A good happy hour can only be brought to you by a good bartender, and Shane Hobart at New Haven’s Zinc is better than good. He’s a craftsman when it comes to cocktails, he knows Zinc’s menus inside and out, and he’s more than glad to chat with you about every last ingredient.

Some of the small plates offered at Zinc’s happy hour have been on the menu for sixteen years, and for good reason. The Lettuce Wraps, featuring saigon-style braised beef, peanuts, mint, carrot, and an outstanding chile-garlic sauce, were out of this world, and my date (a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America) practically swooned over the perfect, jewel-like Salmon Gravlax. Prior to our small plates, we snacked on delicious corn and fennel bread with a yellow pepper and ginger sambal.

Shane likes to mix in a little local into his drinks.  I started with a refreshing Waterford Currant, made with Ashford, Connecticut-based Rime vodka, Lejay Cassis, lemon, and black currant juice, and I had to order a slightly indulgent Grand Ma’s Sidecar—Grand Marnier, Lillet Blanc, and Wild Moon lavender liqueur from Hartford—after Shane offered us a taste.

Wine lovers will also have a field day at Zinc—the restaurant has earned Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence since 2015. Oyster fiends should come to Wednesday’s happy hour for dollar Blue Points.

Mondays: martini specials

Tuesdays: 1/2 price bar menu

Wednesdays: $1 oysters

Thursdays: 1/2 price bar menu

by Amanda Bloom