WASHINGTON DC: Where to Find Warmer Cocktails to Toast the Holiday Season - Part One

This winter you can sip through the holidays with warm cocktails from these DC-area restaurants; 

The first of a two part look at who's offering great winter cocktails.

First up, Lupo Verde, located in the bustling 14^th Street corridor at 1401 T Street, NW, 20009, is offering a Caffé de Olla (pictured above) with Don Ciccio & Figli Concerto, rhum, house-made peperoncino liqueur, espresso and a dash of orange bitters.  This special cocktail is priced at $14, and is available throughout the winter.

For more information or reservations, call the restaurant directly at (202) 827-4726 or visit http://www.lupoverdedc.com/.

Legal Sea Foods, with four Washington, DC area locations, offers guests hot libations to ward off the cool winter nights.  Guests can sip an Irish Coffee (pictured above) with Teeling Small Batch Irish whiskey, coffee, Demerara sugar and cream; Hot Toddy with LSP Barrel-elected Eagle Rare 10 Year bourbon, honey, lemon and cloves; Hot Buttered Rum with English Harbour 5 Year and Plantation Original Dark rums, Spice Box syrup, butter and nutmeg, and the Honey Apple Warmer with Bärenjäger Honey liqueur, Laird's Applejack, Spice Box syrup, citrus and cloves.  Cocktails range in price from $8 to $10 and are available throughout the winter months at all four DC area locations:
704 7th Street NW, Washington, D.C. (202) 347-0007;
Tysons Galleria in Mclean, VA (703) 827-8900;
2301 Jefferson Davis Hwy in Crystal City, Arlington, VA (703) 415-1200 and
National Hall at Ronald Reagan National Airport (571) 551-5988.

For a complete list of locations visit: http://www.legalseafoods.com/.

Ambar’s Capitol Hill location at 523 8th Street, SE, 20003 is offering a special warmer cocktail from the Ŝumadija region of Serbia, which is known for producing the best quality rakia. The Ŝumadija Hot Toddy (pictured above) is made with a combination of sugar, slivovitz (plum brandy), Becherovka (Eastern European herbal liqueur) and water, garnished with a cinnamon stick and star anise.  This festive drink is typically served on Balkan (Orthodox) Christmas Eve as a part of the holiday celebration.  The Sumadija Hot Toddy is priced at $10 and is available upon request beginning in mid-December.

For additional information call (202) 813-3039 or visit www.ambarrestaurant.com.

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, located at 801 9th Street, NW, 20001, will be offering a special warm cocktail, the Pumpkin Spice Café Cuba Libre,(pictured above) this winter.  Made from a combination of Monin pumpkin spice syrup, Cuban coffee, steamed coconut milk, sugar and cinnamon, the Pumpkin Spice Café Cuba Libre is priced at $5 on its own, and $10 as part of the “Dessert & Coffee Combo” when paired with one of the restaurant’s classic desserts: Mami Totty’s Arroz con Leche, Cuban Flan or the Banana Bread Caramelo.  For those looking to add a little more “spice,” a shot of spiced rum can be added for an additional $8.  Guests can also opt for one of Cuba Libre's classic coffee cocktails including the Coco-Cream Coffee with coconut rum, Cruzan rum cream and Cuban coffee; Bermuda Coffee with Gosling’s Black Seal rum, RumChata and Cuban coffee; Nutty Captain with spiced rum, Frangelico and brewed Cuban coffee, and the Coco-Cream Mocha with coconut rum, El Dorado rum cream and café mocha.  Coffee cocktails are priced at $8 each.

For additional information call (202) 408-1600 or visit www.cubalibrerestaurant.com.

Ashok Bajaj’s Italian hot spot, Bibiana, located at 1100 New York Avenue, NW, 20005, has created 25 new seasonally-inspired drinks, which will be available throughout the month of December as a countdown to Christmas.  Among the list of festive libations are six warm cocktails including the Spicy Hot Chocolate, Dark Tcho Chocolate, Espelette, Calabrian chili, saffron, clove, orange peel and other spices; Hot & Cold Gin Fizz, (pictured above) G’Vine gin, lemon and warm citrus spuma; Hot Buttered Rum, Gosling’s Black Seal rum, house Black Rock Farms apple cider, brown sugar and spiced compound butter; Belladonna, Gold Rum, house Black Rock Farms apple cider and Harney & Sons cranberry; B&B, brandy and Bénédictine, served in a snifter with an orange twist to taste, as well as the Eggnog, with a Twist, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Pedro Ximénez sherry, Bénédictine and grated nutmeg, served cold with a ginger cookie.  These cocktails are priced at $12 each, and will be available December 1-25, 2016.

For additional information please call (202) 216-9550 or visit www.bibianadc.com.

** You Can 'click' on photo's for larger image
*** Look out for Part Two of this look at warming cocktails for this winter at local restaurants