Picture this: It’s the afternoon of another gorgeous San Diego day. You’re sitting in umbrella shade on a patio—or maybe the beach—sipping something cold, your sweat drying after surfing or skating or hiking or biking or sailing or pickleball or any of the thousand things a person can do outside here to lather up a powerful thirst. And now, as the sun lazily descends to its inevitable flashy green slumber, you’re feeling satiated, happy. Downright at ease. Such is the power of the post-activity beverage. Behold, we’ve collected some recent favorites, from little afternoon treats to libations that impress. Go get some.
Of the five basic flavors, bitter is the outlier taste not everyone loves. But I do. I’ll bite a grapefruit, rind and all. Which is why amaro drinks are my ambrosia. And since unsweetened cocktails are my go-to, this daiquiri at downtown’s Guild called my name like a spirit from the shadows. Their house amaro blend, dark rum, and lime equals a good time. A daiquiri for after dark, bitter by design. –MH
99 Problems
Happy Medium
The name is fitting—whenever l’ve stopped into North Park’s newish Happy Medium, it’s been just the right amount of bustling: lively enough to feel like a vibe, chill enough that the bartender has a minute to chat. The cocktails are well-balanced, too, including the 99 Problems, a tiki-esque rum drink with Thai tea, lemon, vanilla, and 99 Bananas, a ‘nana schnapps. Not as sweet (or as banana-y) as it sounds. –AR
Secret Citrus
Mate Maker Co Hard Kombucha
Made with citrus sourced from local farms and Australian hops, this collaboration between Mate Maker and Harland Brewing has been a sunny spot during recent gray weather. The bubbly, tropical, tangy beverage clocks in at six percent ABV—light enough to keep it chill, bright enough to have another. –BD
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
Storyhouse Spirits
Butterfly pea flower (tastes like a purple version of green tea) and aloe liqueur don’t sound like my kind of night out. Sounds like the bartender is working on their naturopath influencer brand. But this cocktail at the East Village distillery is perfect—not too sweet, not too bitter, tiny bit spicy—with Storyhouse dry gin, those two neo-wellness ingredients, jalapeño, strawberry, hibiscus, and lime. –TJ
Möce Tee
Mango Pomelo Cheese Foam
This Mission Valley strip mall outpost is serving up some of the most unique drinks in town, including this Wonka-esque bubble beverage. With sweet mango clear boba, bitter pomelo pulp, and a salty, drinkable cheese cloud, this caffeine-free tea is a flavor and texture bomb. Order it less sweet and treat it like a breakfast smoothie. Now, someone simply please explain why all boba drinks are served in plastic cups thick enough to withstand a direct nuclear hit. –MH
Signs + Wonders Vol. V
J. Brix
Escondido-based low-intervention winery J. Brix makes some of the tastiest bottles in SD with grapes grown at least in-part in our county, depending on the vintage and bottle. A blend of carbonic-fermented merlot and skin-contact riesling from the winery’s 2023 vintage, this release is a special one, with only 100 cases available. Serve it chilled and get ready to glou glou—this wine’s a patio pounder. –JB
Iced Horchata
Por Vida Café
Did you know you can make delicious gasoline from cinnamon, rice, condensed milk, and coffee? This Barrio Logan café is bringing the flavor and the fire power with a housemade horchata that had me itching to run a marathon in my boots. For some reason, I suddenly also wanted to do my taxes and finally solve the JFK murder. Do you think they’d fill me a five-gallon canister for the road? –MH
Courtesy of Fierce & Kind
Straight Bourbon
Fierce & Kind
As a Scotch whisky drinker who usually finds bourbons too corny, I recently tried local spirits label Fierce & Kind’s bourbon, which I found could satisfy even the thirstiest peat hound. This whiskey is aged more than two years, clocks in at 86 proof, and offers gentle whispers of Islay with faint smoke and vanilla flavors. –JB
Affogato
Elvira
When I was a kid in New York, nothing was more exciting than going to Serendipity for frozen hot chocolate. OB’s Elvira has Italian-ified the famous drink with its affogato: Fresh-poured espresso pools in the middle of zabaione ice cream (think sweet custard with a hint of cognac) from local gelateria Bobboi, all topped with fresh whipped cream and served in a frozen sundae glass with a spoon. The cognac and coffee flavors (and the resulting caffeine kick) offer an adult edge to indulging my inner child. –JB
Art’s Cure-all
Birdseye Kitchen
Sometimes a Saturday night calls for spicy, greasy rice noodles with a shot of liquid gut health on the side. That’s where this sunshine-in-a-glass mocktail from Encinitas’ Birdseye comes in. It’s got the looks and the flavor to feel like you’re indulging in a true tipple, with enough ginger and turmeric to impress Paltrow herself. It’s all about balance, right? –SL
Milkshake
Cali Cream
No shade to the big three, but chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry are the crinkle-cut fries of the milkshake world: always good, never thrilling. When I’m craving ice cream‘s curly-fry equivalent, the Gaslamp’s Cali Cream delivers with dozens of flavors, mixable and matchable to create the bold, sexy shake of your dreams. Recently, I went with mocha almond fudge plus coffee. The combos are near-endless, though, so go nuts (no pun intended). –AR
Sparkling Syrah
Bourdon
From SD resident and former Bachelorette Becca Kufrin’s California wine brand, Bourdon, this crisp sparkling syrah is like rosé’s femme-fatale older sister. Jammy but not cloying and friendly even to never-a-red drinkers (guilty), it’s the kind of hostess gift guaranteed to get you a repeat dinner party invite—but you’ll have to plan ahead. Bourdon is currently only available online. —AR
Déja Vu
The Vibe
I’m pretty vanilla with my coffee: splash of cream, maybe a dash of sugar. But occasionally, I go on a caffeine rumspringa and embrace the power of add-ins. Like this beaut from all-day brunch joint The Vibe: white mocha, cherry syrup, espresso, milk. Sounds saccharine, tastes like l just became a white mocha believer. –EH
Fogata
Valle Oceanside
Fruity. Smoky. Spicy. Fabulous. Every taste sensation I desire lives in Valle‘s Fogata cocktail. Mezcal, passion fruit liqueur, and lime with a smoked habanero rim, it’s somehow both light and refreshing while also incredibly deep and complex. When the server offered to hold it for me while we walked to our table, I said no, thank you—I couldn’t let it go. —BD
Carrot Ginger Lemonade
Lemonade
Ginger and lemonade go together like two lovers holding hands in Hillcrest, but admittedly, I was skeptical of the carrot in this concoction. It was just so pretty, though, I had to give it a go. And yes, would recommend. Spicy, sweet, sour, and bright like a parking cone. Tap into your inner rabbit and get the large. –MH
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
Jackie is a long-time freelance journalist covering cannabis, food/restaurants, travel, labor, wine, spirits, arts & culture, design, and other topics. Her work has been selected twice for Best American Travel Writing, and she has won a variety of national and local awards for her writing and reporting.
Troy Johnson is the magazine’s award-winning food writer and humorist, and a long-standing expert on Food Network. His work has been featured on NatGeo, Travel Channel, NPR, and in Food Matters, a textbook of the best American food writing.
Amelia Rodriguez is a writer and journalist and winner of the San Diego Press Club's 2023 Rising Star Award and 2024 Best of Show Award, she’s also covered music, food, arts and culture, fashion, and design for Rolling Stone, Palm Springs Life, and other national and regional publications. After work, you can find her hunting down San Diego’s best pastries and maintaining her five-year Duolingo streak.
