Yes, tis the season to eat, drink, and be merry — but mostly that middle part. And the Valley loves to slip into the holiday mood by ordering special cocktails. From Jingle Balls Nog to peppermint-spiked libations, focus all your energy on enjoying your favorite seasonal drink after, or during, gift wrapping. Check out the 2019 holiday guide to cocktails in metro Phoenix.
Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour
1 West Jefferson Street
During the holiday season through Saturday, December 28, Bitter and Twisted Cocktail Parlour will transform its restaurant into a holiday Sippin Santa pop-up bar. The drinks on the special menu include Kris Kringle Colada, Christmas Eve of Destruction, and the Jingle Bowl. Feel charitable while sipping on your favorite drink — because 10 percent of all retail sales will be donated to Action Against Hunger in support of its efforts to help malnourished children.
Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails
2 East Jefferson Street
Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails is hosting a cocktail pop-up bar with a holiday theme and vintage Christmas decorations. Choose from Bad Santa, a combo of rum, black chai tea, date-infused oat milk, and vanilla syrup for $14 or try the Jingle Balls Nog with brown butter and cinnamon fat-washed cognac, sherry, almond milk, cream, sugar, egg, vanilla, and nutmeg (also $14). The pop-up drink menu also includes hits from last year's menu. Blue Hound's pop-up bar will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday, until Monday, December 30. Reservations can be made by calling 602-258-0231.
Hula's
Multiple Locations
Hula's is offering three specialty cocktails during the month of December. The Gingerbread Man is available for $12 and includes rum, chocolate porter beer syrup, Licor 43, ginger liqueur, and pudding bitters — dear heavens. The Naughty List is $10 and includes a combination of creme de cacao, spiced rum, and a dash of chocolate bitters. Finally, the Gettin' Blitzen cocktail is $13 and blends buffalo trace, Bulleit rye, apple spice syrup, apple butter, lemon juice, ginger beer, and a dash orange bitters. See you in 2020.
Mastro’s
Multiple Locations
Craving a holiday cocktail dessert drink in a glass? Now through Tuesday, December 31, all locations of Mastro's will offer a seasonal cocktail with quite the rundown of ingredients. Think Tito’s vodka, Kerrygold Irish cream, Kahlua, and Licor 43, all served in a martini glass garnished with a cinnamon and sugar graham cracker rim.
ZuZu
6850 East Main Street Scottsdale
Pastry chef Clarissa Robinson of ZuZu inside Hotel Valley Ho is serving a special holiday shake combining the flavors of mint, mocha, and chocolate. From now till Tuesday, December 31, guests can indulge in the Peppermint Show Stopper topped with white chocolate popcorn, chocolate-covered espresso beans, peppermint bark, a holiday cookie, candy canes, holiday sprinkle mix, and a peppermint-spiked ice cream sandwich. The shake is served from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m every day and costs $18. And no one says you can't pair that with a whiskey chaser.
Sandbar Mexican Grill
Multiple Locations
Through Tuesday, December 31, Sandbar Mexican Grill is offering several seasonal-themed cocktails. Options include a salted caramel martini with whipped vodka, a caramel apple mimosa, a chocolate raspberry truffle with Patron XO, and a pumpkin spice martini with a combination of vodka, Kahlua, pumpkin spice, and whipped cream.