Le Verre

Although sake and shochu hold a monopoly on the menus of many of the izakayas in Japan, there are some places where cocktails are king. Le Verre in Akita is one such place, rumored to be the home of the best Manhattan in all of Japan. Owner Kenichi Sata is well respected among the liquor lovers of Japan for his knowledge of the alcoholic arts. For this reason he was brought on board as a whiskey consultant during the founding of the Dreamlink Distillery in Akita. At his own establishment, he serves up original inventions alongside well-loved classics, all of them shaken using his signature “rolling technique” which requires an extremely soft touch. Be warned, there’s a collared shirt dress code policy for men, so be sure to get a little dressed up if you plan on going for a drink here. This gives the bar a somewhat more mature feel than many other places in town, perfect for a date, or a few drinks with a good friend.