Lemontini

Vincent Hanna

Spring has finally sprung — some might say it’s sprung a leak — so it feels seasonally appropriate to start with a lighter shade of cocktail before enjoying dinner at North Park’s RustiCucina. Bartender Vincent Hanna describes most of the establishment’s cocktails as Italian-inspired — with a twist. When creating the recipe for the Lemontini, they “wanted to make a cocktail that pairs with our Italian rustic type of restaurant. So we wanted to use Italian ingredients like limoncello, prosecco, and Luxardo cherries.”

While he mixes, Hanna tells me that the restaurant opened about a month before the pandemic hit. “So it’s our first [cocktail] and it’s been with us since the beginning. It’s our baby,” he says sentimentally. “And it’s popular with all our customers. Especially our regulars, who stuck with us through covid. We kept it for them, too.”

The Lemontini comes served in a crystal coupe glass, garnished with a dehydrated pear slice and a mint sprig. “We make it with pear-infused vodka that we make here, fresh every day. And then we pair that with our house sweet and sour mix: it’s lemon and agave honey. And then we also have our limoncello and a little bit of Luxardo cherry juice.” Pinching his fingers, he emphasizes, “Just a little bit, so you get this pink color — it’s really nice. Then we top it with prosecco.”

For the at-home bartender, it’s an easy recipe to follow, but Hanna stresses balance with the ingredients. “If you put in too much of anything, it starts to get too overpowering with the flavors. [These measurements] are a nice balance, so everything complements each other.” He tacks on a note of caution: “It’s a dangerous cocktail, because it’s strong alcohol, but you can’t tell because of the flavors.”

According to Hanna, Caravella is a popular brand of limoncello, especially at Italian restaurants in the U.S. “Any limoncello works. This is our favorite, because it’s really good with cocktails.” Though most limoncellos are best served as a traditional aperitif, “this one is made more blendable, specifically for cocktail making.”

I surmise that I’m going to need food to counter the deceptively strong drink, so I ask for a recommendation on an appetizer pairing. “We have a little bit of everything… but the burrata is my favorite because it’s also fun how we do it,” says Hanna, capturing my hungry attention. “We do a breaded burrata that we lightly fry — not too long, where you’re cooking the cheese — just a little bit, so you get a little crunch.”

RustiCucina

• RustiCucina’s
• Lemontini
• 2 oz pear-infused vodka
• 0.5 oz limoncello liqueur
• 0.25 oz agave
• 0.25 oz lemon juice
• 1 tsp of Luxardo cherry juice
• Prosecco

• Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 30 seconds and strain into a coupe glass. Top with prosecco and garnish with dehydrated pear and a few mint leaves.