The holiday season brings, along with cheer, many reasons to get together with friends. Gather together at a festively decorated bar and sip on something delicious and well-crafted. The care put into drinks, the cheery environments, and warm service can help lift your spirits and fuel your social battery well into January. Whether you’re looking for a new cocktail to share or a reassuring classic, Pittsburgh bars and restaurants have a variety of winter cocktail menu updates.
Sip on These Limited Edition Winter Cocktails from Pittsburgh Bars
Fet-Fisk
If you can actually get a reservation at Fet-Fisk (a challenge since their recent buzz from The New York Times and Eater), they’ve changed their cocktail lineup for the colder weather with richer, smokier spirits. Fet-Fisk separates each cocktail by its quality and changes up the ingredients seasonally, so every couple of months there’s a new combination to look forward to. (And to be sad about when they leave—real Fet-Fisk fans remember the Swedish fish Bubbly cocktail from their early days of opening. RIP).
- The Bubbly is Nordic gin, Granja Nomada mezcal, and cava.
- The Sour uses Granja Nomada mezcal, Aperol, Genepy, lemon, and a dash of extra virgin olive oil.
- The colorful Aromatic is house aquavit, basil eau-de-vie, and lime sherbet.
- And, finally, Fet-Fisk’s Bitter is a mix of gin, Casa Mariol Blanco, Fernet, and Averna. Fernet and Averna together will definitely clear the sinuses out for the winter!
Jackworth Ginger Beer
Jackworth Ginger Beer has made quite the splash since it opened, becoming a staple ingredient in many bars’ ingredient lists, including the TABLE team’s staff cocktails). Along with their normal offerings of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic ginger beer, Jackworth has some limited-time-only cocktails and liquors you won’t want to miss.
- Just for the holiday season, Jackworth has started making Sorrel, a traditional Jamaican Christmas drink (6% ABV) made with hibiscus, cinnamon, clove and ginger. It’s on draft exclusively at the brewery beginning Wednesday, December 11th.
- The bright-red Blood in the Water is gin, cherry syrup, and lemon, for a zesty and festive vibe.
- Feeling flirty? Try the Boyfriend Daiquiri with white rum, overproof rum, sea salt, lime, and simple syrup for a taste of summer.
- For Christmas, Jackworth has the limited-time-only Cranberry Gin Fizz: verproof gin, cranberry, house-made spiced syrup, classic ginger beer, lime, and angostura bitters.
Goodlander Cocktail Brewery
Right across the street from Jackworth is Goodlander Cocktail Brewery, a unique taproom with to-go growlers and a plethora of great non-alcoholic options, too. Goodlander is a great night out starter for its earlier hours and chill vibe, and the to-go growlers can be a fun way to make sure your house parties this season have the highest-quality drinks.
- About their limited edition White Grapefruit Highball, Goodlander says “Grapefruit. It’s the best fruit. And for cocktails, we like white grapefruit. Grapefruit classic. Grapefruit the way your grandparents did it before Ocean Spray started filling our minds and hearts with all that Ruby Red kinda crap. Trust us. We’re grapefruit-stans. We wouldn’t lie to you.” Don’t you want to try it now?
- The Spiced Pear Mule is a holiday version of the classic Moscow Mule (which Goodlander does have a delicious take on). They start with Washington-grown Bosc pears and work them two ways: poached in a spiced sugar syrup and in a homemade pear extract. They then mix those with vodka, San Francisco-style ginger syrup, and lime super juice.
- For a limited time only, you can also get a special holiday non-alcoholic Cranberry Lime Ginger Ale made with cranberry, lime, ginger, sugar, and seltzer. It mixes well with whiskey, if you want to buy a growler to-go and use it as a cocktail ingredient.
Unspeakable
This Vietnamese inspired speakeasy is one of Pittsburgh’s best kept secrets, but we’re telling you. Their winter cocktail update is massive, with some of the most creative liquor combinations around.
- The Eggspionage is Ransom Bourbon, house eggnog, coconut flakes, and nutmeg.
- The Mezzy Star has banana-Infused Mezcal, absinthe, and creme de cacao.
- The Frosted Maple is made up of Lost Republic bourbon maple syrup, lemon, cranberry Simple, and egg white.
- For a smoky but holiday-esque drink, try the The Northern Mule with Country Smooth Bourbon, lime, maple syrup, and ginger beer.
- For the beer lover, the Kirin Ichibanana is banana-Infused Mezcal, pineapple, Pho spice simple, lime, Kirin Ichiban.
- The Home Sweet Home is cinnamon orange-Infused 2 Bar Bourbon, chocolate Llqueur, Vizcaya black rum, honey simple, and house orange Bitters.
- More mezcal, the Golden Smoke is Banana-Infused Mezcal, Lime, Pineapple, Simple, Egg White, and Aromatic Bitters.
- Warm up with Not Your Grandma’s Hot Chocolate: Noire Vodka, chocolate liqueur, chocolate simple, and oatmilk.
- And to top it off with a delicious-sounding Fernet-forward drink: the Invitation Only, Luigi Francoli Fernet, Pama Pomegranate Liqueur, Lemon, Chai Simple, Star Anise.
Dish Osteria
Dish Osteria is a South Side classic with a constantly-changing bar program from chef Michele Savoia’s all-star bar team. Go in and sit at the bar. While you can’t go wrong with their wine list and extensive digestivo program, their custom seasonal cocktails are also wonderful.
- The Oaxaca Old Fashioned has Mezcal, reposado tequila, Cynar 70, fresno infused agave, orange twist. Served over a big cube.
