Think of your cocktail offerings as attitude in a glass. Your cocktail list complements the menu, expresses the personaity of the restaurant, and presents a creative take on the classics. At Longman & Eagle in Chicago, for instance, executive chef Jared Wentworth's brunch menu is enhanced by inventive drinks such as the Beermosa (a new twist on the Mimosa, featuring beer in place of champange) and a Bloody Mary spin-off, the Bloody Lawrence, featuring corn whiskey rather than vodka.

The recipes on this page provide other inspirations for getting creative with your cocktail list.