Holiday cocktails: From horchata to habanero, here’s where to find some of South Florida’s tastiest drinks
The weather outside is frightful, but the holiday cocktails? Delightful. Here are some South Florida restaurants and lounges that are offering new drinks with seasonal flavors and a stylish vibe, including a couple hosting the irresistible nationwide Christmas pop-up bar Miracle. Let ’em flow, let ’em flow, let ’em flow!
Snowball Old Fashioned
Ravish Off Ocean, Lantana; 561-588-2444; RavishKitchen.com
All done up in holiday decorations, Ravish is an official South Florida home to the Miracle pop-up. This spicy take on the classic drink uses rye whiskey, aromatic and wormwood bitters, gingerbread syrup and a trace of orange essence, all pooled around a ball of shaved ice.
Santa’s Gin & Juice
Kapow Noodle Bar, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach; KapowNoodleBar.com
The cocktail program at Asian-fusion hot spot Kapow Noodle Bar is run by Angela Dugan, who approaches the game with thoughtfulness and an eye for tone-setting aesthetics. With no apologies to Snoop Dogg, Kapow makes its Gin & Juice with Roku Gin, Cointreau, cranberry compote, citrus, torched rosemary and an injection of “crunchy bubbles” from their diabolical Japanese highball machine.
Gingie’s Noggin
Kapow Noodle Bar, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach; KapowNoodleBar.com
More visual fun from Kapow, with Appleton Rum, hazel-nutty Frangelico liqueur, house eggnog (dairy-free), holiday spices and a gingersnap cookie.
Horchata
Lona Cocina & Tequileria, Fort Lauderdale; 954-245-3069; LonaRestaurant.com
If it’s possible to conjure the winter holidays at a bar overlooking the ocean in South Florida, funky beachfront restaurant Lona is worth a try. Their take on this sweet, rice-based Mexican holiday tradition includes corn-based Abasolo Whisky and Nixta Licor de Elote from Mexico, RumChata, horchata mix and a cinnamon stick.
The Krampus
Tin Roof, Fort Lauderdale; 954-654-7330; TinRoofFTLauderdale.com
Tin Roof in downtown Fort Lauderdale is another official site for Miracle, and this drink is only available in select locations of the pop-up — perhaps because not everyone is up to the tongue-tingling task. The Krampus includes reposado tequila, mezcal, oloroso sherry, allspice dram liqueur, ginger, hibiscus, lime and Hellfire habanero bitters. Yikes!
Peppermint Mocha Martini
Moxies, Fort Lauderdale and Miami; Moxies.com
Fort Lauderdale’s historic Las Olas Boulevard exudes holiday nostalgia, even under the neon of its more modern west end, where Moxies has one of the most popular outdoor bars on the street. This seasonal martini is beautifully presented, with the sweet Italian espresso liqueur Caffè Borghetti, Ketel One vodka, white crème de cacao, chocolate curls, peppermint syrup and a sweet rim.
Gingerbread Dream
Moxies, Fort Lauderdale and Miami; Moxies.com
A creamy delight with Ketel One vodka, white crème de cacao, gingerbread syrup, fresh whipped cream and a gingersnap.
Old Fashioned Christmas
Moxies, Fort Lauderdale and Miami; Moxies.com
The flavors and colors of the season are on full display with this classy combination of High West bourbon, orange bitters, cranberry simple syrup and rosemary.
Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini
Mama Tried, Miami; 786-803-8087; MamaTriedMIA.com
Any bar in Miami that references a Merle Haggard song is OK by us. This cocktail has all the flavor of the season, with vanilla bean-infused tequila, fresh Cuban espresso and a creamy pumpkin-spiced reduction syrup made in-house with fresh nutmeg, allspice, clove, brown sugar and pumpkin. It’s garnished with a bite-sized pumpkin pie, also made in-house.
Coquito
Mama Tried, Miami; MamaTriedMIA.com
This traditional coconut-based drink, sometimes called Puerto Rican eggnog, is a staple of the holiday at Mama Tried, where the recipe blends coconut milk, toasted coconut flakes, coconut cream and a dash of coconut oil. This year it also comes in a banana nut bread version.
Little Prince
COTE Miami; 305-434-4668; CoteMiami.com
At this Michelin-starred, James Beard Award-nominated Korean steakhouse, the bitter and the sweet are intertwined in a tropical trip that combines Grey Goose vodka, Campari, Licor 43, lime and a wedge of pineapple.
Honey Bear Old Fashioned
R House Wynwood, Miami; 305-576-0201; RHouseWynwood.com
At the funky Wynwood bar with a patio view of a Lionel Messi mural, arguably the biggest gift South Florida received this year, this savory and sweet Old Fashioned combines bacon-infused Woodford Rye, honey maple syrup and coffee-cacao bitters, with a stroopwafel garnish.
Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Instagram @BenCrandell and Twitter @BenCrandell.
