Ericka Heinly recently celebrated her 11th anniversary at Pizza Gallery & Grill. To say she knows what she’s doing behind the bar would be an understatement.

She had a hand in creating all of the drinks for the restaurant’s latest menu, including new favorites such as The Bella Rosa, an Italian take on the mojito, and the Tini Angelo, a mango basil jalapeno margarita.

Other than crafting drinks, Ericka also enjoys getting in touch with the arts by crafting. “My friends ask me to create centerpieces for their weddings, when they aren’t asking me to bartend for them,” she says with a laugh.

She wears many hats at Pizza Gallery & Grill, serving not only as a bartender, but also as the restaurant’s catering director and event coordinator. Her favorite part of it all is “making people happy.”

Ericka says her most cherished memory of her 11 years at Pizza Gallery & Grill thus far has been waiting on a couple for their first date and subsequent dates, as they ended up getting married last year.

Her favorite drink is the Pineapple Express Martini: “It’s sweet, fruity, and you can’t taste the alcohol,” she says.

A Twist on the Classic Cocktail

With a newly released cocktail menu, Pizza Gallery & Grill offers guests plenty of unique concoctions.  Here’s a preview of just one of the new drink recipes.

Heaven’s Nectar
2 ounces peach rum
1 ounce orange juice
½ ounce sour mix
½ ounce grenadine

PREPARATION: Combine the first three ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake to blend. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Sink ½ ounce of grenadine. Garnish with an orange twist.