Establishment: Matteo — 77 W. 200 South, SLC
Bartender: Joel Aoyagi
Cocktail Name: The Acquaprese
Many Salt Lakers likely first met Joel Aoyagi behind the bar at Stoneground Italian Kitchen, where he elevated the bar program at an already elevated mainstay of SLC dining. This 20-year veteran of the service industry has worn many hats but is most at home behind the bar. He’s now at home running the bar program at Matteo.
Joel likes to play with his food. “One of the things that I love about the industry is food and beverage pairing,” he says. “What I’m drinking is definitely determined by what I’m eating.” To that end, his cocktail, the Acquaprese, is a moonshot: a liquid Caprese salad.
“Caprese is a really simple dish,” he says. “There are only three ingredients. Tomatoes are abundant in the summer and I’m utilizing multiple varieties to make a tomato water. For the mozzarella element, I’m using the whey liquid from our imported Italian burrata cheese. The whey adds an awesome creamy flavor and texture. White balsamic vinegar of Modena (Matteo’s family is from Modena) gives you the perfect amount of acidic balance. Lastly, local basil brings a sweet herbaceous note to play with the spices and botanicals in Madam Pattrini Gin from Ogden’s Own Distillery
Photography by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography.
The Acquapres
1 oz Madame Pattrini Gin
1.5 oz tomato water (see below)
.25 oz whey
.25 oz white balsamic vinegar
.25 oz simple syrup
3-5 basil leaves (give the leaves a firm clap in your hand before adding to the shaker)
Combine and shake with ice, strain into a glass. Garnish with a fresh sprig of basil or basil leaves.
Tomato water:
Cut desired tomatoes into smaller pieces. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Blend tomatoes to a puree with minimal chunks and push through a fine mesh strainer.
Explore the cocktail trail and vote for your favorite cocktail in the 2025 Salt Lake Magazine Farm-To-Glass Cocktail Contest.
About the 2025 Salt Lake Magazine Farm-To-Glass Cocktail Contest
23 bars from across the state present delicious cocktail creations and compete for the best in Utah. This year’s contest cocktails shine with all Utah has to offer, embodying the farm-to-glass ethos by incorporating the bountiful range of Utah’s native herbs, homegrown produce and locally distilled spirits. Celebrate the bartenders’ hard work throughout from Sept. 1–Oct. 1 by visiting participating bars, trying their unique cocktail concoctions and voting for your favorite on saltlakemagazine.com.
