Sara Justice OUT at The Franklin Bar

Rittenhouse's premier cocktail bar The Franklin Bar and its much less bougie Upstairs Bar said goodbye to its general manager/head bartender Sara Justice last Sunday (July 24) as she ended her tenure slinging some of the most involved and delicious drinks in Philly to pursue a degree in social work.

"The Franklin staff is full of great people who will continue to make it an amazing place, and it will always be near and dear to my heart," says Justice.

Once the lead bartender at Atlanta's Holeman and Finch Public House, Justice returned to Philly to be closer to her family. Upon her arrival, she launched the city's first-ever seasonal, coursed-out cocktail tasting menu; she came up with a "reserve" cocktail list, using only top-shelf and rare liquors; she helped turn the once-upstairs event space/classroom into The Upstairs Bar, a low-key hang for those who are more inclined to enjoy a beer-and-shot night out.

In her two years at The Franklin Bar, Justice helped develop and mature Philly's cocktail scene into what it is today. She brought some serious depth-of-knowledge to the scene, but also made sure to keep it real and approachable — an accomplishment, to say the least.