Philadelphia’s Doom Bar Serves Up Metal Music and a ‘Bloody’ G&T

Doom Bar in Philadelphia’s Callowhill neighborhood was born out of a relatively self-serving premise: Owner Justin Holden thought the kind of music he liked (doom metal, best exemplified by Black Sabbath) would make a great backdrop for a bar, and that other people would like it, too. It seems he was right as the spot, which Holden founded with music producer Will Yip, has been busy since its December 2024 opening. It was even recommended by industry professionals in the area when asked about the best new bars in the city.

The bar’s theme is reflected in its menu where super-spicy wings and grilled duck hearts are listed alongside drinks with names like Crowbar Club and Caveman’s Proverb. But one cocktail stands out for its ghastly look and ghoulish ingredient: the Gintonic.

You might not immediately recognize the usually simple drink, as it’s served Spanish style in a bulbous glass and hued bright red at Doom. Holden knew his menu would feature a G&T as the requisite gin drink on the menu and decided on the Spanish version for its visual appeal and reputation as a strong drink. But to fit in at a place like Doom Bar, the tonic needed to level up.

That’s when Holden turned to his friend Theo Loftis, an artist and founder of the botanical studio Fancy. Holden knew Loftis was making some cool non-alcoholic mixers, so the pair discussed developing one specifically for Doom. The ask: a classic tonic profile with intrigue and a blood red color.

So Loftis set out to experiment. “I wanted to make something distinctive, but that still qualified as a tonic soda, and had a bold color,” they explain. Mexican botanicals were a natural fit since Doom has a great agave spirits collection, and hibiscus gives the elixir its signature, striking color. The final product is made by “boiling all the good stuff together and then letting it simmer for a while.” It gets strained before Loftis adds “a bunch of agave syrup to thicken and sweeten it.”

The result has “a nice mix of sweet, bitter, tangy, floral, and spicy.” Drinkers can pick up the anise-like notes of hoja santa, which play well with the flowery lavender, Loftis says. Lime, citric acid, and hibiscus bring the zing and “work with the bittering agents to make it loud, and then allspice rounds things out,” they share. Holden notes that they also serve the tonic as an NA option on its own; that’s how good it is.

But we’re talking about the cocktail version, which is made with Hayman’s London Dry Gin, which Holden says elevates the tonic and has a bit of extra proof, making this a nice, strong drink.

“It’s been on our menu since we opened, which wasn’t terribly long ago,” Holden says, “but it’s always been a steady seller, and I find that a lot of people that get it are regulars and get it often, and a lot of people that order one have more than one, so it’s definitely something that hits a spot.”

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