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La Mexicana at Buena Vida Clarendon.
Buena Vida/official photo

12 Seasonal Cocktails to Sip This Spring

Lots of rum, amaro, and pomegranate star in drinks across town

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La Mexicana at Buena Vida Clarendon.
| Buena Vida/official photo

As patios and rooftops begin to open up for the spring, a gamut of local bars and restaurants have begun serving cocktails full of rum, amaro, and seasonal fruits and veggies.

This list highlights drinks that are super new, have a creative presentation, or feature light flavors — like ginger and pomegranate — that are designed for warmer weather.

For our guide to D.C.’s hottest new bars, check out this list. And for a broader view of the drinking landscape, click this list of essential bars. For time-sensitive cherry blossom drinks, go here.

Don’t see a personal favorite on the list? Sound off in the comments or shoot us an email (dc@eater.com).

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Prince of Pankot at La Pop

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Lined with leather-bound books and Afghan rugs, the new cocktail bar underneath Lapis Afghan Bistro kicked off cocktail service in February. Spring picks (dropping Thursday, April 4) include a tiki-style drink with curried London dry gin, pomegranate liqueur, lime, ginger, and orgeat ($13).

Prince of Pankot at La Pop
Maha Hakki/La Pop

U.R.R. at The Gibson

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The decade-old U Street speakeasy fills this seasonal flute with Plantation 3 Star Rum, Don Ciccio and Figli rhubarb amaro, sparkling wine, and ginger for a little kick.

U.R.R. at The Gibson
The Gibson/official photo

The Zombie at Service Bar DC

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Use both hands to hoist Service Bar’s potent ode to the islands. It’s packed with 15-year rum, Jamaican rum, Menehune Pineapple overproof rum, falernum, absinthe, green Chartreuse, Combier D’Orange, Luxardo Maraschino, grenadine, fresh pineapple, lime, grapefruit juices, and angostura ($21; a supersized group guzzling order runs $64).

The Zombie at Service Bar DC
Service Bar/official photo

Black Star Sapphire at Bresca

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This intricate drink, one of the Michelin-rated restaurant’s new Auroral Borealis-themed offerings, is inspired by the starry reflection when light hits a sapphire. It’s got Cocchi Americano, Amaro Braulio, Combier triple sec, byrrh, sapphire blend bitters, and Indian tonic ($15). A fancy orange swath is the garnish.

Black Star Sapphire at Bresca
Rey Lopez/Bresca

Our Place In the Sun at Doi Moi

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Hank’s Cocktail Bar alum Jess Weinstein consulted on new spring cocktails at this sleek day-to-night Logan Circle eatery, integrating ingredients chef Johanna Hellrigl uses across the reinvented Southeast Asian menu. This $15 collab comes with Hennessy Cognac, 12-year Highland Park Scotch, passion fruit, orgeat made from wok-toasted cashews, Ardbeg scotch, and banana chip.

Our Place In the Sun at Doi Moi
Raisa Aziz/Doi Moi

Let’s Go To Vegas! at McClellan's Retreat

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The Dupont Circle watering hole just released a new lineup themed around tax return splurges. This Sin City drink, served chilled, comes with Hendrick’s Orbium, Hayman’s Sloe Gin, house-made mango vinegar, and simple syrup ($13).

Let’s Go To Vegas! at McClellan’s Retreat
McClellan’s Retreat/official photo

Zephyr at Zeppelin

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The nucleus of Shaw’s new two-story sushi, karaoke, and yakitori bar is a rare highball machine built into the laser-cut steel bar that’s responsible for making many cocktails ($8 to $14). The machine’s magnetic agitators constantly swirl the liquid in the keg to produce a balanced drink. This electric-colored option comes with Haku Vodka, Pimms, pandan (a tropical herb), cucumber, ginger, lime, and baller bubbles.

 

Zephyr at Zeppelin
Zeppelin’s/official photo

The Pimm Rose at Dyllan’s Raw Bar Grill-Georgetown

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The stone-lined Georgetown respite along the banks of the C&O Canal mixes Pimm’s, Rujero Singani, elderflower liqueur, and rose syrup ($11).

The Pimm Rose at Dyllan’s Raw Bar Grill-Georgetown
Dyllan’s/official photo

Spring Old Fashioned at RPM Italian

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High West Double Rye, orange Demerara sugar, and birch bark bitters swirl around in this potent high ball at downtown’s Italian mainstay ($15). And a new trio of spritzes ripe for sipping on its spacious 60-seat patio — simply dubbed “R”, “P”, and “M” — are filled with co-founder and TV personality Giuliana Rancic’s favorite prosecco.

Spring Old Fashioned at RPM Italian
Tierney Plumb/Eater DC

Dracula’s Breakfast at Mirabelle

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The reinvented French stunner’s frothy new cocktail is modeled after a Ramos Gin Fizz (but a little fruitier). It’s got Sipsmith London Dry Gin, Campari, blood orange, Count Chocula cream, egg white, and soda water ($19). Lead bartender Zach Faden also just released an effervescent vodka cocktail on draft, called Ticket to Ride.

Dracula’s Breakfast at Mirabelle
Mirabelle/official photo

What’s Up, Doc? at The Smith

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This crisp cocktail, served at the American brasserie’s dual D.C. locations, is centered around fresh vegetable flavors made with aquavit, carrot-ginger-tarragon shrub, tangerine, lemon, and dill ($13.50).

