Dominik Becvardi is the co-owner of Peaches & Cream in Zagreb. He makes us two cocktails, one with Bourbon and Campari and the second with Tequila and a Wasabi Lime Cordial
Dominik introduce yourself
Hi everyone, my name is Dominik Bečvardi, and I’m the co-owner of Peaches & Cream cocktail bar in Zagreb. My first steps in the industry started 13 years ago, when cocktail bars in Croatia looked a bit different, and guest expectations were a bit different too. I’m proud to say that I have grown alongside the cocktail scene in Croatia and the region. Now, I’m the lead instructor at the local bartending academy — but with a little bit of digging, you can probably find some pictures of me shirtless, doing a fire show behind the bar 🙂 I’ve had the honor to work alongside some of Croatia’s best chefs, and through that experience, I’ve developed the bartending style that we now proudly showcase at Peaches &
Cream.
The classic you want to show us
Boulevardier
30ml of Woodford Reserve Bourbon
20ml of Sweet Vermouth
20ml of Campari
The bar you dream of
Mirror Bar in Bratislava already feels pretty close to it! Honestly, it’s hard to define a dream bar. Every day we discover new ideas, new ingredients and new perspectives on the industry. The dream bar I had 10 years ago isn’t the same as the one I have today. But if there’s one thing that connects all dream bars, it’s that they are places where people come together, relax, and make new friendships.
What do you do in your time off
There’s not a lot of it, to be honest! But for the past few years, I’ve started DJing just for fun. It’s my way to relax completely. Still in the bar environment, but from a different perspective.
The spirit you like the most
Definitely American whiskey, especially bourbon. It has charisma and a strong enough backbone to carry any quality cocktail. There are no limits to what kind of drink you can create with a good bourbon. It adapts perfectly to whatever the guest is looking for.
What makes a good cocktail
Service. Music. Lighting. Mood. And then again — service, service, service. Good service can save an average cocktail. But the best cocktail in the world won’t save bad service.
What ingredient do you enjoy using in a cocktail
CO₂ — it just makes everything a bit more fun! 🙂
The signature cocktail you want to show us
P&C Paloma
40ml of Patron Tequila
15ml of Wasabi Lime Cordial
200ml of Three cents Grapefruit Soda
Rim salt and Five Spices
Where do you think we need to go to interview another bartender
Okosh Bokosh in Banja Luka, a team that built an amazing story in a location where no one would have been crazy enough to try what they did. Then go to Riddle Bar in Belgrade, for a long time, the region hasn’t seen a team, leadership, and
vision like the one at Riddle. And of course, Silk & Fizz in Ljubljana is one of the highest-quality new bars in the region.