America's best bartender is right here

Zig Zag Café's Murray Stenson is the winner.

Ronald Holden

Ronald Holden Jul 9, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

Republish Article

You can republish articles in print or online. Simply copy the HTML below, which includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline, and credit to Cascade PBS. Republishing of the photos or videos embedded in an article can occur only if the photo or video is a copyright of Cascade Public Media ("CPM") and not of a third party. Photos and videos that are a copyright of CPM are not required to appear in the republished article, but if they are used, they must be embedded where they appear in the original article and must include the attribution to the CPM photographer.

You may reprint in any medium
You may edit only for tense and timeliness
If republishing in print you can edit for length if you follow our print republishing guidelines.
You may write your own headline
Include a byline and shirttail with credit and link to Cascade PBS
Include our tracking pixel
Remove if we ask

          <article>
            <header>
              <hgroup>
                <h1>America's best bartender is right here</h1>
                <h2><p>Zig Zag Café's Murray Stenson is the winner.</p></h2>
              </hgroup>
               <p>By <a href="/author/inyourglass-gmail-com/">Ronald Holden</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
            </header>
            <p>Zig Zag Café's Murray Stenson is the winner.</p><p><b>Murray Stenson, the celebrated</b> barman at the <a href="http://zigzagseattle.com/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Zig Zag CafÃ©</a> on the Pike Street Hillclimb, was named "Best Bartender in America" at the <a href="http://www.talesofthecocktail.com/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Tales of the Cocktail</a> festival in New Orleans this weekend.</p><p>Focused, knowledgeable, and personable, Stenson has been celebrated in recent years by a variety of national publications; the latest award was bestowed by his peers in the trade. No slouch ("Mur the Blur" is his nickname), his trademark isn't so much speed as sensitivity: he knows his customers and tastes every drink. Classic cocktails, not date-night garbage.</p><p>"Sex on the Beach?" he once said to a newbie at the bar. "I'm sorry, I don't know what that is."</p>
          </article>

Zig Zag Café's Murray Stenson is the winner.

Murray Stenson, the celebrated barman at the Zig Zag CafÃ© on the Pike Street Hillclimb, was named "Best Bartender in America" at the Tales of the Cocktail festival in New Orleans this weekend.

Focused, knowledgeable, and personable, Stenson has been celebrated in recent years by a variety of national publications; the latest award was bestowed by his peers in the trade. No slouch ("Mur the Blur" is his nickname), his trademark isn't so much speed as sensitivity: he knows his customers and tastes every drink. Classic cocktails, not date-night garbage.

"Sex on the Beach?" he once said to a newbie at the bar. "I'm sorry, I don't know what that is."

Our members' donations make local journalism happen.

Support once for $1

Support monthly for $7

Cascade PBS Passport
Mossback members-only newsletter
Monthly Viewer Guide

Support monthly for $25

Invitation to quarterly news and original programming video conference
Annual in-person meet-up with news & programming teams
Special event perks (reduced price or free tickets, cocktails, etc.)

Continue

By Ronald Holden

Ronald Holden is a regular Crosscut contributor. His new book, published this month, is titled “HOME GROWN Seattle: 101 True Tales of Local Food &amp; Drink." (Belltown Media. $17.95).