Doug Atwell is such a good dude. Kind, humble, funny, hardworking, talented. He loves his people, dogs and baseball. Oh and he makes darn good cocktails. Doug’s are smart yet simple drinks with ingredients you generally know – thank you, Douglas! – everything from the classics to some of his own creations that have become favorites over the years. If you went to Dylan’s when Doug ran the bar there, you may have enjoyed his Surfer Rosa (on his current bar menu, too) which is reposado tequila, hibiscus, lime, blackberry. That drink is dangerously crushable. I really love Doug’s Pimm’s Cup, too. I won’t list all the faves because that would just take too long.
I first met Doug at a cocktail event in 2012. My own cocktail appreciation was just beginning and people like Doug had so much knowledge and I just wanted to ask a million questions, and I pretty much did. Doug and his bartending contemporaries – people like Brendan Dorr, Aaron Joseph, Amie Ward, Ryan Sparks among many others – taught me so much and made me more and more curious to learn more. The Baltimore cocktail scene has so many talented and enthusiastic bar professionals and Doug is a big part of that world and not in a “cool kid” way. More like…inspiring and fun and “here, come in. Sit down, let me make you something”. To me, service and creativity go hand in hand.
Doug ran the bar at the original location of Rye on Broadway in Fell’s Point. Craft cocktails were becoming much more of a thing in Baltimore and Rye was the first place where I had a Painkiller, a Blood & Sand and a Negroni, among many, many other classics. Esquire Magazine included it on their top 25 bars in the country, the cast and crew of House of Cards hung out there and it was definitely a late night hangout for many folks working in hospitality in the city. When you were there, you knew it was a special place.
Doug’s three-year old cocktail bar Southpaw – named best new bar in 2023 by Baltimore Magazine–is one of the most unassuming places for a really well-made cocktail in Baltimore. This is not an Instagram bar or a “scene” or a hot spot for brunch. I will say, there IS an espresso martini on the menu, though, and it is mighty good. Southpaw is a place to sit at the bar, chat with Doug and his wonderful staff, have a cocktail (they have a nice selection of NA spirits, too!), maybe watch an O’s game and if you’re smart, you get a smashburger and curly fries. I also like that you can get a pony of Miller High Life, sometimes that is exactly what I want! Southpaw is one of those places where it doesn’t matter if you’re new to the space or are a regular. Everyone is welcome. I love places like that.
Thank you, Doug!
Cake or pie? And, what kind?
I’ve never been that much into sweets, but coffee cake holds some nostalgia for me. (Ice cream is my true achilles heel – top of the list right now is Taharka’s roasted strawberry.)
Your most prized possession?
The tags of our late pup, Lucius. I’ll put them in my pocket in the morning if I think it’s going to be a challenging day.
What’s your favorite thing to order out at restaurants?
Oh boy, I really can’t have enough Korean BBQ. Also, whenever I see any sort of daiquiri variation on a menu, I’m likely to give it a try.
What’s your favorite thing to cook at home?
Japanese curry rice – simple, savory, super satisfying.
What is your morning beverage and how do you take it?
Water, green tea or yerba mate.
What’s your personal motto?
For years it’s been “Make hay while the sun shines.” More relevant lately, though: “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” A reminder that I’ve got to take care of myself so that I can take care of others.
What is your favorite holiday and why?
New Year’s Day, because it usually means that I’ve made it through the year in one piece, and now have a few days off in a row for myself. It’s a good day for celebrations, preparing traditional foods for good luck in the next year, and for quiet contemplation.
Best advice you were ever given? And from whom?
“Do you want to pick this hill to die on?” From my partner, Teri.
What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?
Opening my bar Southpaw, and by doing so building a second home and a third place to welcome people into.
The last text you sent?
Yes, please.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Watching a full moon rise over the water.
What do you love most about food?
The seemingly endless variety of it all, and how preparing a meal shows care for your loved ones.
Your favorite place in Baltimore?
Behind my bar on a busy night, with the O’s up by a few runs.
Read more Baker’s Dozen pieces at Charm City Cook.
