Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte opens craft cocktail lounge

The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte has deconstructed its key ground-floor dining location to create Kinship –a sophisticated new way to gather. Kinship is an elegant, distinctly different kind of craft cocktail lounge, providing interactive beverage options and authentic Latin and international small plates created by chef Juan Pablo de la Sota Riva.

The luxurious interiors are all new, and Kinship delivers a sophisticated respite where one can have a quiet business meeting or unwind over cocktails. Richly colored furnishings include shelter sofas, contemporary wing-back chairs and bronze metal accents, serving to create uniquely private enclaves for conversation and relaxation.

Kinship Flask Service provides table guests with a cocktail of choice, served from a flask that is then left at the table. Guests can refresh their drinks from the flask as desired, making for a creative and communal experience for all in attendance.

Other Kinship enticements include smoked beverages, such as the Smoked Pineapple Pear fashioned with Smoked Hennessy, fresh pineapple and pear juice and compressed pear. Further drink highlights feature The Kinship (Doc Porter Bourbon, fresh cranberry, ginger syrup and Hellfire bitters), New Linen (Cardinal Gin, cucumber, lemon and the hotel’s Rooftop Honey Syrup) and Four the Crew, which serves four guests and features Tito’s Vodka, lychee and ginger syrup. Beer lovers will enjoy Kinship’s three local beers served on tap, with wine and classic cocktail favorites also able to be enjoyed both at the bar and at seated locations.

Known for his expertise in capturing the flavors of Spain and Mexico, de la Sota Riva began his career in Madrid at La Broche, a renowned, two Michelin Stars restaurant. He also served as chef at Le Cirque in Mexico City, and his tapas-style menu for Kinship reflects the best of those two culinary styles, complemented by flavorful selections from around the globe. Kinship menu highlights include smoked beef carpaccio, charred octopus anticuchos, truffle salmon dip, jicama taco shells, new deviled eggs, curry chicken meatballs, Kinship angus beef sliders, chipotle buffalo chicken wings and tuna tartare.

Kinship offers live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. It’s the second branded beverage destination at hotel, joining the 15th-floor Punch Room.