10 Festive Cocktails To Sleigh The Holidays In Denver

Photo courtesy of Mecha Noodle Bar

‘Tis the season for spiked cocoa, hot buttered rum, mulled wine, and other boozy holiday-themed drinks, but while many flock to the holiday-themed bars dotting the city, restaurants and bars in Denver are offering holiday cocktails just for the season for unwinding and adding a dash of cheer.

Photo courtesy of Create Kitchen & Bar

Pull up a chair at the bar of Create Kitchen & Bar for an elevated vibe check and cocktail-lounge feel. Create is offering two holiday special cocktails for the season, with very different flavor profiles but similar festive vibes.

The Puerto Rican holiday cocktail the Coquito is on offer for the season, a holiday drink with rum, coconut milk, and the classic fresh cinnamon and nutmeg spices, a spicy, creamy and festive alternative to eggnog. The Create Holiday Rum Sangria is red-wine based + rum, with fresh festive flavors of cranberry, orange, and woodsy rosemary, garnished with cranberries and a sprig of rosemary for the classic green+red color scheme.

Photo courtesy of Federales

At Federales in RiNo, the hidden gem cocktail menu offers a seasonal margarita with wintry flavors and holiday twists, plus a holiday treat to sweeten the deal.

The Cinnamon Allspice Margarita showcases the warming, inviting wintry flavors of cinnamon and allspice with an infused spice note blanco tequila, allspice dram, plus a dash of cointreau and fresh lime, garnished with a cinnamon stick. BONUS: don’t miss the merry Peppermint Churros, a warm pile of cinnamon sugar churros served with with peppermint mousse, mocha ganache, and dusted with candy cane sugar.

Photo courtesy of Traveling Mercies

The intimate Traveling Mercies at Stanley Marketplace has a compact menu of bites and beverages, including two holiday sippers for the season.

Traveling Mercies Holiday Eggnog for Two, boozy with two kinds of rum, eggs, cream, and garnished with nutmeg. Get it to sip onsite or to-go, and BONUS for 2024: Chef/Owner Caroline Glover and her team concocted a phenomenal dairy free Eggnog option this year. See more online here.

Not in an eggnog mood? Make merry with the Hotto Campari, served hot in a charming teacup, this cocktail is made with Campari, fresh lemon, honey and a dollop of herbal Kümmel.

Photo courtesy of Golden Mill

The Golden Mill has decked the halls and created a winter wonderland for the holiday season – complete with holiday cocktails on tap, warm and festive drinks made to-order – all to be enjoyed around one of the many outdoor fire pits and heated patio tables for the ultimate cozy vibes.

Pop-Up Holiday Bar Hot Drinks:

Glüwhein (spiced wine)
Spiced Apple Cider spiked with Breckenridge Whiskey
Hot Cocoa & Peppermint Schnapps – made to-order at the host stand.

Photo courtesy of Work & Class

Chef/owner Dana Rodriguez dreamed up two boozy holiday cocktail at Carne and Work & Class:

At Carne, winter just got warmer with Dana’s Hot & Boozy Cocoa, a holiday indulgence pairing a steaming cup of Mexican chocolate spiced with cinnamon, vanilla, and aji panka pepper, served alongside three buttery Mexican wedding cookies, with your choice of tequila, whiskey, or rum for a holiday treat that’s as cozy as it is spirited.

And, the holiday spirit at Work & Class gets a twist in a festive take on a Holiday Gimlet, an inventive cocktail blending Breckenridge gin with fresh lime, spicy chai liqueur, and a kick of Szechuan syrup for a drink that’s refreshing, spicy and balanced.

Photo courtesy of Carne

Though known for award-winning and approachable wine lists and small plates style, Barcelona Wine Bar offers two cocktails that are holidays in a glass.

The wintry spices in the Bourbon Spice Rack are a can’t-miss for catching up with friends at the holidays, with Cardamaro, maple syrup, cardamom and lavender. The Dos Peninsulas is based on Joven tequila, with sherry, fresh lemon, and finished with a healthy dusting of fresh ground nutmeg for an elegantly wintry holiday sip.

Photo courtesy of Mecha Noodle Bar

Recent RiNo newcomer Mecha Noodle Bar brings warmth to the season with inventive sips between comforting bites (or slurps) of ramen and pho.

Grow A Pear – A spicy drink blending Elijah Craig Bourbon, St. George Spiced Pear, Nonino Amaro, honey ginger, and fresh lemon for a warm and balanced sip.
Lotus Flower Bomb – A bomb mix of red wine, shochu, plum wine, five spice, and citrus for an umami-rich, cozy cocktail.
With a Cherry on Top (No Proof) – A refreshing seasonal option with cranberry-rosemary shrub, ginger, lime, orgeat, and bubbly club soda for a vibrant, non-alcoholic treat.