It's almost not summer anymore, and yet it is, really, and will likely be for another couple months (fingers crossed). So here's a group of five new cocktails to seek out that will quench your thirst after a warm day, or even a kind of cool but sunny day like today.
First up there's the excellent, generous version of a gin and tonic dubbed the Royal G&T at The Cavalier. It's a mix of Beefeater 24 with Dubonnet Blanc, lemon, and tonic, and comes in a more than ample goblet of a glass. Ultra-refreshing.
Over at Trick Dog, where their 2.0 menu with drinks all named for hit songs from the 50s to the 80s debuted in July, go for the Leather and Lace. The Bon Vivants are masters at things like this, taking the classic Tiki combo of aged rum, lime, and Falernum and tossing in some aquavit just to keep things interesting.
We love the (albeit very ladylike) Violet Flower Margarita at La Urbana, the new, highly sophisticated, modern Mexican spot on Divisadero. It's got a margarita base, with Don Julio Blanco, lime, and orange flower water (an old barkeep's secret ingredient for margaritas), as well as creme de violette, and a floater of sparkling rosé.
At the newly open 1760, the Acquerello spinoff on Polk, you'll find some truly interesting cocktails created by former Aziza guy Christopher Longoria. The bright, eponymous 1760 cocktail is a mix of gin, mezcal, cumin, mint, and Cocchi Americano. It's a surprising mix of flavors, and decidedly cumin-scicy, but pretty unique, food-friendly, and refreshing.
And over at Gitane there's a yummy new pisco drink called the Espiritas de Uvas (spirits of grapes). It's a mix of grape-based Kappa pisco, lime juice, and muddled grapes, and is served over crushed ice. Sip it on the next warm evening after work, and we're pretty sure it will make you happy.
See them all in our slideshow above.
