Pip Hanson, Internationally Renowned Bartender, Returning to Minneapolis

When Pip Hanson left Minneapolis for an extended stay in the U.K., he was at the top of the Minneapolis bar game. After opening the lauded Marvel Bar and its upstairs bar brother at the Bachelor Farmer, the Norsten Bar, he collected accolades like so many Amazon banana slicer reviews. Ask the top drink nerds in the Twin Cities who is the best, and the answer more often than not is Pip.

Trained in Tokyo, he's worked at La Belle Vie, Town Talk Diner and Cafe Maude among others.

In November it was announced that Hanson was hired to lead Artesian Bar in London, regarded as the best bar in the world. According to an interview he gave Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl of Mpls./St. Paul Magazine, he had ambitious plans to completely change the bar program. This is a guy who isn't just going to slap some new names on a menu. When he considers change, it often goes right down to the molecular, conceptual idea of what a cocktail can be. However, as things turn out, the powers that be weren't exactly down with his vision. As he told Moskowitz Grumdahl, "Initially when I signed on we were going to change everything—it was going to be a complete revolution. I had a plan that was pretty wild." As time passed, it became apparent that the plan wasn't one that the bar owners were ready to adopt and a mutual decision was made that this wasn't the most ideal of employee/employer of matches.

So, now, he plans to make his way home, but was clear that he wasn't going to take back the reigns of Marvel Bar. So, that leaves one of the biggest brains in the booze business just out there, roaming the wild Twin Cities streets, searching for a well to run. So, what say you deep pocketed drink appreciators? The drinking public awaits your next move.

• Pip Hanson Returns! [MSPMag]
• Minneapolis' Pip Hanson to Head London's Artesian [EMPLS]
• All Pip Hanson Coverage [EMPLS]