- For a classy glass of bubbly, Dish is offering the Signorina Ciccia. Super Gay vodka, prickly pear syrup, lemon juice and Prosecco, in a flute with a lemon twist.
- You can also get the Lambrusco Spritz with Lo-Fi amaro, Amara Rosso, grapefruit, dry Lambrusco, castelvetrano olives, and an orange slice.
- For the digestivo fans, the Mezzo-Mezzo has one of my favorite amaros, Sfumato Rabarbaro, with Aperitivo Cappelletti, soda, and a lemon twist tall over ice.
- A featured winter cocktail is the Winter Negroni with Gin, Sweet Vermouth Gran Classico, and Zirbenz Pine Liqueur.
Ritual House
Head downtown for a holiday drink at Ritual House, which makes for a great date spot, family meal, or solo dining spot on the way to see the holiday lights across downtown Pittsburgh this year.
- Slay Bell Sangria is a white wine blend, vodka, their house hibiscus berry syrup, white Cranberry Juice, and pink shimmer.
- Treat your sweetheart to the Mistletoe: vodka, mulled cranberry juice, pomegranate, cranberries, and rosemary.
- I have a theory that the Espresso Martini is the winter version of the Aperol Spritz. Ritual House has its own version of it for Christmas cheer, the Sugar Cookie Espresso Martini, which is Vodka, Butterscotch Liqueur, Ritual Sugar Cookie Sauce, Cream Cheese frosting and a sprinkles half rim.
Altius
If you have some VIPs coming to town for the holidays and you want to show them a good Pittsburgh time, Altius is a great option. The beautiful view of the city Mt. Washington is perfect for sipping these new winter cocktails and enjoying a delicious, upscale meal in Altius’s dining room.
- Bring Your Green Hat is Maggie’s Farm white rum, Cointreau, house made orgeat, Genepy le Chamois, and fresh orange.
- You can also enjoy the new Cacao Nightcap dessert cocktail if you want to indulge a holiday sweet tooth. That drink is Meletti chocolate liqueur, house-infused vanilla vodka, Frangelico, and Demerara sugar.
Apteka
For the holiday season, Apteka has spruced up their menu—literally, with a new Spruce Cordial among other creative, Slavic-inspired cocktails. Like Fet-Fisk, they often separate out their cocktails by a dominant quality, rather than coming up with a fancy name. This no-frills approach to a cocktail menu allows for the drinks to speak for themselves, and I have to say, this winter cocktail menu is one of my favorites I’ve seen so far from Apteka.
- The Wine Spritz is the rare cold weather spritz with Grüner (a Slovakian wine grape also available by the bottle at Apteka), plum pit, and apple blossom to create a bubbly but savory black fruit-forward cocktail.
- The Spruce Cordial is vodka, wild juniper, and Zwack. Wondering “what the hell is a Zwack”? Zwack Unicum is the national liquor of Hungary, and is a bittersweet, herbal liqueur. This is one of the more liquor-heavy drinks there. Don’t imbibe before driving your car. Or Santa’s sleigh.
- Becherovka herbal liqueur is a Slavic classic, and Apteka makes it with plum, lindenflower, and Jäger.
- Whiskey is made up of 2021’s fruit cordial, aged, and vermouth.
- Apteka’s house Gin is orange wine and silverberry nectar, a fascinating combination of flavors.
- A brand-new liquor offering is their Mezcal, made of mint, tequila, nettles, and Gorki List liqueur.
Square Café
If, instead of a night out, you’re craving a holiday brunch, Square Café in East Liberty has you covered. Their mimosas and spritz bring a little bit of that light, bubbly pick-me-up better suited for a midday brunch drinks.
- Square’s Holiday Mimosa is Italian sparkling wine, Jackworth Ginger Beer and Cranberry-lime juice.
- For the non-drinkers, Cranberry-Ginger Punch NA has non-alcoholic Jackworth Ginger Beer with cranberry juice and splash of lime.
Fish Nor Fowl
Fish Nor Fowl has one of Pittsburgh’s most impressive bar programs. Where else will you see more obscure aperitifs like Italicus along with Eagle Rare 10yr aged whiskey and Drumshambo Sardinian gin?
- The Bellissima has Montenegro amaro, Saliers Gentian liqueur, Prosecco, and orange for a mixture of smoky and refreshing.
- Estate Tea is a refreshing mixture of tequila, Genepy, mint iced tea, and tequila for a light, minty sip.
- The Sardinian Squeeze uses limoncello, gin, aperitivi, and a lemon if you’re feeling a little sour this winter.
- But, for an insider tip, Fish Nor Fowl’s General Manager Alexander Riola developed the Three French Hens cocktail for our Twelve Days of Christmas cocktail series. You can order it right there at Fish Nor Fowl!
Bar Botanico
- Bar Botanico contributed a cocktail to TABLE’s Twelve Days of Christmas with the Eight Maids-a-Milking cocktail. This delicious vegan coquito is made of Aged Puerto Rican Rum, Licor 43, Damiana, Condensed Milk, Coconut Milk, Allspice, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg.
- The Bolivia Rodrigo uses an impressive lineup of liquors and mixtures. Singani 63, Mulled Wine, Iris Blanco Vermouth, Salers Apéritif, Fruited Chamomile, Absinthe.
- For a hot drink to warm you up as the temperatures get into the 20s, try the Toki-o Drift with Toki Japanese whiskey, Cocchi Americano, Barley, and Cinnamon.
Story by Emma Riva
Photo courtesy of Ritual House
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