The traditional hot toddy recipe of hot water, distilled spirits, sugar and spices was built to fortify against the cold. Here are some comforting tipples around town, for when you want your bartender to put the shaker down and the kettle on.
Credit: Courtesy of Palo Santo
Credit: Courtesy of Palo Santo
Happy Ending at Dead End Drinks
Dead End Drinks always has a hot spirit to go. Lately, Andy Minchow and his bar team have been serving the Happy Ending, with fresh apple juice, amber-hued pommeau de Normandie (made with Calvados), Laird’s applejack brandy, cinnamon and lemon. It’s like a steamy sidecar.
130 Arizona Ave. NE, Atlanta. 678-974-8380, rationanddram.com
Credit: Courtesy of Palo Santo
Credit: Courtesy of Palo Santo
Ponche de frutas at Palo Santo
Palo Santo’s ponche de frutas makes an impeccable match for both cold weather and chef Santiago Gomez’s Mexican cuisine. The warm punch, with a base of reposado tequila and orange liqueur, also features seasonal fruits and spices: yellow apple, guava, tamarind, tejocote (Mexican hawthorn), allspice, cinnamon and clove. It’s served in a handcrafted Mexican ceramic mug that is garnished with a wedge of fresh apple and a sugarcane stick.
955 W. Marietta St., Atlanta. 678-492-9211, botanicohospitality.com
Credit: Courtesy of Palo Santo
Credit: Courtesy of Palo Santo
Apple hot toddy at Poor Hendrix
Cinnamon honey syrup and a touch of apple cider add to a traditional toddy recipe made with bourbon at Poor Hendrix. The restaurant offers the hot toddy after the holiday glühwein season is over. “It warms from the inside out on a cold winter day,” owner Jamie Russell said.
2371 Hosea L. Williams Drive SE, Atlanta. 404-549-8756, poorhendrix.com
Credit: Courtesy of Palo Santo
Credit: Courtesy of Palo Santo
Red Hot toddy at Atlanta Hard Cider
This Marietta spot’s Red Hot toddy is a little spicy and a little sweet, with the warming combination of its flagship crisp apple cider; cinnamon-infused, house-made, aged apple brandy; and cranberry juice. It’s topped off with a cinnamon stick and a wheel of lemon.
1010 Roswell St. NE, Marietta. 470-412-0501, atlantahardcider.com
Credit: Courtesy of Palo Santo
Credit: Courtesy of Palo Santo
Tamarind hot buttered rum at El Tesoro
Edgewood’s El Tesoro has 7,000 square feet of sprawling patio, replete with fire pits. There are lots of warming options available for a cool day, including the tamarind hot buttered rum made with Oaxacan rum, spices and the rich sweetness of tamarind liqueur. It’s silky, dense and a pat of butter brings it to its full, velvety potential. It’s topped off with a healthy serving of whipped cream.
1374 Arkwright Place SE, Atlanta. 470-440-5502, eltesoroatl.com
Credit: Courtesy of Palo Santo
Credit: Courtesy of Palo Santo
Golden toddy at So So Fed
General Manager Joshua Fryer crafts cocktails that pair expertly with the Laotian spices served at pop-up So So Fed. The menu always includes a warm option that is as soulful as the food, sometimes with chile pepper and sometimes with the spice of ginger. His new golden toddy mixes gold rum, turmeric, black pepper, sour orange and the sweet warmth of chrysanthemum tea. You can find it at their residency Sundays and Mondays at East Atlanta’s OK Yaki.
714 Moreland Ave. SE, Atlanta. sosofed.com
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