The door of Colchester’s bevo isn’t a revolving one — the owners remain Kathleen and Aaron Stine. The place’s identity, however, keeps evolving. Last year, it opened and closed as a restaurant, but stayed in use as a private event space and catering company. Now 70 Roosevelt Highway has thrown its doors open again — as a cocktail lounge.

Three nights per week — Wednesday through Friday, 5:30 to 11 p.m. — the Stines are inviting the public in for wine, beer and creative cocktails such as plum whiskey sours, watermelon margaritas and pickled veggie martinis. They’re also serving up small plates such as panini; housemade lamb-curry jerky; mini-pitas filled with lamb, feta and pickled peppers; and “Tortilla Flat”-style nachos — chips smothered in housemade ranchero sauce and Monterey Jack cheese.

“We might do some other things, but we’re trying to keep it simple,” says Kathleen Stine. She adds that the cocktail nights are partly intended to give locals a peek at the space so they’ll keep it in mind for future events.

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Corin Hirsch was a Seven Days food writer 2011 through 2016. She was also a dining critic and drinks columnist at Newsday from 2017 to 2022, and contributes to The Guardian, Wine Enthusiast and other publications. She’s spoken often on colonial era...