Drink: Brick & Mortar lives up to the hype

Karenna Umscheid The sweet, fruity What’s New Pussycat? at Brick & Mortar in Cambridge’s Central Square.

For a speakeasy, Brick & Mortar’s entrance isn’t too difficult to find. The door is unmarked, but there’s a small, light-up sign that says “bar,” and as soon as you walk in and up the stairs the lively chatter is unmistakable. There are a few tables surrounded by groups of people and an oval bar with fluorescent lights beneath. Brick & Mortar has been listed as one of the best bars in the United States by Zagat, Food & Wine and Esquire, and the ambiance and drink menu makes it easy to see why.

I first tried the What’s New Pussycat?, which includes vodka, lychee liqueur, aperol, plum wine, local wildflower honey and lemon. The cocktail was so sweet and refreshing, with the lemon and h