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Toby Maloney
World's 50 Best Bars
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i. Biography
At The Violet Hour in Chicago, where Toby Maloney is head mixologist, the material can be as spare as pisco, raspberry brandy, lemon, honey, and egg white. Those ingredients gather in “When in Rio,” a Violet Hour spring cocktail made with Encanto Pisco, St. George Raspberry Brandy, lemon, honey, and egg white. Maloney said it “just screams spring.”
The Place Toby Maloney founded The Violet Hour in Chicago, where he serves as head mixologist. Its bar program received a James Beard Award nomination for Outstanding Bar Program in 2014, then won the James Beard Award in that category in 2015. His path also included culinary school in San Francisco. Technique, balance, and texture appear in the language he uses for cocktails. New York also belongs to the map. Maloney was a founding partner and philosophical guide at Alchemy Consulting in New York.
The Method The Violet Hour’s mixology style is defined as an amalgamation of minimalist, traditionalist, and culinary-focused approaches. Maloney puts it plainly: “We’ve been described as minimalist, traditionalist, and culinary-focused. I think we are an amalgamation of all of them.” That phrasing is useful because it resists a single school. His own description tightens the method further: “I think of it as focusing on balance, texture, temperature, and aroma with an inquisitiveness about technique.” The example is “When in Rio,” made with Encanto Pisco, St. George Raspberry Brandy, lemon, honey, and egg white. Maloney said, “We have a drink on the menu right now called “When in Rio." It’s Encanto Pisco with St. George Raspberry Brandy, lemon, honey, and egg white. I am particularly fond of it because it just screams spring.”
The Range Nashville is another named city in Maloney’s working life. He opened The Patterson House there and also serves as head mixologist at the venue. His work also extends into ownership and product creation. Maloney is co-owner of The Elbow Room, and he is the creator of BOOM flavor bases. Taken together, the roles include founder in Chicago, opener in Nashville, consulting partner in New York, co-owner, flavor-base creator, and head mixologist.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Toby
Where does Toby Maloney work?
Toby Maloney works as head mixologist at The Violet Hour in Chicago and The Patterson House in Nashville, and he is co-owner of The Elbow Room.
What style or method defines Toby Maloney's work?
The Violet Hour’s mixology style is an amalgamation of minimalist, traditionalist, and culinary-focused approaches. Maloney describes it as focusing on balance, texture, temperature, and aroma with an inquisitiveness about technique.
What are Toby Maloney's signature releases or dishes?
His named work includes “When in Rio,” a Violet Hour spring cocktail made with Encanto Pisco, St. George Raspberry Brandy, lemon, honey, and egg white, and he is the creator of BOOM flavor bases.
