Ted Kilgore and Ted Charak's Planter's House hasn't yet been open for a year, but already it's the No. 1 destination for great cocktails in St. Louis. It's here that Kilgore, his wife, Jamie, and several of St. Louis' best bartenders are mixing up exquisite concoctions. The space is beautiful, with exposed brick, lots of wood and gorgeous millwork. Upstairs the Bullock Room is adorned with velvet flocked wallpaper and features red vinyl banquettes and a cozy bar with an expanded menu that caters to cocktail nerds. Every drink is made with care using fresh housemade juices and syrups and proper technique (shaking, stirring, swizzling). These drinks are perfectly balanced and served in chilled glasses. A group of like-minded drinkers can order a punch bowl or a bottled cocktail, but be sure to try one of the classics or one of Planter's House's new inventions: Especially high marks go to the "Absinthe Mist" and the "Last Word."