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

An experimental and intimate cocktail space is coming downtown from the owners of Hello, Marjorie and BellHop Tiki.

The state of play: Good News, Darling is opening behind its sister bar, Hello, Marjorie, on April 9. The smaller space is focused on the art of mixology and conversations between bartenders and customers.

• 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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