Holiday parties may be on hold, but you can still toast to the season (and the end of 2020) with these festive to-go cocktails from some of San Diego’s top restaurants, hotels, and pop-ups. Cheers!
Campfire and Jeune et Jolie
These two Carlsbad restaurants, both co-owned by John Resnick, will be offering a holiday sangria and cocktail recipe in addition to their takeout menu all season long. Try the Grizzly Folk, a bourbon beverage with mulled cider, tamarind, and lemon.
2725 State Street, Carlsbad
2659 State Street, Suite 102, Carlsbad
Civico by the Park
The Bankers Hill outpost of this Italian eatery is offering four cocktails to go for their Cocktails di Natale menu. The drinks are classic recipes with a holiday twist, like the Holiday in Manhattan with black walnut bitters and a Punt e Mes aperitivo, or the Espresso Martini with a housemade vanilla bean syrup and a cinnamon garnish.
2550 Fifth Avenue, Suite 120, Bankers Hill
Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
Head to the hotel’s Greenfinch Holiday Pop-Up Bar for fun holiday-themed boozy beverages every Friday and Saturday in December. Go for the English Ginger Snap, made with Earl Grey–infused Tito’s vodka, Amar Nonino, persimmons, and ginger beer. Rum fans will want the Santa Smokes Cigars, a smoky and spicy sipper with locally distilled Malahat rum.
9700 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla
The Grass Skirt
The Grass Skirt’s “Tiki Christmas” continues with their cocktail boxes. This week’s theme (the last one!) is Sippin’ Santa, an aged rum and Italian amaro–based cocktail completed with fresh lemon, orange juice, and a garnish of ginger and nutmeg. The box also comes with their signature Surfin’ Santa mug and a special edition The Grass Skirt stocking.
910 Grand Avenue, Pacific Beach
Kindred
Kindred’s popular takeout cocktails received the holiday treatment with a menu rollout of five seasonal libations. Find their takes on classics like a hot toddy or mulled cider, or go for something more unique like the Loxian Gate with gin, aquavit, sherry, lemon, cherry, rosemary, and allspice bitters.
1503 30th Street, South Park
Lionfish
Take your festive fix to go with one of Lionfish’s seasonal cocktails. The Fallen Apple, for example, puts the fruit forward with an apple spice syrup and apple brandy. They also have holiday classics for the traditionalists, like a spiced mulled wine and eggnog.
435 Fifth Avenue, Gaslamp Quarter
Moniker General
This Liberty Station hangout put together festive cocktail baskets for a boozy at-home celebration to last through the holidays. Each basket comes with staples like a Spiced Pear aperitif or their signature margarita; then you have the option to upgrade your kit with extras like their custom-blend Woodford Reserve or a Wildsong Sauvignon Blanc. Each basket comes with servings for 10–12 cocktails for you to hunker down and sip 2020 away.
2860 Sims Road, Liberty Station
Mr. Trustee
Stop by the Mr. Trustee pickup window at Cardellino restaurant Fridays through Sundays to warm up with some hot holiday drinks. The beverages—think candy cane hot chocolate and a classic apple cider—are naturally nonalcoholic (and delicious), but you can make it a true “holiday spirit” for an extra $6.
4033 Goldfinch Street, Mission Hills
James Tran
Nolita Hall
Bar Manager Corey Tighe rolled out a tongue-in-cheek menu of holiday cocktails as part of Nolita Hall’s “F*ck 2020” takeout pizza pop-up. Try the Certify for Benefits, made with blanco tequila, apple cider, blonde ale, ginger, cinnamon, and lemon. Or the Melting Giuliani, a butternut squash eggnog with Malahat spiced rum.
2305 India Street, Little Italy
Realm of the 52 Remedies
The beloved speakeasy’s Home Therapy cocktail service continues with timely seasonal additions, like Nutcracker-themed tinctures. Each kit comes with a bottle of the selected spirit, all the garnishes and mixers to make 10–12 cocktails, recipe cards, and special gifts and barware.
4805 Convoy Street, Kearny Mesa