Second Story Is Covington’s Tree of Life

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDREW DOENCH

E ver seen a bar with a giant fake tree in the middle? Hidden above Flying Axes in Covington, the dimly lit Second Story cocktail spot (with a rooftop patio!) strikes a balance between an intimate date joint and your next party site. There’s hardly a single item on this seasonal menu you could classify as “basic”—keeping with the bar’s name, even traditional drinks here are like watching a reboot of your favorite series that ends up being better than you expected.

For example, a Tom Collins—normally made with gin, sugar, lemon juice, and club soda—was done up with whiskey, maple syrup, and orange juice and called the Spiced Sage Collins instead. And there’s plenty of original works, too. Just look to crowd favorites like the Gem City II, made with vodka, kiwi, pistachio, coconut, and lime, or the Mother Earth, a tequila-based cocktail of mezcal, pineapple matcha syrup, agave, and lime.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDREW DOENCH

The decor and seating is the real highlight, though, expertly arranged in a way that makes the space feel open enough to host a big group yet full of intimate nooks and crannies to sneak in a bit of PDA with a romantic partner. After one night here, you’ll be wanting to return for your own second story—and maybe a third, fourth, or fifth.

Second Story , 100 W. Sixth St., Suite #2, Covington, @secondstory.bar

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