Influencer: Matty Durgin of Tiny Bar

The affable Providence bartender/general manager shares what’s shaking on Richmond Street

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What can first-time visitors to Tiny Bar in Providence expect?

Tiny Bar is a little oasis serving handmade craft cocktails in the heart of the Jewelry District. We have six seats indoors at our main bar and an expansive outdoor garden space that allows for drinking al fresco. Soon, we will offer additional seating in our new glass house structure, featuring a retractable roof!

What are your favorite cocktails to make, and why?

My favorite cocktail to make is the Mai Tai. There have been innumerous versions and variations of the drink since its creation. I believe wholeheartedly in Trader Vic’s original 1944 formula. Although the original rum used has long been obsolete, we serve ours with a blend of exotic rums that does the recipe justice. It requires just the right amount of crushed ice, just the right amount of shaking (so as not to over-dilute), and it’s always a turn-on for first-time imbibers. It may be a tropical drink but it’s a solid choice for any season.

What’s the perfect summertime cocktail?

Personally, I always lean into tropical preparations. We also offer three ever-changing frozen drinks. As of this chat, we offer a frozen Cucumber + Mint Moscow Mule, a frozen Painkiller, and our frozen Tiny Bar Margarita. That said, I think a spritz cocktail is always the drink of summer.

When you’re not mixing things up on Richmond Street, what do you like to do around RI?

As uninteresting as it may sound, I take long walks around the city. I live in Fox Point, so I frequent Twenty Stories, which is an awesome independent bookshop. I enjoy a glass of wine and a burger at The East End on a Sunday afternoon, and occasionally I indulge in a little treat from East Side Cheese. All that said, I’m usually with my daughter at the skatepark or at the beach. Time is precious, so I try to make the most of it.

 

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