Who hasn’t imagined what it was like in the 1920s, to get dressed up and find themselves sneaking through the back of a grocery store, barber shop or restaurant into a glamorous speakeasy?

Get a taste for what it was like at Lost Saint in Charlottesville, Va. After learning about the spot from friends (in true speakeasy form), I found myself walking right past the hostess of the city’s Tavern & Grocery restaurant, down a dark staircase into a cozy, dimly lit basement complete with a big wooden bar and vintage décor.

While the space itself perfectly encapsulates the speakeasy era, with a max capacity of 30 people, its cocktails are the real deal. Handcrafted and innovative take on a whole new meaning as our bartenders muddled, twisted, burned, shook and beautifully presented some of the most delicious cocktails I’ve ever tasted. The bar has a drinks menu, but the incredibly knowledgeable and personable bartenders will also create something unique based on your favorite liquors or flavors. While they’ll certainly make your classic G&T or rum and Coke, the bar is known for its specialty cocktails, made with ingredients like fresh basil, fresh-squeezed orange and grapefruit juices, local bitters and shaved ginger.

Recommended cocktails from the menu include The Gin One, made with cucumber water, grapefruit and lime; and The Rum One, made with lemongrass-infused Plantation Three Star Rum, Yellow Chartreuse, lemon, sugar and basil.

As a heads up, Lost Saint is about quality over quantity, and drink prices range $12–16. Trust me, the experience is well worth it.

— Nicole Quasté, assistant editor