Houston's Julep ranked among country's best bars

HOUSTON, Texas -- An acclaimed Houston cocktail bar has done what no other establishment in the city ever has - Julep earned a national-level James Beard Award.

Julep owner Alba Huerta is one of the country's most celebrated mixologists. She first opened the doors to her boutique bar in 2014, quickly earning acclaim for crafting quality cocktails inspired by Southern ingredients.

In June, Huerta accepted the prestigious James Beard Award Foundation award for Outstanding Bar Program. The win is historic for Houston its the first time a Bayou City bar or restaurant has ever won a national honor at the James Beard Awards, which is considered by many to be the Oscars of the culinary world.

In her acceptance speech, Huerta, who was born in Mexico, thanked the city of Houston "for loving immigrants like me, like my family, welcoming us and giving us the path to opening our own business."

Check out the video above to go behind the scenes at Julep!