New bar in town: Local’s Left located in the Vail Transportation Center
'How many people in Vail have sat there and missed a bus?'
Ross Leonhart | rleonhart@vaildaily.com
VAIL — There’s a new bar in town perfect for people passing through the Vail Transportation Center, or looking to grab a drink while missing another late-night bus.
Local’s Left opened on Friday, Dec. 13, in the transpo center next to La Cantina on the same level as the Colorado Snowsports Museum, offering craft cocktails, draft beer and more with a monthly theme.
“How many people in Vail have sat there and missed a bus?” owner Brandon Bigalke said. “We’re just trying to have fun. Whatever it wants to be, we’ll let it develop into it.”
December’s theme is Christmas and Holidays, with festive lights and ornaments hanging from the hole-in-the-wall bar. Cocktails include Christmas in Kentucky, Feliz Navidad, Santa’s Little Helper, Dreidel Spiritz and, the most popular so far, The Night Before Christmas, a margarita variation made with tequila, fresh cranberries, lime juices and bitters.
January’s theme will be “health conscious drinks, or not health conscious drinks at all,” Bigalke said. February is still up in the air, with ideas of a presidential or Valentine’s Day theme. In March, Local’s Left will take on a Spring Break theme, with beach-style drinks.
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“We’re just trying to make it fun and approachable for whoever wants to try some inventive and fun cocktails,” said Bigalke, who has brought on a staff of experienced bartenders from across the valley. “Our thing is to get people who are interested in making fun drinks. This is supposed to be fun.”
Josh Addelson is one of the bartenders at Local’s Left. Addelson and Bigalke previously worked together at Fall Line. Bigalke moved to the valley from San Francisco to help open Pendulum that turned into Fall Line, working on the bar side of the business. He also worked at White Bison.
Ross Leonhart | rleonhart@vaildaily,com
In addition to the cocktails ($11), Local’s Left will have about three kinds of draft beers ($6) on tap at a time — a pilsner, IPA and a selection unique to Vail. Bigalke asks his beer vendor for a list of tap beer that nobody has in Vail for that last rotating beer. The bar also has $12 and $22 shelves of liquor, including Blanton’s single-barrel bourbon and a Weller 12.
Working in conjunction with the owner of La Cantina, patrons of Local’s Left will soon be able to order from the Mexican restaurant’s menu while at the bar on one tab.
When Bigalke was first approached about opening a bar in the space next to La Cantina, it took some time to see the potential of the space in a transportation center.
“Actually, that’s kind of a good idea,” Bigalke eventually realized. “It kind of organically came together.”
Do you know the Local’s Left?
Ross Leonhart | rleonhart@vaildaily.com
As for the name, Local’s Left, you either know or you don’t.
“It’s something that sounds kind of familiar if you don’t know what it is, but if you’re a local, you’ll know exactly what it is,” Bigalke said.
Local’s Left will be open daily from 3 to 10 p.m. through March. For more information, keep an eye out for Local’s Left on social media, or stop by next time you miss your bus at the Vail Transportation Center.
Assistant Editor Ross Leonhart can be reached at 970-748-2984 and rleonhart@vaildaily.com. Follow him on Instagram at colorado_livin_on_the_hill.