Mixologist Charles Steadman is shaking things up in Lantana. He has created a top-of-the-line cocktail program at the island-vibey Lantana Jacks, with a focus on fresh ingredients, nicely balanced drinks and envelope-pushing combos.

“I think we find ourselves in the golden age of the bartender,” says Steadman, who came to Lantana Jacks as managing partner from Echo Palm Beach, where he worked 12 1/2 years.

We caught up with Steadman on a recent busy Friday night, before a cocktail demonstration he hosted for the food-and-wine enthusiast group Savor Tonight.

What’s your favorite drink to make?

This is cheesy, but whatever drink you like to enjoy… I want to know what you like to enjoy – from fruits to flavors to experiences. And then I build the cocktail around that.

What’s the most popular drink around?

In Florida it’s a vodka soda. People are calorie conscious… At Lantana Jacks, I make a Grape Breeze, which is a really personable cocktail. It’s our take on a vodka soda.

What mixology trends have you seen in the past year or two?

A lot of carbonated cocktails – take a cocktail and carbonate it, give it a little effervescence. It plays with the tongue a little bit, it adds texture to the drink and to the flavor profile.

Using sous-vide to infuse the spirit… I’ve been doing sous-vide (gently cooking in vacuum-sealed pouches in a water bath) for four to five years to get these great infusions, to actually cook the fruit into the spirit. It adds the flavor and the actual essence into the infusion.

What do you drink at home?

I’m an equal-opportunity drinker. I tend to have something on the rocks, something simple and easy. I add subtle complexities to simple spirits. So a gin on the rocks, dash of bitters. Or rinse the ice in a smoky malt scotch. You get that smoky essence of another spirit.

Hands down, favorite drink?

Classic traditional martini – not a modern martini, a pre-Prohibition style martini. A really wet gin martini with a dash of orange bitters. And if I’m feeling sassy, then I’ll burn a little orange peel on top.

What makes cocktails at Lantana Jacks special?

The whole cocktail program is based on having some anchors that are close to home — things that are known and enjoyed. The Grape Breeze, the Light and Breezy, our take on the rum and ginger ale.

For me the presentation is more than just what’s in the glass, it’s also the vessel itself. We have classic copper mugs, rum barrels, great hurricane glasses. Plus, the garnishes. For me, the garnish of the drink is almost like the hostess of the restaurant: first impressions are part of the guest experience. The quality of the ice. It’s not just about being balanced, it’s also the presentation, the ice, the garnish and how it’s presented.

LANTANA JACKS: 308 North Dixie Highway, Lantana; 561-847-4158; www.LantanaJacks.com; open Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 to 1 a.m.