Bars can be found on nearly every corner in Winston-Salem, but bar piña is stepping up the game.

It’s easy to set up a bar and throw together some decent seating, but every part of bar piña is well thought out from the paths to navigate the building to the elegant bathroom designs. Bar piña recently opened on top of Famous Toastery. The bar is co-owned by Beau Tate, known for Tate’s Custom Cocktails and Michael Barton, a Wake Forest alum. The views at bar piña are worth going for alone, as you can see most of Winston-Salem from the towering location.

The scene is spectacular indeed, but the drinks might be even better. The facility features two bars, one inside that offers a full bar selection and one on the roof that serves mostly frozen drinks. Between beer, wine, on-tap drinks, frozen features and a variety of custom cocktails, everyone is sure to find something to suit their tastes. The décor is tasteful throughout the bar, and there’s a terrace area near the indoor bar where you can still sit outside if you prefer to avoid the rooftop. I recommend this location since you still get the views with less of a crowd, plus the indoor bar is more easily accessible from that area and the drink selection is superior there.

Aside from the rooftop, the bar also stands out for its friendly, talented staff. Much like Tate’s, the bartenders at bar piña treat their drinks as a carefully constructed art form. The cocktails are innovative and make your taste buds tingle, plus the presentation deserves a solid A+ complete with fun straws.

The menu offers a vast selection for every taste, but I recommend telling the bartender your favorite type of alcohol and asking for a surprise. These bartenders love what they do, and they’re extremely good at it. When you give them free reign, you’re sure to end up with something delicious. Even on a busy Saturday night, they were having fun interacting with the customers and each other. The prices for these drinks are comparable to menu features, so it’s worth venturing out of your comfort zone.

Many Wake Forest students have recently turned 21 and consequently may not know what to ask for at a bar outside of the standard menu. As a bartender at my summer job, I noted how the employees at bar piña were eager to tell patrons about the drinks and flavors they put together, and they didn’t judge people who didn’t know their alcohol well. After just one visit, I’ve declared bar piña to be my favorite bar in town, and I suspect others will feel the same way. Bar piña will almost certainly become Winston-Salem’s go-to spot, so do yourself a favor and check it out while you can still enjoy the warm rooftop evenings.

Most of bar piña’s cocktails range from about $8-12.