DC’s annual Cocktail Week is here–meaning you’ll find small-plate-and-drink pairings, happy hours, and lively events at over 80 restaurants across town. The weeklong mixology celebration runs through Tuesday, December 5. Here’s where we’d start:
All Purpose
1250 Ninth St. NW
This cheffy pizza spot’s Shaw location is offering a custom cocktail called the Beetnik—a gin-and-Aperol drink with beetroot, ginger, and basil—with a crispy squash arancini alongside. $15.
Black Jack
1612 14th St NW
This lively Logan Circle bar calls its pairing of a lime-and-mezcal cocktail with a trio of raw oysters a “dive into bliss.” $18.
Bresca
1904 14th St. NW
The luxe 14th Street corridor French spot is serving a scallop crudo with clarified milk punch ($30), as well as hosting a tasting of five cocktails on Thursday, November 30 ($95).
Cranes
724 Ninth St. NW
The Japanese/Spanish restaurant and lounge in Penn Quarter is pairing its Apurikotto Sour—a mix of apricot, absinthe, and lemon—with mushroom gyoza. $18.
The Duck and the Peach
300 Seventh St. SE
Capitol Hill’s casual yet sophisticated American restaurant is serving milk punch with rum and bourbon with its salted brûléed dates filled with goat cheese. $20.
Jaleo
480 Seventh St. NW
A Jaleo classic—fried, bacon-wrapped dates—is matched with a vermouth-and-gin cocktail. $10.
Lulu’s Wine Garden
1940 11th St. NW
Looking for spirits to get you in the holiday spirit? This Shaw hangout is pairing its Son of a Nutcracker cocktail (vodka, rum, sherry, and gingerbread liqueur) with buttery biscochito cookies (the official state cookie of New Mexico). $17.
New Heights
2317 Calvert St. NW
Head to this Woodley Park long-timer for options ranging from $22 to $30. Pairings include cheesy onion fondue with a caramel apple mule ($26) and pork belly buns with a “Sweater Weather” whiskey sour ($28).
El Tamarindo
1785 Florida Ave. NW
The Adams Morgan Mexican/Salvadoran staple has designed a whole menu for mixing and matching cocktails and small plates. Drinks include a boozy horchata and a mango mule, to be paired with tacos or empanadas. $15.
Taqueria Xochi
1850 K St. NW
Join this Mexican spot inside new DC food hall the Square for happy hour from 3 to 8 PM on weekdays and 11 AM to 8 PM on Saturday. For Cocktail Week, it’ll serve a citrusy tequila cocktail with pork shoulder tacos. $15.
Yume Sushi
2121 N Westmoreland St., Arlington
This fanciful sushi restaurant offers three specialty pairings, including an Edo old fashioned with seared tuna tataki. $30.
