Hot Cocktails

11 must-try hot cocktails for staying toasty warm when it gets cold outside

With temperatures plummeting, we've decided to warm things up with a list of hot and boozy drinks for staying toasty this season. From spirited coffee to an adult hot chocolate, below is your guide to 11 must-try hot cocktails.

Irish Coffee, Anvil Bar & Refuge

Coffee by prolific local roasters Greenway Coffee & Tea and 12-year Irish whiskey meet sweet turbinado sugar and a rich herbal liqueur whipped cream in this tall glass of boozy java.

Mulled Pomegranate Tea, Etoile Cuisine et Bar

The popular French restaurant at Uptown Park welcomes chilly guests with a killer combination of Earl Grey tea, mulled pomegranate juice and port-finished single malt Scotch whisky, all garnished with a clementine slice, pomegranate seeds, cloves, an apple slice and toasted almonds.

Alpine Martini, Vallone's

Take the edge off with the wintry martini, made with vanilla white chocolate liqueur, a cinnamon-sugar rim and a floating marinated hibiscus flower, at the Gateway Memorial City steakhouse.

Southern Hot Chocolate, Mockingbird Bistro

Forget regular ‘ole hot chocolate: a tasty mix of pecan vodka, rum and Mexican-style hot chocolate can be yours at the quaint Montrose spot.

3B Hot Toddy, benjy's

The Rice Village locale of the innovative New American spot boasts a roster of fun cocktails, including this standout hot toddy. Just what the doctor ordered, barrel-aged bourbon, laced with local honey and rimmed with shaved nutmeg, brown sugar and cinnamon will certainly cure whatever ails you.

Cafe Boom Boom, Prego

The next time you visit Rice Village Italian bistro, Prego, ask for the off-menu Cafe Boom Boom. Espresso and steamed milk spiked with herb-flavored liqueur, cream liqueur and almond-flavored Italian liqueur will warm your bones.

Hot Apple Pie Toddy, Paul's Kitchen

Garnished with clove studded apple slices, the cold-weather drink at the Upper Kirby restaurant will keep you warm enough to grab an alfresco seat on the patio. Amped-up whisky, featuring pie-flavored liqueur, is joined by honey, lemon juice and clove-infused hot water.

A Night in Hokkaido, Izakaya

This sake bomb at casual Japanese pub, Izakaya in Midtown, features sesame-infused whiskey, honey and clove.

Willard Taft, Coltivare

Three types of liquor (yellow French liqueur, apple brandy, Italian herbal liqueur) and lemon make up the potent tipple at casual Italian hotspot in The Heights.

Irish Blanket, Prohibition Supperclub & Bar

One sip of this potent beverage is all it takes to soothe you after a long day. Irish whisky, Spanish liqueur and cacao (chocolate bean) flavored liqueur meet coffee and mint flavored liqueur shavings.

Revolve Toddy, Revolve Kitchen + Bar

This stiff toddy marries bourbon with pear nectar, fresh ginger, honey and lemon at the restaurant tucked inside The Galleria-area Hotel Derek.

Take the edge off with the Alpine Martini at Vallone's.

Houston, Vallones, December 2015, Alpine Martini

Courtesy photo

Take the edge off with the Alpine Martini at Vallone's.

cocktails drinks

say hey to Hypsi

Houston chef's hip new Italian restaurant now open in Heights hotel

Photo by Julie Soefer

Hypsi serves pasta and other Itaian-inspired dishes.

A new Italian restaurant is now open in the Heights. Located within the newly opened Hotel Daphne, Hypsi marks chef Terrence Gallivan’s return to professional cooking in Houston.

Known for his time as the co-execuive chef of The Pass and Provisions and owner of ElRo Pizza and Crudo, Gallivan brings strong culinary credentials to Hypsi. Although he isn’t known explicitly for Italian fare, he has significant experience making pizza, pasts, and other Italian-inspired dishes. After closing ElRo last year, the chef says that working for Bunkhouse Hotels, the Austin-based company that operates the Daphne, had a lot of appeal.

“My wife and I always made it a point to stop at their places whenever we’re in Austin. They know how to make cool stuff,” Gallivan says.

Hypsi’s menu includes updated takes on Italian fare begins with starters such as lamb meatballs, black truffle arancini, and Caesar salad. A selection of house-made pastas include squid ink radiatori with rock shrimp, butternut squash tortellini, and lumache with vodka sauce that gets a little heat from nduja. Entree choices include a roast chicken, pork Milanese, and roasted snapper with salsa verde.

The restaurant is also open for breakfast during the week and brunch on the weekends with items such as a panatone waffle, frittata, and breakfast sandwich. Lunch will follow in January.

“We took inspiration from tradition without being traditional,” Gallivan says. Later, he adds, “For me, it’s about balance. You try to please everybody. I want my mom to enjoy herself as much as a 25-year-old foodie. It’s important to hit as many marks as you can.”

One of the restaurant’s signatures will be the mozzarella cart that rolls through its dining room. Gallivan says he’s sourcing a mix of both American and imported Italian cheeses that will rotate every week or two. The cheese is served with a range of pickled fruit and vegetables, olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, focaccia, and more. Of course, seeing a cart immediately grabs diners’ attention, making them want whatever is on offer.

“That’s the beauty of carts,” Gallivan says. “It’s a fun thing to do. I think sometimes we get a little too serious in restaurants. It’s supposed to be fun. People are here to enjoy themselves.”

All that eating and drinking takes place in a dining room that’s inspired by Prohibition-era speakeasies, according to press materials. Details include blueberry lava stone on the bar, vintage velvet chairs, and custom Carimate dining chairs by Vico Magistretti. An outdoor patio features brick pavers, mosaic tables, and sculptures.

Photo by Julie Soefer

Hypsi serves pasta and other Itaian-inspired dishes.

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