New Des Moines cocktail bar Good News, Darling offers inventive drinks

• It seats 26 people (22 for now) and offers more detailed craftsmanship and cocktail presentation.
• The name is a nod to the Des Moines Register, which previously occupied the space, and Ding Darling, the paper's late Pulitzer-winning cartoonist.
• You'll start with a complimentary tea and end the night with a free espresso, said Nick Tillinghast, a partner in the venture.

The menu is split into starters to whet your palate and house cocktails when you're ready to dive-in, including items like:

• Tomato: A gin-based cocktail that tastes similar to pico de gallo.
• Bird: An approachable gin drink that comes in a bird-shaped glass with some "theatrics" in the creation.

What they're saying: "Honestly, Good News is something you have to see for yourself in order to understand it," Tillinghast said.

• "It's a very visual thing and you have to taste it too."

Open: 6pm to midnight, Thurs.; 6pm to 1am, Fri.-Sat.; 717 Locust St., Des Moines.

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