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The “Fancy Bubbles” cocktail at the Light Horse.
Light Horse/official photo

Where to Find Shimmering Cocktails Around D.C.

‘Tis the season to gulp edible glitter

by Tierney Plumb
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The “Fancy Bubbles” cocktail at the Light Horse.
| Light Horse/official photo
by Tierney Plumb

This spring the Washington Post detailed all the savory foods getting in on the (FDA-approved) edible glitter game, and now cocktails that sparkle are also all the rage.

There’s evidence D.C. is into it: The Drink Company’s royal wedding pop-up this summer integrated edible glitter in its “Markle Sparkle” cocktail, and Taqueria del Barrio’s tequila punch bowl filled with edible glitter at last month’s Chefs for Equality was one of the first drinks to run out at the charity event.

While the shiny details are purely aesthetic, the extra eye candy and effort from bartenders is cause for celebration over another glittery glass.

Read below for six heavy metal cocktails — complete with edible glitter or gold accents — highlighted on menus across town.

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Urbana

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Urbana’s new beverage director Lauren Mathews has a gold creation starring on her debut cocktail menu. “The Face with a View” is a $13 riff on a Vieux Carre that’s named after a line from one of her favorite Talking Heads songs. It blends together Jack Daniel’s rye, Plymouth Sloe gin, Pasubio, Cocchi Dopo Teatro, and lemon bitters with a dash of edible gold that swirls in the glass.

2121 P St NW, Washington, DC 20037
(202) 956-6650
(202) 956-6650
“The Face with a View” at Urbana.
Urbana/official photo

Also featured in:

Firefly

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The Dupont Circle bar slings not one, but two shimmering cocktails. Bartender Brendan Ambrose’s “Grass Is Always Greener” is a deep green stunner, combining yuzu-infused Botanist gin, green chartreuse, velvet falernum, garden-grown Thai basil, muddled lime, and green petal luster dust. And his “Mesmerized By You” is a psychedelic swirl of Aviation gin, luxardo cherry liqueur, crème de violette, and lemon juice — all accented with purple luster dust.

1310 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
(202) 861-1310
(202) 861-1310
Firefly
Firefly/official photo

Also featured in:

The Visiteur

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The eye-catching “Why Not, It’s a Holiday” cocktail ($17) at the bar of the newly revamped Washington Marriott Georgetown features mezcal, Cointreau, chartreuse, fresh lime and lemon juice with a yellow pearl shimmer dust. It’s garnished with a hydrated lime wheel cured in red wine and available for a short time only at the bar through the holidays.   

 

1221 22nd St NW, Washington, DC 20037
(202) 872-1500
(202) 872-1500
“Why Not, It’s a Holiday” at Visiteur
Visiteur/official photo

Susheria

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Susheria, the replacement to long-running Georgetown sushi restaurant Maté, is described as “casual glam” by D.C. restaurateur Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld. An opening cocktail fitting that description is the “Seasons Greetings,” or the “Felices Fiestas” in Spanish. The pretty elixir ($14) is made with matcha tea, coconut milk, and Pisco.

3101 K St NW, Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-2006
(202) 333-2006
“Seasons Greetings” at Susheria
Susheria/official photo

Also featured in:

Key Bridge Marriott

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Made at the lobby bar, “The View from 14” is an herb-infused blueberry vodka cocktail with Moscato, blue curacao, fresh lemon and lime juice, and gold pearl dust. The name of the $14 drink pays homage to a former Northern Virginia institution, The View Steakhouse, which was perched on the 14th and final floor. It is now an event space with sweeping views of the Potomac and D.C. 

1401 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA 22209
(703) 524-6400
(703) 524-6400
“The View from 14” at Key Bridge Marriott.
Key Bridge Marriott/official photo

Also featured in:

The Light Horse

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The newly expanded Light Horse in Old Town, which tacked on a large 40-foot downstairs bar last month, gets in on the edible glitter game via the colorful “Fancy Bubbles,” a whimsical mashup of edible glitter, house-made flavored sugar cubes, bubbly, and Green Hat gin ($12). 

715 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 549-0533
(703) 549-0533
“Fancy Bubbles” at the Light Horse.
Light Horse/official photo

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Urbana

2121 P St NW, Washington, DC 20037

Urbana’s new beverage director Lauren Mathews has a gold creation starring on her debut cocktail menu. “The Face with a View” is a $13 riff on a Vieux Carre that’s named after a line from one of her favorite Talking Heads songs. It blends together Jack Daniel’s rye, Plymouth Sloe gin, Pasubio, Cocchi Dopo Teatro, and lemon bitters with a dash of edible gold that swirls in the glass.

2121 P St NW, Washington, DC 20037
(202) 956-6650
(202) 956-6650
“The Face with a View” at Urbana.
Urbana/official photo

Firefly

1310 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036

The Dupont Circle bar slings not one, but two shimmering cocktails. Bartender Brendan Ambrose’s “Grass Is Always Greener” is a deep green stunner, combining yuzu-infused Botanist gin, green chartreuse, velvet falernum, garden-grown Thai basil, muddled lime, and green petal luster dust. And his “Mesmerized By You” is a psychedelic swirl of Aviation gin, luxardo cherry liqueur, crème de violette, and lemon juice — all accented with purple luster dust.

1310 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
(202) 861-1310
(202) 861-1310
Firefly
Firefly/official photo

The Visiteur

1221 22nd St NW, Washington, DC 20037

The eye-catching “Why Not, It’s a Holiday” cocktail ($17) at the bar of the newly revamped Washington Marriott Georgetown features mezcal, Cointreau, chartreuse, fresh lime and lemon juice with a yellow pearl shimmer dust. It’s garnished with a hydrated lime wheel cured in red wine and available for a short time only at the bar through the holidays.   

 

1221 22nd St NW, Washington, DC 20037
(202) 872-1500
(202) 872-1500
“Why Not, It’s a Holiday” at Visiteur
Visiteur/official photo

Susheria

3101 K St NW, Washington, DC 20007

Susheria, the replacement to long-running Georgetown sushi restaurant Maté, is described as “casual glam” by D.C. restaurateur Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld. An opening cocktail fitting that description is the “Seasons Greetings,” or the “Felices Fiestas” in Spanish. The pretty elixir ($14) is made with matcha tea, coconut milk, and Pisco.

3101 K St NW, Washington, DC 20007
(202) 333-2006
(202) 333-2006
“Seasons Greetings” at Susheria
Susheria/official photo

Key Bridge Marriott

1401 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA 22209

Made at the lobby bar, “The View from 14” is an herb-infused blueberry vodka cocktail with Moscato, blue curacao, fresh lemon and lime juice, and gold pearl dust. The name of the $14 drink pays homage to a former Northern Virginia institution, The View Steakhouse, which was perched on the 14th and final floor. It is now an event space with sweeping views of the Potomac and D.C. 

1401 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA 22209
(703) 524-6400
(703) 524-6400
“The View from 14” at Key Bridge Marriott.
Key Bridge Marriott/official photo

The Light Horse

715 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314

The newly expanded Light Horse in Old Town, which tacked on a large 40-foot downstairs bar last month, gets in on the edible glitter game via the colorful “Fancy Bubbles,” a whimsical mashup of edible glitter, house-made flavored sugar cubes, bubbly, and Green Hat gin ($12). 

715 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 549-0533
(703) 549-0533
“Fancy Bubbles” at the Light Horse.
Light Horse/official photo

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