RiNo has no shortage of distinct watering holes, but there’s nothing quite like F1 Arcade Bar. Nearly 70 hyper-realistic racing simulators—each designed with input from Formula 1 engineers and featuring officially licensed tracks from Monza to Suzuka—fill the historic building and deliver every jolt and spinout of a race. Central to the space is a horseshoe bar framed by deco-style lighting that gives an aura of Roaring ’20s glam. A mural by Denver artist A.L. Grime ties the concept to the neighborhood’s artistic roots.
“F1 Arcade is about redefining what an arcade bar can be,” says LP O’Brien, F1 Arcade’s global beverage director and winner of Netflix’s Drink Masters. “We wanted to surprise guests with a truly craft program: technique-forward drinks that feel at home in Denver’s creative scene.”
LP tapped award-winning Death & Co. bartender Alex Jump to design cocktails inspired by the city’s icons. “The menu highlights Denver stories while showcasing local products, so guests can really taste a sense of place,” Alex says.
Alex notes that this approach also reflects how F1 Arcade fits into Denver’s broader bar culture. “A lot of Denver’s drinking spots are pretty casual, more of that neighborhood cocktail bar vibe,” she says. “F1 Arcade pushes the envelope with its sleek design and elevated atmosphere, proving that even an arcade bar can feel refined.”
Everyone’s favorite mustang gets a nod on the menu with the cocktail Blucifer’s Bolt, as does Casa Bonita with the Mantequilla— a cocktail using tequila fat-washed with brown butter that gets its name from the Casa Bonita South Park episode where Butters is dubbed Mantequilla (“butter” in Spanish). The drink’s pink hue and foamy white top nod to the restaurant’s famous facade, and the tequila used, Doña Loca, was cofounded by Casa Bonita’s executive chef, Dana Rodriguez.
It looks and tastes like a Denver icon, and is best enjoyed while prepping for a simulator race of your own.
“Every part of this drink is intentional. I wanted the drink to look like Casa Bonita, so it had to be light pink with a fluffy white top.”—Alex Jump
Mantequilla
Ingredients
- 1½ oz. brown-butter infused tequila (recipe below)
- ½ oz. Aperol
- ¾ oz. raspberry syrup
- ¼ oz. rich simple syrup
- ½ oz. lime juice
- ½ oz. aquafaba (or egg white alternative)
- 2 drops Smith & Cross Jamaica Rum
- 1½ oz. Moet & Chandon
Brown-Butter Infused Tequila
- 750 mL blanco tequila (preferably Dana’s Dona Loca)
- 1⅓ sticks unsalted butter
Directions
- Place all the ingredients in a shaker tin and dry shake.
- Add ice and give it a quick, hard shake.
- Top with Moët & Chandon.
- Double strain into a chilled flute.
Brown-Butter Infused Tequila
- In a saucepan over medium heat, brown the butter until it turns a deep golden color and smells nutty.
- Pour the browned butter into a large container with the tequila and let it infuse at room temperature for an hour.
- Transfer the mixture to the freezer overnight, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter.
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