Thandi Walton
Comment: In preparing this draft, I disclose that AI assistance was used as follows: Created draft. Used Claude to find and check sources, format citations and copyedit. SauerRanger (talk) 00:54, 30 October 2026 (UTC)
| Thandi Walton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Zimbabwe |
| 💼 Occupation | Bartender |
Thandi Walton is a Zimbabwean-born bartender based in Atlanta. She has worked as head of beverage at the Thompson Atlanta–Buckhead hotel and leads the drinks program at Zephyr Southern Brasserie in Hotel Phoenix. Her cocktails draw on ingredients and preparations from her upbringing in Zimbabwe, including teas, herbs, spices, and garden produce.
Early life
Walton was born and raised in Zimbabwe. She has described adapting classic cocktails using teas and preparations familiar to her from her grandmother's home.[1] She later moved to Atlanta, where she worked in bars.[2]
Career
By 2021, Walton had spent approximately two decades working in the bar industry.[2]
Early career
In 2018, Walton worked at Gypsy Kitchen's bar and belonged to Drinking with the Girls, a collective of Black women bartenders led by Tiffanie Barriere.[3] That year, she also worked as a cocktail consultant for Taco Cantina's Old Fourth Ward location. Her menu included the Cantina Margarita (silver tequila, lime, agave nectar, and candied sugar cane) and La Princesa (reposado tequila, orange and grapefruit juices, Aperol, and a blood orange–ginger shrub).[4]
Bar Margot
Walton was beverage manager at Bar Margot in the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta.[5] By July 2021, she had worked at the bar for about two and a half years. Her cocktails included the Terribly Attractive (gin, Chartreuse, orgeat, bitters, and a floral ice cube).[6] Food & Wine included her in its list "20 Black Mixologists You Need on Your Radar".[7] She also hosted "Thandi Tuesdays" on Instagram Live, where she talked with chefs and bartenders of color over cocktails and tacos.[8]
In November 2021, she appeared on Imbibe magazine's Radio Imbibe podcast to discuss her move from Zimbabwe to Atlanta, her approach to bartending, and mentorship. The magazine also published a profile of her by Nneka M. Okona in its November–December 2021 issue.[2][9]
Thompson Atlanta–Buckhead
By May 2022, Walton was head of beverage at the Thompson Atlanta–Buckhead hotel.[10] At its rooftop bar, Tesserae, she developed cocktails using produce harvested from A Sip of Paradise, a community garden for bartenders in East Atlanta. Discover Atlanta described mangoes, peaches, and papaya as ingredients that recalled her childhood. She was also president of Thandi Pours.[11]
Mistora
In 2025, after leaving the Thompson, Walton was hired to run the bar at Mistora in Midtown Atlanta. The restaurant opened in early June on Piedmont Road, serving Southern and Spanish-style tapas.[12]
Hotel Phoenix
Before Hotel Phoenix opened in December 2025, Walton was named general manager and mixologist for its restaurant, Zephyr Southern Brasserie.[13][14] Her drinks at Zephyr and Bar Z incorporate tea, herbs, and spices inspired by her Zimbabwean upbringing.[15] They include the Iron Horse Blossom, made with peach blossom tea, honey, and ginger, and the Gulch Resurgence, made with rye, lemon, and honey.[14]
Industry events
On May 25, 2022, Walton participated in a Tales of the Cocktail Foundation webinar on staff retention, standard operating procedures, and staff well-being. Moderated by Colin Appiah, the panel also included Sarah Ruiz and Nectaly Mendoza.[10]
On July 20, 2026, she served a cocktail called the Foreign Affair at Martell's "Make It With Martell" event during Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.[16] In an interview with OkayAfrica, Walton called international recognition for African food and drink "past due" and recommended umqombothi (a Southern African beer made from maize and sorghum) and sadza with chakalaka.[1]
Honors
Walton was a 2024 honoree of the Black Bourbon Society's Salon 7.[8] During the Georgia General Assembly's 2026 session, House Resolution 2044 honored "The Atlantan", a cocktail inspired by Atlanta that Walton co-created with Keyatta Mincey Parker and Tiffanie Barriere using Rémy Martin cognac. The resolution also recognized A Sip of Paradise Garden, the nonprofit founded by Mincey Parker.[17]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Nwosu, IK (August 10, 2026). "Is Food and Drink Africa's Next Big Cultural Export?". OkayAfrica.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Radio Imbibe Episode 35: Thandi Walton" (Podcast). Imbibe. November 9, 2021.
- ↑ "Raising The Bar: Meet 5 Mixologists Pouring Good Times At AF&WF". WABE. May 23, 2018.
- ↑ Brock, Wendell (May 24, 2018). "Review: At Old Fourth Ward's Taco Cantina, tortas surpass the tacos". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ↑ Alindahao, Karla (May 11, 2021). "8 Easy Gin Cocktails for Summer". Forbes.
- ↑ Picard, Lia (July 29, 2021). "Why Atlanta's Hotel Restaurants Are Now Must-Hit Spots". Thrillist.
- ↑ Yursik, Patrice (June 27, 2023). "20 Black Mixologists You Need on Your Radar". Food & Wine.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Thandi Walton: 2024 Honoree". Salon 7. Black Bourbon Society.
- ↑ Okona, Nneka M. (November–December 2021). "Characters: Thandi Walton". Imbibe. No. 94. pp. 36–38.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Retention & Prioritization of Staff With Business Development". Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. May 25, 2022.
- ↑ Dumas, Aubree (November 15, 2024). "The Art of Craft Cocktails: A Dive into Atlanta's Mixologist and Bartender Scene". Discover Atlanta.
- ↑ Cooper, Carly (July 3, 2025). "Mistora mixes Southern soul with Spanish style in Midtown". Atlanta.
- ↑ Singh, Riya (November 19, 2025). "A New 18-Story Hotel Is Preparing to Open in Downtown Atlanta". What Now Atlanta.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lin, Su-Jit (June 15, 2026). "All About Zephyr Southern Brasserie, a Stylish French Arrival for Centennial Yards". Resy.
- ↑ Cooper, Carly (February 19, 2026). "What you'll find at Hotel Phoenix, the first major project at Centennial Yards". Atlanta.
- ↑ Nwosu, IK (July 23, 2026). "Afrobeats, Amapiano & More! Inside the Make It With Martell Takeover in NOLA". OkayAfrica.
- ↑ "House Resolution 2044". Georgia General Assembly.
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