The cherry on top of a great night out is a delicious drink in hand. Labeled the Finest by you, our readers, these local breweries and eateries should be at the top of your list when hunting for your ideal haunt.

As the oldest microbrewery in the Tri-Cities, Stockholm’s Restaurant and Brewery in Geneva has become a staple for fantastic food and drinks. Owner Michael Olesen has worked hard to curate his restaurant’s drink menu over the years. He has since perfected his recipe for their famous Bloody Mary, which has now earned the 2025 title for the Finest in Kane County.

“The key is your Bloody Mary mix, and we make ours in-house with a 40-year-old secret recipe,” explains Olesen. “We use ingredients that you can only find at Stockholm’s, including one of our beers.”

Front-of-the-house manager Dasha Zabara has found this drink to have a real kick. “We often have people ask for it to be extra spicy,” recalls Zabara. “I make sure that they try it as is first, and if they feel they need more heat, they can add more. Nine times out of ten, they are more than satisfied with what we already have.”

Give their award-winning Bloody Mary a try and see if you can handle the heat!

While their mixed drinks are superb, what Stockholm’s is truly known for is its beer. Made with ancient techniques, their brews will bring you back to a time before filtration systems.

“The beers are unfiltered, which gives you your full flavor, and the fermentation is still active, so it naturally carbonates the beer,” details Olesen. “This is more of an old-school process, so it gives you the way beer was back in the good old days. I’m not familiar with anybody else that brews 100% of their beers that way, so it makes us unique.”

Located on State Street, stop by Stockholm’s and peruse their Monthly Specials menu for an ever-changing list of new sips.

If you’re looking for a stellar straight drink, visit Niche in Geneva. Their drink menu ranges from a hearty old-fashioned to satisfying martinis, which are their claim to fame as they have been awarded the Finest Martini in Kane County.

“Espresso martinis fly off our counter. They are definitely our number-one selling martini,” raves general manager and partner Vince Balistreri. “We use ground coffee liqueur and real espresso. It gives it this frothiness that people love.”

Their drink menu always matches the latest trends, and every drink is made with love and precision. “We measure every specific drink and try to make them taste exactly the same every time,” explains Balistreri. “I know some people frown upon that when they’re looking at it visually, but mixology is like baking. If you put too much baking soda, for example, your cookies aren’t going to turn out the same.”

Cocktails are a carefully curated craft here at Niche, but don’t take our word for it — go and taste for yourself!