Bartenders in Atlanta are showing that you don’t need sugar to be nice; sometimes just spice is enough to make a fabulous cocktail. Sweet tipples will always have a place in our coupé glasses, but sometimes it’s good to give your palate a break. Atlanta’s swankiest new restaurants are showing us that herbaceous and spiced cocktails are worth an order.

Le Colonial

There’s no shortage of unique flavors at this swanky new addition to The Shops Buckhead Atlanta. All of the cocktails are bold, but none more so than the Voi Cay. Thai chiles are steeped in Aperol for three hours, adding a smoky, spiced depth to the Italian aperitif. The infused Aperol is then shaken with tequila, chicory liquor, lime juice and simple syrup for just a hint of sweetness. 3035 Peachtree Road NE, 404.341.0500

Aziza

You’ll find Israeli flavor applies to cocktails as well at Aziza at Westside Provisions District. Bar manager Demario Wallace’s cocktail Harissa Explains It All packs a punch thanks to its primary ingredient, harissa: a North African tangy red pepper paste. Here, it’s mixed with chile de arbor-infused agave and mezcal, and garnished with a red pepper taffy. 1170 Howell Mill Road NW, Ste. P10B, 404.968.9437

Biltong Bar Buckhead

Pumpkin season lives on at Biltong Bar’s Buckhead location, where beverage director Sean Gleason has crafted an artful play on fall called the Sleepy Hollow. Pumpkin syrup blends with tequila, mezcal, creme de cacao and trakal (a viscous Patagonian spirit made from apples, pears and berries) for a drink that evokes memories of a campfire. 306 Buckhead Ave. NE, 678.927.9272