Warm up from the inside out with the holiday hot chocolate at ~JARDINIÈRE~, called Hot Chocolate No. 5 (no word on a nonsensical Brad Pitt ad yet). The hot chocolate is made with lots of chocolate, cayenne, and served with churros and dulce de leche on the side. You can add Casa Noble Reposado, too, if you need some holiday calming (or amping). It’s $10 for the chocolate, or $16 for the boozy option.
Head to ELIXIR for a whole menu of delicious holiday cocktails, including the marvelous Tom & Jerry for $10. 3200 16th St. at Guerrero, 415-552-1633.
Joel Teitelbaum at HARRY DENTON’S STARLIGHT ROOM continues his house bottling with a pair of red and green cocktails. There’s the Spiked Vanilla Cream Soda with Campari, housemade vanilla cream soda, and Frangelico, or the Green Apple Cider with Flor de Caña 7 Year, green apple juice, and winter spices. They’re $12 each, or both for $22, and will be available until December 31st. Sir Francis Drake Hotel, 21st floor, 450 Powell St. at Sutter, 415-395-8595.
Over in Berkeley, ~FIVE~ is serving The Twelve Cocktails of Christmas, from the Pear Tree (pear vodka, ginger syrup, calamansi juice, lemon) to the Twelve Hot Chocolate Drums (Godiva chocolate liqueur, Gosling’s dark rum, Frangelico, housemade hot chocolate, amaretto whipped cream) and everything in between. All cocktails are $12, and you can check out the full list here. And good luck not getting that song stuck in your head!
At 15 ROMOLO, they’ll be celebrating Sherry Christmas with a full list of sherry cocktails. There will also be some Spanish-inspired nibbles to complement the cocktails. 15 Romolo Pl. at Broadway, 415-398-1359.
Take a break from Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Green Monday, and give-me-a-damn-break Thursday with some nostalgic holiday spirit. Take a trip back to the simpler days of It’s a Wonderful Life at BALBOA CAFE, with a serious retro makeover. The bar interior has been converted to resemble Martini’s Bar from the film, with plaid walls and snowy windows. They’ve also got a full list of old-fashioned drinks to go with the décor, like hot buttered rum or their very own George Bailey, made with Stoli Vanilla, Kahlúa, and Baileys on the rocks. Hic. 3199 Fillmore St. at Greenwich, 415-921-3944.
