Photo courtesy Jose Pereiro

Dryver Bar, the latest concept from Pietro Gianni and Stephen Peterson of popular Italian restaurants YEPPA&co Bar e Ristorante, Storico Fresco and Forza Storico, will open on Wednesday, June 28 at 306 Buckhead Ave. in Buckhead Village, adjacent to YEPPA&co. Dryver Bar is dedicated to Formula One Racing and draws inspiration from the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy, also known as Motor Valley. This region is home to Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati, and the Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix. The high-energy cocktail bar offers a sophisticated cocktail program from beverage director Jose Pereiro Wednesday through Saturday.  

“The size of Dryver Bar allows us to experiment and challenge ourselves, so we’re using modern culinary techniques to create innovative drinks to leave guests invigorated,” says Pereiro, who has served as the beverage director of the Storico restaurants for the past four years. “We also are excited to share our selection of agave spirits that includes Raicilla, Sotol and Bacanora.” 

Dryver Bar offers an intimate experience that seats 45 guests with six seats at the bar. The culinary-minded cocktail menu utilizes high-quality ingredients and techniques such as fat washing, infusing, clarification, spherification, and sous vide to manipulate flavors and textures. The selection of 10 signature cocktails seeks to enlighten guests on Formula One terminology and includes the following: 

• Dryver: Ketel One vodka, Citadelle, Gonzalez Byass vermouth and lemon cloud

• Grand Prix: Grey Goose vodka, coconut, cocoa, and strawberry sphere

• Paddock Club: Roku gin, Peloton mezcal, St. Germain and clarified cantaloupe

• Lock Up: Los Siete Misterios Doba-Yej mezcal, Los Magos sotol, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, passion fruit and chile piquín

• Safety Car: Engine gin, OKA yuzu, celery, sesame, clarified lime and forced carbonation

• Brake Balance: Michter’s bourbon, Dissarono, pineapple shrub, honey, and lemon

Modern takes on classic cocktails such as the Aviation, Ultima Palabra, cold Irish coffee and Negroni also are featured, in addition to premium Italian beers like Birra Dolomiti, all Italian wines such as Ferrari Trento brut and P’s Rosé which is made in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy using Sangiovese grapes from Enio Ottaviani. For those who do not have the drive to imbibe, Dryver Bar’s menu offers three non-alcoholic drinks such as the Pistachio Pit Stop (matcha, pistachio and albumen) and Test Driver (passion fruit, red pepper, and lime).  

Pereiro’s creations are inspired by his travels to Europe and Mexico City and what he has learned from working with other mixologists. He hopes to host other beverage industry professionals for takeovers and offer educational classes for local bartenders at Dryver Bar soon.

To complement the beverage program, Dryver Bar will offer a small menu of bites including olives, cheeses, charcuterie, and focaccia bruschetta. 

Thanks to Gianni’s experience in professional car racing, the super-charged atmosphere at Dryver Bar features an interactive racing experience with televised Grand Prix races and a Ferrari red color scheme with bright neons. The floor is painted like a racetrack starting line and, in place of coasters, Dryver Bar uses drink placemats made from tire tread. Dryver Bar’s owners strongly believe in utilizing reclaimed materials for their restaurants and have repurposed oil barrels for the tables and a bread oven for the entrance door. The bar’s decor also highlights the impressive beverage program with mirrored bar and tabletops and spotlights illuminating the cocktail station.

Reservations at Dryver Bar are available via OpenTable from 7-11 p.m. and walk-ins are welcome afterward. Dryver Bar is located adjacent to YEPPA&co., the team’s latest restaurant which is also inspired by the city of Rimini in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. The bar’s entrance is on the side of the building, and guests must ring a bell and provide their reservation information to enter.