How One San Diego Bartender Became One of America's Best

Behind every great cocktail is at least one terrible idea. Sometimes it's a French onion soup martini. Sometimes it's setting a drink on fire inside the Casbah. And every once in a while, it's the kind of experiment that lands you on a list of America's best bartenders. This week on Happy Half Hour, Troy Johnson sits down with Dominique Muñoz of Polite Provisions, who was recently named one of the country's top up-and-coming bartenders by Punch. She talks about going from mixing sugary daiquiris at a neighborhood pizza joint to helping lead one of San Diego's most celebrated cocktail bars, where making a drink means understanding history, hospitality, and a little bit of chemistry. Along the way, she shares the stories behind some of her favorite creations, the spectacular failures that taught her the most, and why she's working to make cocktail competitions more welcoming through the mentorship collective she founded, Sirens & Spirits. Plus, Troy breaks down what's happening in the world of spirits—from America's surprising shift away from alcohol to the rise of canned cocktails and soju—before catching up on the latest San Diego food news, including Tribute Pizza's 10th anniversary fundraiser, MAKE Café's new permanent home, and the return of Rei Do Gado. This summary was provided to you by AI. To hear the full conversation between humans, listen to Happy Half Hour wherever you get your podcasts.