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Hot apple shrub from Saint John
Randy Schmidt/Saint John

Where to Find Hot Cocktails in New Orleans This Holiday Season

Warm up this winter with toasty, boozy cocktails

by Clair Lorell
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Hot apple shrub from Saint John
| Randy Schmidt/Saint John
by Clair Lorell

The holidays are upon us, and while it may be balmy in New Orleans as December begins, the nights are getting colder as the days are getting shorter. As much as New Orleanians love their frozen eggnog daiquiris this time of year, hot cocktails are another wintertime tradition, from the elaborate Café Brulot at Arnaud’s to a simple hot Irish coffee at Erin Rose. This year, a few newcomers are getting in the game as well, serving everything from traditional toddies to boozy, brown butter-based beauties.

Below, Eater tracks where to indulge in hot cocktails this winter, the perfect treat for warming up on cold nights or getting in the holiday spirit. If you know of a NOLA bar or restaurant serving a seasonal hot cocktail, let us know; this guide will continue to be updated.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; the latest data about the delta variant indicates that it may pose a low-to-moderate risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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Bourrée

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There are two hot cocktails going on this month at Nathanial Zimet’s wings and daiquiri destination, Bourrée: mulled wine is available throughout December, while a special cocktail, the Bonfire for Papa Noël will be available Dec 9 to 12 in honor of the celebration of the River Parish Papa Noel and the Festival of Bonfires.

1510 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 510-4040
(504) 510-4040
Bourrée’s Bonfire for Papa Noël
Bourrée

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Blue Oak BBQ

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Blue Oak’s sprawling Esplanade Avenue digs are a destination almost as much for the cocktail creations as for barbecue — almost. This season, the bar at Blue Oak is serving a house hot cocoa with spiced rum, butterscotch schnapps, and whipped cream.

900 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 822-2583
(504) 822-2583

Also featured in:

Gris-Gris

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Count on Gris-Gris for seasonal cocktails — in addition to the LGD stunner’s frozen eggnog daiquiri, the Zombie Nog, it’s also offering the He, La-Bas!, a spiced hot cocktail with dark rum, Drambuie, orange essence, cinnamon stick, star anise, and other spices. Better try them both.

1800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 272-0241
(504) 272-0241
He, La-Bas!
Gris-Gris

Also featured in:

Barrel Proof

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For the third year running, enduringly popular Christmas pop-up bar Miracle has taken up residency at LGD bourbon dive Barrel Proof, transforming it into a holiday oasis. Among the twelve specialty drinks on the 2021 cocktail menu is the Bad Santa, a hot and spiced concoction made with aged Jamaican rum, Velvet Falernum, mixed spiced Butter, and oat milk. Part of the fun is the festive glassware; so try ‘em all.

1201 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Bad Santa
Melissa Hom/Miracle

Also featured in:

Jewel of the South

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It’s no surprise that seasonal drink-seekers can count on Jewel of the South, one of the best cocktail bars to debut in New Orleans in recent memory, for a tummy-warmer or two this winter. Expect a version of hot buttered rum as well as a Tom and Jerry, an old-school Christmastime cocktail, similar to eggnog and made with brandy and rum and served hot.

1026 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 265-8816
(504) 265-8816

Also featured in:

GW Fins

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The French Quarter’s top seafood destination is offering a number of seasonal cocktails this year, including the Some Like It Hot — the hot concoction mixes cognac, bitters, fresh lemon juice, and butter, topped with a sprinkle of Allspice.

808 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 581-3467
(504) 581-3467
Some Like it Hot from GW Fins
GW Fins

Also featured in:

Arnaud's

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A meal at Arnaud’s should end with the restaurant’s Café Brulot, a show in addition to a dessert drink. A mix of coffee, lemon and orange rinds, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and orange curaçao is flamed with brandy tableside, a special treat indeed.

813 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 523-5433
(504) 523-5433

Also featured in:

Mr. B's Bistro

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All-time French Quarter classic Mr. B’s Bistro is known for its Mr. B’s Coffee — served hot or cold (but especially delicious hot), it’s made with chicory coffee, Frangelico, and Nocello, and of course, topped with whipped cream.

201 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 523-2078
(504) 523-2078

Also featured in:

Erin Rose

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While most famous for its frozen Irish coffee, Erin Rose also whips up a number of hot holiday drinks when the time comes. The hot Irish coffee is unsurprisingly a winner, but other seasonal specials might include a peppermint hot cocoa with vanilla liqueur and Rumple Minze (peppermint schnapps) or a hot cider cocktail.

811 Conti St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 522-3573
(504) 522-3573

Also featured in:

Antoine's Restaurant

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While it’s just as much of a tradition at fellow French Quarter fine-dining institutions Arnaud’s and Galatoire’s, Antoine’s is actually the creator of the famed Café Brulot (it is the oldest restaurant in the city, after all). Dubbed the Café Brulot Diabolique, chicory coffee, Triple Sec, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and sugar are flamed tableside with brandy (for two). A must alongside the Baked Alaska.

713 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 581-4422
(504) 581-4422

Also featured in:

Beachbum Berry's Latitude 29

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It’s Sippin’ Santa time at Beachbum Berry’s, the essential French Quarter bar whose legendary founder, Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, is responsible for the Miracle bar spin-off that’s in its sixth year. Among the featured cocktails for 2021 (it ends December 31) is the Yule Log Grog: gin, falernum, cranberry syrup, ginger liqueur, and lime, served hot.

