Each year, we — the trusty conservators of Weekly Dish — take on the arduous task of trying all the holiday cocktails local restaurants have to offer. Although we can never get to all of them, we do try our best. After all, what are the holidays without a little cheer?
Here are the picks for 2025.
Keipi’s holiday cocktail
Hampton Station Georgian restaurant Keipi has a handcrafted a holiday spin on its Mocha Mama cocktail.
The restaurant draws on its surroundings by utilizing a shot of espresso from neighboring Due South Coffee, adding Knob Creek rye whiskey, Mozart dark chocolate liqueur and Irish cream. It sweetens the coffee with a touch of simple syrup then brings it all back home with a little peppermint schnapps for a triumphant holiday concoction.
Photo by Tiare Solis.Elf’d Up pop-up trio
Elf’d Up, a holiday pop-up at Up on the Roof in downtown Greenville, was the first of the watering holes we stopped into and it really set the tone: Over the speakers, you could hear the “Bad Santa” soundtrack playing as if it were encouraging visitors to order the namesake shot — a velvety concoction with hints of strawberry.
The shot pairs well with two holiday cocktails. The tall girl in the wine glass is All the Jingle Ladies, an effervescent blend of orange wine, Cointreau and byrhh grand quinquina. The little drink is the Son of a Nutcracker, a gin-based cocktail (made with The Botanist gin) with zesty accents of elderflower to keep things merry and bright.
Front and center: the Son of a Nutcracker. To the left: A Bad Santa shot. In the back: All the Jingle Ladies.Patterson Kitchen’s Dubai Chocolate Punch
After trying last year’s ponche crema, we knew it would be a sin not to include a cocktail by Patterson Kitchen + Bar’s Jhonny Hernández. As expected, he did not disappoint.
The Dubai Chocolate Punch riffs off the viral chocolate bar, lending a seasonal shade of green.
Hernández begins with Contrary Cow chocolate bourbon, Frangelico hazelnut liqueur and doubles down with house-made pistachio creme. He pours it into a glass lined by chocolate walls and finishes with a macaron. The result is toasty aroma and creamy texture that is very much worth the drive to the Hartness development east of Greenville.
Spirit & Bower’s Fallen Pinecone
The Grand Bohemian Greenville downstairs bar Spirit & Bower presents the Fallen Pinecone, a boozy cocktail with Russels Reserve bourbon with chai syrup and orange bitters to spice it up. The hotel bar has obtained small, edible pine cones with a curiously chewy texture and sweet but herbaceous flavor profile. The garnish tastes exactly how Christmas trees smell.
Those who don’t love bourbon can substitute an aged tequila such as Cristalino.
Tavola’s Italia-nog
BridgeWay Station’s Tavola brings a much-needed piquant element to the list with its play on eggnog. The creamy cocktail has notes of vanilla and cinnamon, with undertones of allspice and cloves from See the Elephant amaro against robust Dewar’s scotch.
The Jones Oyster Co.’s North Pole Sour
The Jones Oyster Co. in downtown Greenville threw its hat in the ring with an Elijah Craig North Pole Sour. This zingy drink is for those who want a little Christmas cheer but know what they like. It’s dependable and delicious, and pairs beautifully with the oyster bar’s Yukon Cornelious golden bisque.
Juniper’s Spice Up Your Life (nonalcoholic)
Every list needs a zero-proof addition, and this ours. Juniper’s Spice Up Your Life is a fizzy mocktail with notes of pomegranate, orange and honey, finished with nonalcoholic sparkling wine. Just because it’s alcohol free doesn’t mean it won’t still give you a boost when you’re flying high on the AC Hotel Greenville rooftop.
Spice Up Your Life is a nonalcoholic cocktail available at Juniper. Photo by AC Hotels.Automatic Taco’s Hot Toddy
Automatic Taco in The Commons is serving the only hot cocktail on this list, presenting a spin on the classic hot toddy nightcap. The taqueria prepares its cocktail with Don Julio Añejo tequila mellowed out by honey and lemon. It is then infused with the coziest of spices — cinnamon — to warm the belly a little more when it’s extra cold outside.
Automatic Taco’s Hot Toddy. Photo by Automatic Taco.The Mill at Fountain Inn’s Merry Martini
Last but not least is the Merry Martini served by The Mill at Fountain Inn. This is the only cocktail on the list using vodka as its base. It’s a simple but effective cocktail spritzed with cranberry and lime. Thank goodness someone added a touch of cranberry — a quintessential holiday taste.
The Merry Martini. Photo by Perfect Pitch PR.
