Next Door, a boutique bar in Camana Bay in George Town, is our June, 2022 Passenger Pick of the Month. We already know that Next Door is a great place for anyone who enjoys a delicious cocktail or drink in a nice environment because it comes to us from the same amazing team that brought us Agua Restaurant & 
Lounge. In fact, Next Door is next door to Agua, a familiar location to many visitors to Cayman. Recently, we connected with Walter Fajette and Cristiano Vincentini for an update on their new cocktail bar with “two souls, two identities”.
PP: We’re so happy to be talking with you about Next Door, the fastest growing cocktail lounge on the island! Introduce us to Next Door, please. Why did you choose the name?
ND: The name is very easy—because it’s “Next Door” to Agua. It really just rolls off the tongue in conversation when people are dining at Agua, “Why don’t you try Next Door after dinner”?
PP: Oh, you’re right! We can just hear guests leaving Agua and saying, “Let’s go Next Door for a cocktail!” That’s a great name! We see on the website the interesting phrase “boutique bar”, so help us understand what that means.
ND: The meaning of “boutique” is “a business or establishment that is small and sophisticated or fashionable”. When designing Next Door, we wanted something different on the island. We wanted to transport our guests to any hotel bar in any city in the world. The inside space is actually quite small and fashionable, so the phrase really fits us.
PP: The idea of community is very important to us, so the “interactive, social drink delivery” connection between your staff and your customers intrigues us. Can you give us an example of what that looks like?
ND: Building rapport is very important to us. Interactive dining is very much a different way of explaining the word “Tapas” or shared plates. To us, interactive dining is having small, shared dishes at the table where conversation in small groups is encouraged. Your social drink delivery is the interaction and connectivity between our servers/bartenders and the guests on explaining why we used a certain ingredient or how we created a twist on a classic a certain way.
PP: We really like the way that Next Door is building connections with guests, so we’re really looking forward to visiting. We’re wondering to sit inside or outside? So tell us about the “two souls, two identities” of Next Door.
ND: This is a great question. Earlier I mentioned we wanted to transport the guest to a hotel bar—this is one soul and identity: air-conditioned, low lighting, 3-piece jazz band, oysters and champagne. The other is our outside lounge which is “outside”—out in the sun looking at the palms with a cool breeze on you, drinking spritzes or rosé, still listening to jazz but enjoying Cayman for the reason that people vacation here.
PP: Well, it sounds like we’ll will be happy inside or outside! Let’s talk about your menu, starting with beverages! Your mixologist is quite accomplished! Tell us about him and your team.
ND: We have several accomplished members on the team. Cory Scruggs won World Class back in 2019. He has also been with Agua for many years, so it was only common sense to bring him over to Next Door. Luke Ridge and Zahra Megjhi are two of the other guns behind the stick. Both Luke and Zahra have made it through to the top 10 of World Class this year, 2022.
PP: And how do you guys come up with “20+ original new drinks”? That’s a lot of creativity!
ND: Creating menus sounds easy, but is very rarely easy. A lot of research has to go into drinks as thousands have already been made and published. Luckily, we have a bar kitchen where we prep, cook, sous vide, and create just like in a normal food kitchen. This gives us the ability to create new ingredients or alternate versions of ingredients that we can call our own. Also when we do create new syrups and use them as a “twist” on a classic cocktail, it’s important that we give and pay homage to the original owner of the drink and, in some cases, ask permission.
PP: We see a delicious-sounding variety of wines and specialty cocktails. How about if a customer just wants a simple gin and tonic?
ND: You can drink Gin & Tonics all day! We love G&T’s and have a bunch of different gins. You can really enjoy any spirit you like—we have them all.
PP: This is the perfect time to brag on Next Door a little! You were recently recognized as one of the top 10 of the Best 
New International Cocktail Bars in Latin America & Caribbean by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. Congratulations! How did this honor come about?
ND: Thank you very much. We are very honored to be even considered in the running for the award, especially with all the great venues in the running. We were nominated by some industry professionals, and then Tales of the Cocktail Foundation has a board of directors who vote. Typically, people come down and will check out the venue itself and judge, but I think in the current climate they are relying on word of mouth from other industry professionals, review platforms, social media and other ways. We will find out soon if we make the top 4 and then see what happens after that.
PP: What an honor for Next Door! We will definitely be watching for updates on that award. Now, let’s talk about the food menu. It makes you hungry just reading it online! We like the international flair—Italian with the Bruschettone and Truffle fries, Korean Chicken. Tickle our taste buds with more information about the food items on the menu.
ND: We really started with what can be eaten with hands. Then, what flavours are going to spark a conversation? What dishes do we love eating in bars? How do we recreate these to give it a “Next Door touch”? The Tuna Tartare is by far the most popular item on the menu. Then, as you mentioned, the Korean BBQ Chicken. Every weekend, we have fresh oysters that pair really well with champagne and even with the Paloma which is a delicious tequila drink.
PP: Oh you know the Tuna Tartare is our favorite too! Does Next Door offer a Happy Hour? And what is the favorite Signature drink lately?
ND: From 5 PM until 7 PM, we have “Aperitivo”. This is a typical “Italian Happy Hour” when we offer complimentary platters of food, $9 cocktails, and 20% off beer and wine. Currently, the favorite drink currently is “The Island Fever”, a mix of Mezcal, bell pepper & passionfruit puree, Crème de Peche, Apricot Eau de Vie, pineapple liqueur, and garnished with a local seasoning pepper.
PP: Let’s imagine that a group of friends has just left Next Door after spending a couple of hours there. What do you hope that they will tell their friends about their experience here?
ND: Honestly, that they had an “amazing guest experience”. This is really all we try to do everyday. From the minute you’re greeted at the host stand through when you’ve sat, ordered, had drinks, listened to, enjoyed and farewelled by the bar team and hosts—all we ask is you have fun.
PP: Do you mind sharing some of the challenges you have been facing as Next Door is really getting established? We’re sure that these pandemic years have been difficult in so many ways, but you seem to be coming out of them really well.
ND: It’s actually not that easy for us. We have to reinvent nights, themes, and entertainment constantly. Whilst we have a great relationship with our guests, there is so much variety on the island and it can be a little challenging at times to continue to fill the venue. By creating an “amazing guest experience” and by putting on several themed nights or entertainment, we can continue to do our best and we will continue to do this.
PP: Well, we are really happy for you guys and for your entire team at Next Door. We wish you the very best, and we look forward to our own “amazing guest experience” inside and outside! Let’s close with some basic information about location and when Next Door is open.
ND: Sure! We are located in Camana Bay in George Town, right next door to Agua Restaurant. Our hours Monday through Thursday are 5 PM until “late”; Friday we’re open 3 PM until “late”; Saturday we’re open 3 PM until midnight; and we are closed on Sundays.
PP: And how about reservations—are they recommended? Are “walk-ins” okay?
ND: We do take reservations. Late reservations, however, are taken via waitlist as “walk-ins” are given priority late night. We could potentially have a full house at 9pm/10pm and holding a table for 10 people makes the reservations quite difficult inside.
We can’t wait to visit Next Door! As you make your own plans to come back to Cayman, follow them on Facebook and on Instagram so that you can stay up-to-date on special events and great photographs of their delicious drinks!
Next Door
next door to Agua, Camana Bay
(345) 746-2484