, flowers, or fruit before they are served to the guest to enjoy.
“The cocktails here are all approachable, whether you’re a versed cocktail drinker or not,” he said. “That was always my style and it spurs from the hospitality our service industry instills in our industry workers. Everyone is welcome and everyone should enjoy themselves.”
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Though Jewel of the South is best known for its renowned cocktail program, it’s also a full-service restaurant. “The food program is the surprise twist upon arrival and settling in at Jewel of the South,” says Hannah. “Chef Whitmarsh has honed a very disciplined, special craft in creating the perfect bite in and on each plate leaving the kitchen.”
Courtesy of Jewel of the South
Jewel of the South
The London-born Chef de Cuisine Philip Whitmarsh moved to New Orleans in 2015 with his wife, Mollie, a Louisiana native. Before joining the Jewel team, he served as a sous chef under Nina Compton (another James Beard award winner) at Compere Lapin. His British-meets-Cajun cuisine features distinctly rustic flavors that complement the bare brick and dark wood surroundings.
The menu is ever evolving, drawing on seasonal ingredients. We chose crab cakes, smoked tuna served with house-baked bread, and foie gras. All were small, but sharable, plates and each bite was an explosion of flavors. Jewel of the South also has a popular caviar program with several choices sold by the ounce, from wild and smoky Bowfin to buttery farm-raised Osetra, all served with potato scallops, crème fraîche, and chives. “Casual Caviar” is the caviar happy hour held each Wednesday evening.
[Read this: Conscious (zero-proof) cocktails at Dream House Lounge]
The wine program at Jewel of the South is worth noting, with classic labels listed beside cult favorites, and what Hannah refers to as “new talent.” He works with Whitmarsh to come up with the perfect wine pairings. “Here’s the fun part—Priorat Pissares with traditional English black pudding, or Burgenland Mulatschak to enjoy with our Eccles cake,” he said.
To ensure he’s always offering the best and most exciting cocktails he can conceive of, Hannah spends time traveling and witnessing cocktail cultures in other countries. “It inspires me, and I’m also inspired by learning more about the history of New Orleans’s cocktail and bartending contributions to the world’s cocktail industry,” he said.
Courtesy of Jewel of the South
The bar at Jewel of the South
A popular cocktail across New Orleans, the French 75 is elevated in a subtle, yet distinctive way by Hannah. A nod to his time at Arnaud’s, he crafts his version with D’usse Cognac, lemon, simple syrup, and sparkling wine. For those who want to take it to the next level, the $45 version is the Baller French 75, made with D’usse XO Cognac and Tibaut-Schloesser Brut “Origine.”
The Brandy Crusta is made with Remy 1738 Cognac, Pierre Ferrand dry Curacao, lemon Luxardo maraschino cherries, and Angostura bitters with a sugar rim. If you want to amp it up, order the Upper Crusta, made with Remy XO Cognac, Grand Marnier, and Cointeau for $58.
“The cocktails here are all approachable, whether you’re a versed cocktail drinker or not. That was always my style and it spurs from the hospitality our service industry instills in our industry workers. Everyone is welcome and everyone should enjoy themselves.” —Chris Hannah
While you can order a standard gin and tonic or bourbon on the rocks, the adventurous will lean towards the Pouves-Vous Poulet, made with duck and chicken fat-washed rums, smoked maple syrup, and Bitter Queen’s Caribbean bitters. For sipping, there is also a Solid Gold Fashioned that features J. Rieger Monogram Whiskey, gold demerara sugar, and bitters.
Hannah says Jewel of the South as it is today is drawn from his original vision. “It took ‘evolving’ for us to finally get here—the house, the team, and the bar and kitchen programs. What guests should know ahead of time is to relax. Everyone seated inside Jewel of South will have the chance to enjoy themselves and feel their efforts made in getting to our little Creole cottage on St. Louis Street inside the French Quarter worthwhile.” jewelnola.com.
