The 42-year-old JACKSON CANNON, who helms the chummy bar at Eastern Standard, looks like a suave George McFly from Back to the Future — the kind of guy you can trust to mix a mean drink. First impressions don’t lie: when it comes to cocktail chemistry, unusual libations are his specialty, and he’s always ready with suggestions. Since opening the bar in 2005, he’s pushed the envelope and challenged drinkers to try something new (another Pisco Sour, anyone?), and his enthusiasm is palpable. “This is an exciting time to be drink-ing in Boston,” he says. “First, people learned to appreciate food; then, in the ’90s, wine; and now people are drinking better too.” We’ll raise a glass to that.

EASTERN STANDARD 500 Comm Ave, Boston | 617.532.9100 | easternstandardboston.com