The Smith
The Smith/official photo

La Mexicana at Buena Vida Restaurant Clarendon

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The restaurant group behind Ambar just unveiled this towering Mexican food complex across the street, and the second-story Buena Vida restaurant has a rolling cocktail cart. This sweet-and-sour concoction has Oaxacan rum, soursop purée, lemon, agave nectar, pomegranate seeds ($11).

La Mexicana at Buena Vida Restaurant Clarendon
Buena Vida/official photo

Prince of Pankot at La Pop

Lined with leather-bound books and Afghan rugs, the new cocktail bar underneath Lapis Afghan Bistro kicked off cocktail service in February. Spring picks (dropping Thursday, April 4) include a tiki-style drink with curried London dry gin, pomegranate liqueur, lime, ginger, and orgeat ($13).

Prince of Pankot at La Pop
Maha Hakki/La Pop

U.R.R. at The Gibson

The decade-old U Street speakeasy fills this seasonal flute with Plantation 3 Star Rum, Don Ciccio and Figli rhubarb amaro, sparkling wine, and ginger for a little kick.

U.R.R. at The Gibson
The Gibson/official photo

The Zombie at Service Bar DC

Use both hands to hoist Service Bar’s potent ode to the islands. It’s packed with 15-year rum, Jamaican rum, Menehune Pineapple overproof rum, falernum, absinthe, green Chartreuse, Combier D’Orange, Luxardo Maraschino, grenadine, fresh pineapple, lime, grapefruit juices, and angostura ($21; a supersized group guzzling order runs $64).

The Zombie at Service Bar DC
Service Bar/official photo

Black Star Sapphire at Bresca

This intricate drink, one of the Michelin-rated restaurant’s new Auroral Borealis-themed offerings, is inspired by the starry reflection when light hits a sapphire. It’s got Cocchi Americano, Amaro Braulio, Combier triple sec, byrrh, sapphire blend bitters, and Indian tonic ($15). A fancy orange swath is the garnish.

Black Star Sapphire at Bresca
Rey Lopez/Bresca

Our Place In the Sun at Doi Moi

Hank’s Cocktail Bar alum Jess Weinstein consulted on new spring cocktails at this sleek day-to-night Logan Circle eatery, integrating ingredients chef Johanna Hellrigl uses across the reinvented Southeast Asian menu. This $15 collab comes with Hennessy Cognac, 12-year Highland Park Scotch, passion fruit, orgeat made from wok-toasted cashews, Ardbeg scotch, and banana chip.

Our Place In the Sun at Doi Moi
Raisa Aziz/Doi Moi

Let’s Go To Vegas! at McClellan's Retreat

The Dupont Circle watering hole just released a new lineup themed around tax return splurges. This Sin City drink, served chilled, comes with Hendrick’s Orbium, Hayman’s Sloe Gin, house-made mango vinegar, and simple syrup ($13).

Let’s Go To Vegas! at McClellan’s Retreat
McClellan’s Retreat/official photo

Zephyr at Zeppelin

The nucleus of Shaw’s new two-story sushi, karaoke, and yakitori bar is a rare highball machine built into the laser-cut steel bar that’s responsible for making many cocktails ($8 to $14). The machine’s magnetic agitators constantly swirl the liquid in the keg to produce a balanced drink. This electric-colored option comes with Haku Vodka, Pimms, pandan (a tropical herb), cucumber, ginger, lime, and baller bubbles.

 

Zephyr at Zeppelin
Zeppelin’s/official photo

The Pimm Rose at Dyllan’s Raw Bar Grill-Georgetown

The stone-lined Georgetown respite along the banks of the C&O Canal mixes Pimm’s, Rujero Singani, elderflower liqueur, and rose syrup ($11).

The Pimm Rose at Dyllan’s Raw Bar Grill-Georgetown
Dyllan’s/official photo

Spring Old Fashioned at RPM Italian

High West Double Rye, orange Demerara sugar, and birch bark bitters swirl around in this potent high ball at downtown’s Italian mainstay ($15). And a new trio of spritzes ripe for sipping on its spacious 60-seat patio — simply dubbed “R”, “P”, and “M” — are filled with co-founder and TV personality Giuliana Rancic’s favorite prosecco.

Spring Old Fashioned at RPM Italian
Tierney Plumb/Eater DC

Dracula’s Breakfast at Mirabelle

The reinvented French stunner’s frothy new cocktail is modeled after a Ramos Gin Fizz (but a little fruitier). It’s got Sipsmith London Dry Gin, Campari, blood orange, Count Chocula cream, egg white, and soda water ($19). Lead bartender Zach Faden also just released an effervescent vodka cocktail on draft, called Ticket to Ride.

Dracula’s Breakfast at Mirabelle
Mirabelle/official photo

What’s Up, Doc? at The Smith

This crisp cocktail, served at the American brasserie’s dual D.C. locations, is centered around fresh vegetable flavors made with aquavit, carrot-ginger-tarragon shrub, tangerine, lemon, and dill ($13.50).

The Smith
The Smith/official photo

La Mexicana at Buena Vida Restaurant Clarendon

The restaurant group behind Ambar just unveiled this towering Mexican food complex across the street, and the second-story Buena Vida restaurant has a rolling cocktail cart. This sweet-and-sour concoction has Oaxacan rum, soursop purée, lemon, agave nectar, pomegranate seeds ($11).

La Mexicana at Buena Vida Restaurant Clarendon
Buena Vida/official photo

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