Allegory

Washington DC

Creative, thought-provoking and delicious in equal measure

When Allegory opened its doors in 2022, it drew immediate attention for its visionary bar programme that reinterpreted the magical world of Alice in Wonderland through the eyes of young African American civil rights activist Ruby Bridges. With its launch came Down the Rabbit Hole, a narrative-driven drinks list that drew parallels between the two stories that took home the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award in 2023.

How do you follow-up from a highly thematic, award-winning menu? The answer: by going even deeper down the rabbit hole. With the Banned in DC menu, Allegory doubles down on the bar's identity and location at the epicentre of US politics to explore a new chapter in Bridges' fictionalised life in a dystopian Washington DC through with delicious drinks in tow.

At the heart of the sophomore menu is a new story penned by the bar's creative director Deke Dunne that follows an older Bridges navigating a ruined futuristic capital. Drinks remained intertwined with the narrative, split into the three acts: light and refreshing kicks off the categories, before moving into boozy and bold and ending with tropical and fruity.

In the early chapters, as Bridges gets déjà vu heading down the rabbit hole once more, guests can sip on the Mardi Gras, a tropical sour of rum, mango and a cosmonaut gummy bear, reflecting her intrigue and imagination. As she re-encounters a former foe in a dystopian, rubble-filled DC, the Beware the Jabberwocky delivers on fiery feeling with mezcal, sotol, Creole aperitivo, strawberry and guava. Upon reaching the Garden of Eden after conquering the oppressive regime, the No Place Like Home (reposado tequila, pineapple juice, fruit punch, citrus, clarified whey) offers optimism in a glass through a wholly tropical palate.

The visual execution is particularly breathtaking. Brought to life through Dian Holton's evocative book design, each drink is accompanied by artist photographs from Kate Miller that stages every scene of the story using children's toys, with no digital rendering or AI used.

Beyond the glass, Allegory continues to use its platform to champion its local community and the underprivileged. The opening pages of the menu feature QR codes directing guests to donate to local teaching organisations and the Ruby Bridges Foundation, dedicated to educational empowerment and guiding younger generations toward a peaceful future.

For its punchy sequel that intelligently interweaves thought-provoking sentiments with carefully crafted drinks, Allegory takes home its second Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award.

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