Inspired by the classic cocktail from the James Bond novel Casino Royale, Vesper has been a bartender’s bar ever since the Cosmopolitan opened in 2010. But nearly a decade has passed, and even 007 himself would’ve fallen for the ol’ nip and tuck sooner or later. Time, after all, waits for no one.
“We wanted to create a new sticking point, a place that people felt comfortable to come and enjoy an amazing craft cocktail,” says James Mulidore, Cosmopolitan’s senior director of food and beverage. “When anything gets a little bit older, you need to do some refreshing.”
Out are the eggplant hues from Vesper’s past, replaced by swanky, ’60s touchstones like marbled countertops, plush cerulean velvet couches and brass and mirrored accents. Everything about the newly redesigned Vesper evokes midcentury-modern cool, from the gilded golden waves that engulf the ceiling to the photographs that populate the walls: Sean Connery in front of the old Mint casino, Muhammad Ali in the boxing ring, Jane Fonda as Barbarella and Bruce Lee. Nearly everything inside Vesper is its own conversation starter, each with its own story to tell.
“I think the classic is making a return,” Mulidore says. “That retro feel is something that’s becoming cool and different.”
The décor isn’t all that’s new. Vesper’s cocktail menu has been overhauled by none other than property chef mixologist Mariena Mercer Boarini. The updated menu is divided into two sides that play off one another: Classics and Reimagined. The former features staples like the Vesper (but of course), the Aviation and the Airmail, while the reimagined drinks take creative license to interpret traditional libations into more modern beverages.
The Gilded Age, for example, is Mercer Boarini’s update on the Mark Twain. The classic is a simple, sweet and citrus-forward choice, with scotch, lemon, simple syrup and bitters. The Gilded Age, however, uses mezcal, tequila infused with the dried Hawaiian fruit Li Hing Mui, grilled pineapple and habanero syrup, tamarind and lemon with a Tajin rim.
Each cocktail costs $17, but don’t go digging for your wallet just yet. Possibly the best new addition to Vesper’s menu is the cocktail pairing. For $22, you get two (barely) smaller portions of the classic of your choice and Mercer Boarini’s glowed-up version. It’s basically two cocktails for the price of one. Just try finding a better deal on the Strip.
To the left of the bar a neon sign reads, “Don’t blow my cover,” adding to the cheeky Bond vibe in a contemporary way. It’s exactly the kind of cool mood the Cosmopolitan has always conveyed.
VESPER Cosmopolitan, 899-893-2003. 24/7.
