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True Laurel

June 3, 2026 · 59 min

Show notes

Ask anyone in the cocktail world where the energy is on the West Coast right now, and one name keeps coming up: True Laurel.


On this episode of The Buildout, Adam sits down with Nicolas Torres to talk about how the San Francisco bar went from beloved neighborhood spot to one of the most talked-about cocktail destinations in the country. While the techniques Nicolas and his team are using may feel perfectly suited to this current moment in drinks, many have been part of True Laurel’s DNA since it opened in 2017.


Nicolas reflects on building the bar before Covid, watching it gain national and international attention after the pandemic, and what it means to receive acclaim without having to become something else.


Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcast


True Laurel: https://www.instagram.com/truelaurelsf

Nicolas Torres: https://www.instagram.com/key2_thecity


VinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepair

Hosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeter

Produced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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