New places to get beer, cocktails and other cold drinks in metro Atlanta

The Bee's Knees cocktail from Willow Bar. (Courtesy of Andrew Thomas Lee)

Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee

Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee

The Bee's Knees cocktail from Willow Bar. (Courtesy of Andrew Thomas Lee)

Atlanta’s in that sweet spot of spring, right before it gets too hot to sit outside but when it’s warm enough to always keep a cold drink close by. Here are some new metro Atlanta places to sip on cocktails, beer and other cold drinks when the heat is on.

Candler Rail Brewing. Enjoy a view of the MARTA and CSX trains that run adjacent to the Candler Rail property while sipping on one of the brewery’s eight beers, including the West Coast IPA Candler Rail Ale or the Lil Cinco Mexican lager. A food menu offers a variety of starters and tacos.

1660 DeKalb Ave., Atlanta. 404-464-5035, candlerrailbrewery.com/

The Lady Empress from the cocktail list at the Continent Atlanta. (Courtesy of Continent Atlanta)

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Continent Atlanta. Cocktail offerings at chef Scotley Innis’ new restaurant and lounge include modern takes on classic drinks like the Call Me Old-Fashioned and Sunsets Over Chamblee. The beverage program, which uses hand-chopped ice and fresh juices in its cocktails, also offers a variety of wines and beers.

4300 Buford Highway, Atlanta. 404-228-2027, thecontinentatlanta.com/

Cultivation Brewery. Try Cultivation’s seasonal brews like its salty and tart Watermelon Gose or one of its mainstays, like the Brown Jug, a vanilla lager with toasted chocolate malts, while nibbling on bites from a rotating roster of food trucks parked in the brewery’s lot.

650 Langford Drive, Norcross. cultivation-brew-co.myshopify.com/

Eleven TLC. Cool down and kick pandemic stress to the curb with the iced versions of this Ponce City Market stall’s lattes, matcha drinks, EA (effervescent adaptogenic sparking) teas and tea-tails. Ingredients include maca, turmeric, collagen, lion’s mane, cordyceps, ashwagandha and reishi, all designed to help detoxify and energize.

675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. eleventlc.com/

Fat Tuesday. Let the good times roll well past Mardi Gras at this spot that serves a variety of frozen daiquiris. Mix and match flavors including 190 Octane, Hurricane, pina colada, strawberry and Jungle Juice, and roam around The Battery while sipping your drink from a souvenir cup.

800 Battery Ave., Atlanta. 770-672-0049, fattuesday.com/

Hippin Hops Brewery Liar Liar Oyster Stout. (Mia Yakel for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Mia Yakel

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Credit: Mia Yakel

Hippin Hops. What’s being billed as Georgia’s first Black-owned brick-and-mortar brewery offers a variety of beers on tap, including its Baby Mama Drama IPA, a hazy tropical IPA and a sour beer called Sourdeville. Use the brews to wash down Hippin Hops’ roster of oysters and Lousiana-inspired dishes including alligator po’boys and Cajun shrimp deviled eggs.

1308 Glenwood Ave. SE, Atlanta. 678-713-2739, hippinhopsbrewery.com

My Fair Sweets. Kandace Marie opened an Avondale Estates outpost of her dessert shop earlier this year, with plans to open a larger location in downtown Atlanta this summer. Treat yourself to an over-the-top milkshake, like the Brownie topped with sprinkles, whipped cream and brownie chunks, or the Milk and Cookies, crowned with whole mini chocolate chip cookies.

110 N. Avondale Road, Avondale Estates. 678-974-8169, myfairsweets.com/

Round Trip Brewing Co. Check out Round Trip’s selection of German-style lagers, including takes on Alt, Dunkel, Helles, Pilsner, Rye Alt, and Smoked Doppelbock, plus a West Coast IPA, on the brewery’s large patio. Or get beer to go in 32-ounce crowler cans or six-packs.

1279 Seaboard Industrial Blvd., Atlanta. 404-963-1252, roundtripbrewing.com/

Slush. Cool down with one of Slush’s frozen cocktails like the Classic Man made with cognac, passionfruit, lime juice, orange liqueur and agave, or the Social Butterfly made with gin, watermelon, lime juice, simple syrup and coconut water. The bar also offers small bites and several craft cocktails, including the ATL Mule, a take on the Moscow Mule made with vodka produced at Old Fourth Distillery down the street.

327 Edgewood Ave. SE, Atlanta. 404-707-4190, slushatl.com/

St. Julep and Willow Bar. Along with the midcentury supper club the Betty, St. Julep and Willow Bar opened inside the Kimpton Sylvan Hotel earlier this year and offer individual cocktail lists developed by Kimpton Sylvan Hotel beverage manager Trey Ledbetter. Willow Bar options include a Cypress Gin and Tonic and the Sycamore, made with Herradura tequila, Canton ginger liqueur and lemon, while St. Julep’s cocktail offerings include the Hey Ya with house-blended rum, orgeat, lime and triple sec and the 13th Floor with Old Forester Bourbon, orange cream citrate, orange juice and tiki bitters.

374 E. Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta. thesylvanhotel.com/atlanta-restaurant/st-julep and thesylvanhotel.com/atlanta-restaurant/willow-bar

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