The Classic Holiday Cocktails Worth Ordering
The foundation of any serious holiday menu rests on cocktails that have proven themselves across decades. These are the drinks that appear consistently at the category of cocktail bars that take their craft seriously. They don't need trendy presentation or theatrical service — the drinks speak for themselves.
Champagne Cocktail
Tom and Jerry
Hot Buttered Rum
Eggnog (Proper, Bar-Made)
Modern Holiday Cocktails the Best Bars Are Serving
Beyond the classics, the best bartenders have created modern variations that honor tradition while pushing the format forward. These cocktails appear at cocktail bars in New York and other major cities as seasonal specials, and many have become annual traditions in their own right. They represent the current thinking in how to balance festive flavors with technique and restraint.
Spiced Winter Negroni
Smoked Old Fashioned
The Penicillin (Seasonal Winter Version)
Mulled Wine (Done Right)
Holiday Cocktails Worth Ordering in Different Cities
Geography matters when it comes to holiday drinking. The best bars in each city have developed their own seasonal traditions. London's cocktail bar scene has entirely different reference points than New York's, and that difference shows up in the cocktails. Here's where to order specific holiday cocktails in major cities:
- New York: The Tom and Jerry at Attaboy or the eggnog at Amor y Amargo. Both go above what's expected.
- London: The winter Negroni variations at Nightjar or Scarfes Bar at Rosewood. The Christmas cocktail menus in London typically run 6-8 weeks and are always worth investigating.
- Paris: Champagne cocktails at Bar Hemingway at the Ritz. The bar has been serving them since 1921. The staff know what they're doing.
- Edinburgh: Hot Buttered Rum at any of the Royal Mile cocktail bars that carry a good dark rum selection. The cold helps.
- Amsterdam: Jenever-based warm cocktails at Bar Oldenhof or the seasonal menu at Tales & Spirits.
- Berlin: Glühwein (the German version of mulled wine) at any of the December Christmas markets, then a proper Negroni variation afterward at Buck & Breck.
What to Ask For When There's No Seasonal Menu
Not every bar runs a holiday menu. At those that don't, you have several solid options. The best strategy is to ask the bartender what spirits they have that are particularly good right now, and then request one of these drinks made with those spirits. If that doesn't work, here's what consistently works anywhere:
- A Champagne Cocktail — any competent bar can make it. It requires only Champagne, a sugar cube, Angostura, and an orange.
- A Hot Toddy if the weather is cold enough — whiskey, hot water, lemon, honey. The simplest and most comforting drink in the world.
- An Old Fashioned with a house seasonal syrup substituted for the standard sugar — many bars will accommodate this request if you ask.
- A bar-made mulled wine if they stock red wine and spices. Not every bar does this, but asking never hurts.
If none of these work, a well-made Negroni using cocktail classics guide principles never goes wrong at any time of year. The spirit, the Campari, and the vermouth — when they're good, they're good. The season doesn't change that.
The Cocktails to Avoid This Holiday Season
As important as knowing what to order is knowing what to skip. Holiday menus often include gimmicky drinks designed to sell rather than to be enjoyed. Here's what to avoid:
- Anything with artificial cranberry syrup. If you can't see the ingredient list and it doesn't specify fresh cranberries, pass.
- Any cocktail described as "festive" without a specific recipe listed. This is marketing language. Real cocktails have names and techniques.
- Mulled wine sold in pre-made batches from urns. You can always tell from the smell — it's acidic and thin. Fresh mulled wine smells like spices and wine.
- Candy cane or gingerbread rim decorations on otherwise unrelated cocktails. These signal that the drink isn't sure what it is.
- Anything with a "snowflake" in the name or presentation. These are marketing, not drinks.
The bars that do the season seriously — the ones you should be going to — don't need decorative props. When you know what you're doing, the drinks sell themselves. How to order the right cocktail is about paying attention to what the bar is actually making, not what it's telling you to drink.
The Bottom Line
The best holiday cocktails are not complicated. They take familiar flavours — warmth, spice, citrus, sweetness — and balance them in a glass. The bars on this list do that without fanfare. Order something warm on a cold night. Order something sparkling at midnight. Let the bar decide the rest. The season rewards those who drink with intention.