Featured Articles
A little bit about me and the cocktails, in others' words.
Julia Momose, on her upcoming Japanese-style cocktail bar, Kumiko | Oct 26, 2017
Julia Momose has always dreamed of opening a bar, and now she’s getting her shot: The renowned mixologist’s latest project, Kumiko, is in the works. Read the full article... by Grace Wong
Startender Julia Momose goes nonalcoholic with new menu at Oriole | March 13, 2017
What happens when one of the city’s most buzzworthy mixologists leaves the bar program she helped put on the map?She (mostly) drops the booze and takes up nonalcoholic drinks instead. Read the full article... by Joseph Hernandez
Drink This: At the hidden lounge behind GreenRiver, a pink drink to make you think | Nov 18, 2016
This fall, Annex — the small, hidden cocktail lounge attached to GreenRiver — debuted a menu dubbed "Roots." The name has two meanings: Cocktails feature root plants and, in a more abstract interpretation, tap into bartender Julia Momose's roots, playing with flavors that evoke childhood memories. Read the full article... by Joseph Hernandez
Five questions for Julia Momose, just named one of America's best new mixologists | Aug 26, 2016
Food & Wine just put out its Best New Mixologists of 2016 list, and one Chicago name made the cut: Julia Momose, head bartender of GreenRiver in Streeterville. Read the full article... by Joseph Hernandez
A Sneak Peek at Kumiko, the Upcoming Chicago Bar From Julia Momose |Oct 2017
That same attention to small details, stripping away of excess and mastery of technique is what Momose is focusing on with her cocktails at Kumiko, which will open in the West Loop. Read the full article... by Elyse Inamine
Why Star Bartender Julia Momose Is Embracing Mocktails | March 2017
F&W's Best New Mixologist 2016 talks about her surprising next move.
It all started with a cocktail in the elevator. “A little welcome drink, something for people who weren’t drinking alcohol. That was my creation,” says bartender Julia Momose. Read the full article... by Elyse Inamine
Featured on the cover of Chicago Magazine | Feb 2017 Issue
Photographer: Lisa Predko. Wardrobe Stylist: Sasha Hodges Makeup: David Grant Hair: Caitlin Krenz
Chicago's 50 Best Bars | Feb 2017
We were sad to see visionary bartender Julia Momose—pictured on the cover of this issue—move on from this improbable craft-cocktail aerie on the 18th floor of a medical building. But her extraordinary legacy—built on a knack for blending esoteric and unexpected ingredients into surprisingly soulful drinks—is firmly intact. Read the full article...
2016 Best New Bars | Feb 2016
GreenRiver’s perch on the 18th floor of a medical building may put you off. But with one of Julia Momose’s intricate yet effortless cocktails in hand, you’ll forget all about the odd location. Read the full article...
Star Bartender Julia Momose Picks the West Loop For Her Dream Bar | OCt 13, 2017
When Julia Momose left her job as GreenRiver’s head bartender in December in Streeterville, the star mixologist — a 2016 Eater Young Gun — teased that she had a dream and was “going to chase it.” Read the full article... by Ashok Selvam
Eater Young Gun Julia Momose is Leaving GreenRiver | Dec 27, 2016
No word on the acclaimed bartender’s next move. Stay tuned, friends! But for now, Read the full article... by Ashok Selvam and Daniel Gerzina
At GreenRiver, Julia Momose Makes a Chamomile Cocktail | July 20, 2016
The Chicago bartender is a 2016 Eater Young Guns winner. Read the full article... by Sonia Chopra
Julia Momose: Breaking Stereotypes and Making Chicago's Bar Scene Better | June 28, 2016
The GreenRiver bartender defies conventions and refuses to be pigeonholed. Read the full article... by Daniel Gerzina
Eater Young Guns 2016: Meet the Winners | June 28, 2016
There’s a sense of fight and spirit that stands out in Julia Momose... she’s broken any type of misconception that women are only interested in earning tips and being "cute" behind the bar. "Being a woman should not affect me ever being the best. I know for a fact that I can exceed expectations, and surprise you when you trust me to try." Read the full article... by Sonia Chopra and Dana Hatic
Why Artisan Ice Crafts a Cooler Cocktail | Jan 26, 2016
Bartenders make their case for the new wave of crystal-clear cubes. Read the full article... by Sarah Freeman
Chicago bartenders are acquiring a taste for the challenging Indian spirit feni | Aug 22, 2016
As for feni's off-putting qualities, Momose says, "Sometimes it's what you're looking for. All these flavors that can be unpleasant can be really good and offer more depth and complexity to a spirit or drink." Read the full article here... by Julia Thiel
THE RESTAURANT ISSUE | July/Aug 2016
Three Top Mixologists & Their Signature Drinks
Whether she's creating cocktails for GreenRiver or sister lounge Annex, Head Bartender Julia Momose always takes the road less traveled. "I really enjoy playing with savory flavorings and unique pairings," she says. This cocktail from Annex, which combines aquavit, blended Irish whiskey, vermouth, cumin, walnut, cacao and Sotol Por Siempre (a vegetal-tasting spirit from Mexico) is no exception.
Your Guide to Finding, Caring for, and Using Vintage Bar and Glassware | Mar 24, 2016
As bartenders and bar owners strive to set their establishments apart, one interesting trend has begun to emerge—and this time, it's not about what's inside the glass. Read the full article... by Cara Strickland
The Art and Zen of the Japanese Highball | Dec 29, 2015
“The beauty of this tradition is in the simplicity and control of each element,” she said. “It is about being in the moment, accepting the natural way in which the ice cracks, selecting the perfect piece to be the cornerstone of the drink.” Read the full article... by Karen Gardiner
Thoughts on Service with Julia Momose | Dec 8, 2015
For Momose, garnishes are crucial, and that’s thanks to the adage she upholds everyday in her work: “everything matters.” Read the full article... by Nicole Schnitzler
The Cocktail Trends To Expect in 2017 | Feb 16, 2017
Highballs: “Whiskey and soda, whiskey and ginger, gin and tonic, rum and coke. They are all simple spirit-mixer combinations, and yet, so very popular,” says Chicago-based bartender Julia Momose, who made Food & Wine’s short but sweet ‘Best New Mixologists of 2016’ list. Read the full article... by Jamie Lincoln
4 Delicious Low-Proof Cocktails: Why Less (Alcohol) Is Actually More | FEb 3, 2016
The Beverage Journal, "Bar Talk" | Feb, 2016 Issue
Julia Momose: “Director of Garnish Operations”|sept 24, 2015
Read the full article... by Lisa Elbert
Bartender Julia Momose of The Aviary - Chicago, IL |Aug 2015
Know your bartender: Julia Momose at GreenRiver and Annex | Nov 29, 2016
GreenRiver and Annex's bartender, Julia Momose, tells us about her favorite night off hangs and a bit about her menus. Read full article here... by Elizabeth Atkinson
Take a look at the cocktails on Annex's new fall menu | Oct 13, 2016
We seem to fall for Julia Momose's new cocktail menus at Annex (GreenRiver's seasonally shifting sister bar) every time she puts them out, and the latest iteration is no different. Read full article here... by Elizabeth Atkinson
Annex's new cocktail menu debuts this week | June 22, 2016
We loved the spice-themed opening menu, but we'd be lying if we told you we weren't excited to see what other tricks Momose has up her sleeve. Read full article here... by Elizabeth Atkinson