Owen Thomson is lead bartender at Café Atlántico, José Andrés pioneering Nuevo Latino restaurant in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, DC. Thomson oversees the bar at Café Atlántico and is responsible for the development of new drinks. In the spring of 2010, Thomson introduced the “Farm to Glass” cocktail, a weekly concoction based on seasonal ingredients purchased at the Penn Quarter FRESHFARM Market. His bar program at Café Atlántico has been featured in Imbibe, Washington Post, and several industry journals.
For the four years prior to joining Café Atlantico, Thomson ran the bar program at Bourbon in Washington, DC a high volume neighborhood bar with a selection of over 200 whiskies and a focus on craft cocktails. His bar program at Bourbon was written up in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Esquire, Wine Enthusiast, DC Modern Luxury and various other publications.
During that time, Thomson helped found the DC Craft Bartenders Guild, an organization dedicated to fostering a craft cocktail culture in Washington DC. The group stages contests and events such as the annual Rickey competition in July and D.C.’s Repeal Day Ball in an effort to highlight and nurture local talent. Thomson has been President of the Guild since its creation in 2008.
Thomson also owned and operated the roving speakeasy Hummingbird to Mars with fellow bartenders, Derek Brown and Justin Guthrie.
Recognizing Thomson’s cocktail making skills and his passion for innovation, St. Germain asked him to become a local brand ambassador in 2010.
A native Washingtonian, Thomson has worked in the hospitality industry since he was 17. He earned a BA in Archaeology from Dickinson College and studied law at the University of South Carolina and University of the District of Columbia.