Cedars Social, New Speakeasy from Michael Martensen, Opening at South Lamar

, one of Dallas premier mixologists and a founder of the North Texss Bartenders Guild, is leading a team that’s opening Cedars Social later this month, a new speakeasy going into chef Doug Brown’s now-vacated Sala space in the South Lamar area of Dallas.

“Some of the city’s finest cocktail artisans have put in their two week notices and are fleeing to Cedars Social,” says Rick Turner, EscapeHatch’s cocktail and spirits editor, who confirmed the details with Martensen by phone.

“The city is about to explode with an amazing cocktail culture,” Jason Kormas, the author of Speakeasy told me last week. “All the parts are in motion.” Kosmas, who recently moved to Dallas from New York and now mans the bar at Bolsa, and Martensen are both at the forefront of the local artisan cocktail movement.