Best of Atlanta 2013, Professionals, Services

Paul Calvert of Paper Plane

Calvert earned fans while mixing drinks at the Sound Table and bygone Pura Vida, but the cocktails he conceives at his own swank enclave in the back of Decatur’s Victory Sandwich Bar inspire new levels of devotion. Don’t spend too much time staring at the cocktail list, trying to decipher the names of far-flung liquor brands and the twisty ways their flavors may entwine. Just look for the dominant booze (rum, tequila, bourbon, or gin) in the description that most appeals, or even make a choice based on the lighthearted names, like the mezcal-laced Unwelcome Wagon or the whiskey-fueled Make-Out Bandit. Your blind trust is rewarded by beguiling elixirs that zigzag over the palate yet taste squarely balanced. Another round, please.