The Happiest Hour To-Go

Takeout Menus Now Include Cocktails

It’s 5 p.m. and you log off for the night and make the commute from your kitchen table to the couch. But just because we’re not in the office anymore doesn’t mean we don’t need a post-work from home drink. Fortunately, restaurants everywhere have included bottles of wine and beer in their takeout menus and some are even offering discounts. But our favorites are the ones still offering their signature cocktails for our happiest hour. 

Bulla Gastrobar

On top of half-off all bottles of wine and $2 off bottled beer, Bulla Gastrobar (2500 Ponce) is selling pitchers of their red and white sangria for $25. Their red sangria kit contains a bottle of Argentinian Malbec and a to-go container of orange slices soaking in a mixture of brandy, triple sec and Sprite. Each kit makes five or six glasses of sangria – unless you’re giving yourself a very generous pour (and we can’t blame you). Combine everything in a pitcher and immediately be transported to that carefree time of grabbing drinks with friends. 

Tap 42

Tap 42 (301 Giralda) is offering five cocktails to go including their mule on tap, margarita and drafted old fashioned. Get an 8 oz. for $10 or 16 oz. for $20. We say go for the 16 oz. It’s not like you have to be up early to beat rush hour traffic. The cocktails come in a plastic bottle with all the garnishes and fix-ins in separate cups. The peachy lychee, made with Grey Goose vodka, peach, fresh lychee juice and lemon is a sweet and refreshing way to wind down. The gin ‘n’ chronic is made with Tanqueray Sevilla gin, handcrafted tonic syrup and CBD-infused butterfly pea tea, which could definitely lower our pandemic-induced anxiety. You have to purchase food in order to buy a cocktail. But we’ll gladly accept the excuse to indulge in Tap 42’s menu.

Fiola

Even high-end restaurants, like Fiola (1500 San Ignacio), are on board with the cocktails-in-a-container concept. Not only are they selling individual drinks like mojitos, martinis and Bloody Marys for $10 – $12, but also Bartender in a Bottle cocktail kits for between $40 and $48. The mojito kit entails club soda, fresh mint and a 20 oz. bottle of pre-mixed mojito made with Bacardi rum. Unlike standard Moscow Mules that are made with vodka, the Cazadores Mule kit uses tequila. Fiola also offers their Bartender in a Bottle for negronis and old fashioneds. 

Of course, we would rather be able to drink in these restaurants, but for now these cocktails to-go are a nice addition to our Zoom happy hours.