Five delicious drinks we loved this year.
Colada Maximus
Doi Moi
We’ll sip Lukas Smith’s piña colada any time of year. His secret? Turning coconut milk into coconut yogurt and adding white rum, pineapple, pandan, galangal, and ginger—plus a wheel of dehydrated lime in place of an umbrella. 1800 14th St., NW.
Barrel-Aged Scranton
Service Bar
We already feel fancy drinking a Manhattan, but this riff with Angel’s Envy bourbon, sherry, Italian walnut liqueur, and black-pepper bitters is next-level refinement. 928 U St., NW.
Janissary Corps
The Green Zone
Barman Chris Francke channels baklava for this combination of pistachio syrup, lemon, and Green Hat gin. 2226 18th St., NW.
Martini
Hank’s Cocktail Bar
If you prefer your martinis with a dash of control, this Petworth bar has you covered. Gin or vodka is served in a glass vessel over ice, along with a side bouquet of pickled vegetables and olives. 819 Upshur St., NW.
Beaten-Egg Soda
Rice Paper
Our favorite nonalcoholic drink this year was this Vietnamese concoction, with egg yolk, condensed milk, lime, and club soda whipped into a fizzy, frothy refresher. Imagine the perfect fusion of crème brûlée and soda—that’s somehow not too sweet. 6775 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church.
This article appears in the December 2018 issue of Washingtonian.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