321 N Peters St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 609-3811
(504) 609-3811
Yule Log Grog
Randy Schmidt/Sippin’ Santa

Also featured in:

Saint John

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French Quarter newcomer Saint John, a contemporary Creole restaurant from Gris-Gris chef Eric Cook, has a gorgeous hot apple shrub — it utilizes Still Austin whiskey, brown sugar, and spices, and is dressed up with some seriously pretty garnishes.

1117 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 581-8120
(504) 581-8120
Hot apple shrub from Saint John
Randy Schmidt/Saint John

Also featured in:

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Bourrée

1510 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118

There are two hot cocktails going on this month at Nathanial Zimet’s wings and daiquiri destination, Bourrée: mulled wine is available throughout December, while a special cocktail, the Bonfire for Papa Noël will be available Dec 9 to 12 in honor of the celebration of the River Parish Papa Noel and the Festival of Bonfires.

1510 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 510-4040
(504) 510-4040
Bourrée’s Bonfire for Papa Noël
Bourrée

Blue Oak BBQ

900 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Blue Oak’s sprawling Esplanade Avenue digs are a destination almost as much for the cocktail creations as for barbecue — almost. This season, the bar at Blue Oak is serving a house hot cocoa with spiced rum, butterscotch schnapps, and whipped cream.

900 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 822-2583
(504) 822-2583

Gris-Gris

1800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Count on Gris-Gris for seasonal cocktails — in addition to the LGD stunner’s frozen eggnog daiquiri, the Zombie Nog, it’s also offering the He, La-Bas!, a spiced hot cocktail with dark rum, Drambuie, orange essence, cinnamon stick, star anise, and other spices. Better try them both.

1800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 272-0241
(504) 272-0241
He, La-Bas!
Gris-Gris

Barrel Proof

1201 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

For the third year running, enduringly popular Christmas pop-up bar Miracle has taken up residency at LGD bourbon dive Barrel Proof, transforming it into a holiday oasis. Among the twelve specialty drinks on the 2021 cocktail menu is the Bad Santa, a hot and spiced concoction made with aged Jamaican rum, Velvet Falernum, mixed spiced Butter, and oat milk. Part of the fun is the festive glassware; so try ‘em all.

1201 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Bad Santa
Melissa Hom/Miracle

Jewel of the South

1026 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70112

It’s no surprise that seasonal drink-seekers can count on Jewel of the South, one of the best cocktail bars to debut in New Orleans in recent memory, for a tummy-warmer or two this winter. Expect a version of hot buttered rum as well as a Tom and Jerry, an old-school Christmastime cocktail, similar to eggnog and made with brandy and rum and served hot.

1026 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 265-8816
(504) 265-8816

GW Fins

808 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112

The French Quarter’s top seafood destination is offering a number of seasonal cocktails this year, including the Some Like It Hot — the hot concoction mixes cognac, bitters, fresh lemon juice, and butter, topped with a sprinkle of Allspice.

808 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 581-3467
(504) 581-3467
Some Like it Hot from GW Fins
GW Fins

Arnaud's

813 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112

A meal at Arnaud’s should end with the restaurant’s Café Brulot, a show in addition to a dessert drink. A mix of coffee, lemon and orange rinds, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and orange curaçao is flamed with brandy tableside, a special treat indeed.

813 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 523-5433
(504) 523-5433

Mr. B's Bistro

201 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130

All-time French Quarter classic Mr. B’s Bistro is known for its Mr. B’s Coffee — served hot or cold (but especially delicious hot), it’s made with chicory coffee, Frangelico, and Nocello, and of course, topped with whipped cream.

201 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 523-2078
(504) 523-2078

Erin Rose

811 Conti St, New Orleans, LA 70112

While most famous for its frozen Irish coffee, Erin Rose also whips up a number of hot holiday drinks when the time comes. The hot Irish coffee is unsurprisingly a winner, but other seasonal specials might include a peppermint hot cocoa with vanilla liqueur and Rumple Minze (peppermint schnapps) or a hot cider cocktail.

811 Conti St, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 522-3573
(504) 522-3573

Antoine's Restaurant

713 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70130

While it’s just as much of a tradition at fellow French Quarter fine-dining institutions Arnaud’s and Galatoire’s, Antoine’s is actually the creator of the famed Café Brulot (it is the oldest restaurant in the city, after all). Dubbed the Café Brulot Diabolique, chicory coffee, Triple Sec, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and sugar are flamed tableside with brandy (for two). A must alongside the Baked Alaska.

713 St Louis St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 581-4422
(504) 581-4422

Beachbum Berry's Latitude 29

321 N Peters St, New Orleans, LA 70130

It’s Sippin’ Santa time at Beachbum Berry’s, the essential French Quarter bar whose legendary founder, Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, is responsible for the Miracle bar spin-off that’s in its sixth year. Among the featured cocktails for 2021 (it ends December 31) is the Yule Log Grog: gin, falernum, cranberry syrup, ginger liqueur, and lime, served hot.

321 N Peters St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 609-3811
(504) 609-3811
Yule Log Grog
Randy Schmidt/Sippin’ Santa

Saint John

1117 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

French Quarter newcomer Saint John, a contemporary Creole restaurant from Gris-Gris chef Eric Cook, has a gorgeous hot apple shrub — it utilizes Still Austin whiskey, brown sugar, and spices, and is dressed up with some seriously pretty garnishes.

1117 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116
(504) 581-8120
(504) 581-8120
Hot apple shrub from Saint John
Randy Schmidt/Saint John

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