Drink This Now: Kleopatra at Saloniki Greek in Boston's Harvard Square

At Saloniki Greek in Boston’s Harvard Square, it’s all about Mediterranean flavors in both the dishes and the drinks. The all-Greek beverage program is helmed by COO and co-founder Jonathan Mendez – formerly of Boston’s TRADE – and includes interesting and unique sips like Mastiha, Metaxa, Mt. Olympus Flowers and sour Greek cherry, inspired by the team’s frequent travels to Greece (partner and CEO Eric Papachristos is a native of Thessaloniki, the restaurant’s namesake).

There are also 6 house cocktails on draft, including the Kleopatra, simply made with Mastiha, fresh-squeezed lemon and basil-infused simple syrup.

“Kleopatra features Kleos, a super-premium iteration of the Greek spirit, Mastiha,” explains Mendez. “Mastiha comes from only one place in the world, distilled from the “tears,” (resin) of Mastic trees. The force behind the brand is a female entrepreneur, Effie Panagopolous. She is the first Greek woman to start a liquor brand, working from the ground up, traveling to and from Chios (the only island in the world where Mastic trees are found), to work with the farmers and build her brand from scratch.”

Mendez continues: “The Kleopatra showcases the spirit perfectly, putting it front row and center. This fresh, pine and cucumber notes are prominent, and it rounds out in a wonderful floral finish on the back palate. We mix Mastiha with a bit of basil-infused simple syrup to enhance the fresh, bright floral notes, and add fresh-squeezed lemon to bring some acid to the cocktail and round it out. The result is a refreshing, bright and delicious cocktail that some have described as drinking spa water.”