If a single cocktail is going to set you back $20, then it better be good! We spoke with Emily Venezky from Eater about the best D.C. cocktail trends right now and where to find sips worth your money.
🔮 Experiences To Take You On A Journey
Cocktail experiences have been exploding recently, says Venezky. Think drinks with stories behind the recipes and elaborate cocktail tasting menus.
- Vinyl Album Tasting Experience at Press Club — This unique tasting menu curates four cocktails with small bites based on an album of the bar’s choosing. The tasting experience right now is inspired by Britpop band Oasis.
- Themed Menu at McClellan's Retreat — McClellen’s Retreat is known for its classic cocktails, but through November, you can try their “Wicked” inspired cocktails to take you to the Emerald City — like "Elphaba’s Elixir" which features a house-made coconut pandan cream.
- Cocktail Flight at Barmini — This new cocktail flight takes you on a six-course journey. From savory cocktails like “Soup du Jour” with onion caramel to sweet ones like the “Thanks Y’all!” with sweet potato and marshmallow.
Cocktail tasting Experience at Press Club (Photo by Rey Lopez)
🍬 Cocktails With a Sweet Treat On the Side
Halloween may be over, but drinks served with a sweet treat are here to stay. “We’re seeing a lot of gummies and fun bites being served with your cocktail,” Venezky says.
- Negroni Fumo at L’Ardente — Combining a cocktail and Jello shot may sound like something best left in your college years, but this Negroni might change your mind! It’s made with mezcal and cherry sherry, and garnished with Negroni Jello.
- Dynamite Old Fashioned at Silver Lyan — This old fashioned is made with bourbon, gunpowder tea, and pumpkin seed and is topped off with a “cloudberry blasting cap” — a gummy filled with pop rocks.
- Kabosu Colada at Love, Makoto — This one is also non-alcoholic. A delightful mix of N/A rum, amazake, kabosu, nutmeg, and berry boba.
Cocktail from Providencia. (The Washington Post/Getty Images)
🍸 We’re Still In DC’s Martini Renaissance
D.C. is still deep in its martini craze — perhaps the chicest recession indicator we’ve seen. Venezky says, “If you look at cocktail history, when we're in times of financial uncertainty [...] people gravitate towards alcoholic, strong drinks."
- Espresso Martini at Service Bar — Sure you can get an espresso martini almost anywhere, but this one is special thanks to the bittersweet chocolate, double brew coffee, and coconut. Only warning – no espresso martinis after 7 p.m., yeah??
- $7 Martinis at Cucina Morini — The martini hour at Cucina Morini has blown up for their cheap ‘tinis (if you can snag a spot, that is!). They’ve also started doing $7 versions of other classic cocktails.
- Shell out for Martini Service — Martini table service (think: extra ice, all the fixin’s, beautifully presented) is a less recession-friendly way to enjoy martinis in D.C. You can get tableside martini service at Silver Lyan or at Medina.
Thỏ Ngọc NA cocktail from Moon Rabbit. (Courtesy of Moon Rabbit)
🥃 Fat Wash Everything!
Love it or hate it, fat washing entered the D.C. cocktail scene a few years ago, and now it’s on every single menu.
- Tell M“Iwai” at Anju — If you love fat washing then you’ll love this sesame fat-washed whisky cocktail with black tea-infused cherry juice. The flavors are rounded out with some amaro and rhubarb bitters.
- Bullevardier at Hill East Burger — Tallow (rendered beef fat) is not just for trad wives — this punny take on a Bouldevarier at Hill East Burger is tallow-washed. Hill East also serves a Dirty Tini that’s olive-oil washed.
- Corn Fashioned at Residents Café and Bar — This old fashioned at Residents features nixta elote — a Mexican corn liqueur — and roasted corn butter. Yum!
Part of the cocktail Flight at Barmini. (Photo by Rey Lopez)
😋 Non-Alcoholic Cocktails Are Actually Good Now
Gone are the days of $15 orange juice with grenadine. D.C. has leveled up its nonalcoholic offerings. Dry January, let's go!
- Bartender's Choice at Providencia — Venezky highlighted Providencia where most of the drinks on their inventive cocktail menu can be made N/A (co-chef Erik Bruner-Yang doesn’t drink).
- Thỏ Ngọc at Moon Rabbit — Michelin’s 2024 cocktail award winner Thi Nguyen is turning her creativity to N/A offerings. The Thỏ Ngọc is made with soursop, osmanthus, and vegan foam.
- Northern Neck Spagliato at The Dabney — The booze-free options at the Dabney are arguably more fun than their cocktails. This one is made with muscadine grape, bitter apéritif, white tisane, and Leitz N/A sparkling wine.
