World Cocktail Day marks the publication date of the first definition of a cocktail on 13 May in 1806. This year, the annual celebration falls on a Friday, so prepare for a night of masterful mixology at these top venues.
Galaxy Bar
The FACT award-winning ‘best bar’ in Dubai will be business as usual on World Cocktail Day. Step through the velvet curtain and drink under the stars on a series of beverages inspired by the constellations. Highlight serves include the Titan of the Sun (Mountain Tea Bitters and Torres Moscato soda), Mysteries of the Universe (roasted pineapple juice, lemon juice, Sichuan Agave Syrup and Angostura Bitters), and Centaurus Angostura bitters and Melba toast).
GO: Visit www.galaxy-bar.com or call 050 513 5908 for reservations and more information.
Gilt
Housed within the Burj Al Arab and founded by mixologist Thibault Mequignon, Gilt is home to a dynamic and innovative beverage menu with a strong focus on flavours and fresh ingredients. Akin to a chef’s signature dish, each cocktail is an ode to a place that Mequignon has visited or a flavour combination that he loves. The signature Oseille cocktail (which took several years to perfect) features flavours like sorrel, dehydrated yoghurt, and green cardamom for a fresh and sour taste. Look no further if you’re looking for a sophisticated venue to celebrate World Cocktail Day.
GO: Visit www.jumeirah.com or call 04 432 3232 for reservations or more information.
Hutong Dubai
Celebrate World Cocktail Day at Hutong with Beijing Hours and enjoy the restaurant’s bar menu. Guests can select from Hutong’s premium cocktails such as the enticing aurora, rose blossom lychee martini and the Hutong negroni. In addition, diners can choose bar bites such as the Hutong prawn roll, vegetable spring roll, and fiery Sichuan crispy broad bean to complete this offer. Available daily from 7pm to 11pm. AED 135 per person (inclusive of two beverages and one bar bite).
GO: Visit www.hutong-dubai.com for reservations and more information.
LPM Restaurant & Bar Dubai
FACT award-winning LPM Restaurant & Bar Dubai invites guests to an extended World Cocktail Day celebration. The French-Mediterranean restaurant will put the spotlight on three new exclusive drinks. Choose from the Tomate (an interpretation of the beloved LPM Tomatini), the Betterave (with notes of pickled beetroot and onion) or the Câpre (LPM’s twist on a Dry Martini) while enjoying summer nights on the quaint terrace. All three beverages can be served on the rocks or straight up, either regular sized martinis for AED 58 or mini martinis for AED 35. Available daily until Sunday 15 May.
GO: Visit https://lpmrestaurants.com/dubai or call 04 439 0505 for reservations and more information.
Off The Wall
Off the Wall is an urban cocktail bar at Hotel Indigo Dubai Downtown that pays homage to the bright lights and bustling streets of Dubai’s Satwa neighbourhood. The creative energy flows not only in the street art on the walls but also in the bar and cocktail menu. The team of mixologists push their creative boundaries for modern bartending and are ready to serve up imaginative beverages full of unusual flavour combinations and multi-sensory presentations. All signature cocktails are inspired by prominent art pieces from around the world, and the beverage menu revolves around creativity and artistic values with a storytelling element. It’s the ideal spot to indulge on World Cocktail Day.
GO: Visit www.hotelindigodubai.com for reservations and more information.
ROKA Dubai
Celebrate World Cocktail Day at the FACT award-winning Japanese robatayaki restaurant inside The Opus by Zaha Hadid. Here, cocktail lovers can indulge in refreshing blends, including the Japanese Slipper (light and dry orange bitter), Lucien Gaudin (with a hint of lemon), Morning Glory Fizz (blush-pink), Perfect Lady, East 8 Hold Up and the 20th Century. For a unique experience, those dining at ROKA can pair the special selection of drinks with some of the restaurant’s signature dishes. Available from Thursday 12 to Saturday 14 May, prices from AED 70 per cocktail.
GO: Visit www.rokarestaurant.com for reservations and more information.
& if you’re in Riyadh…
Hotel Cartagena Riyadh
Enter into the fun and exuberant urban jungle environment of Hotel Cartagena on World Cocktail Day. Expect oversized birdcages and towering tropical plants in addition to a special beverage curated just for the occasion. The Flor de Jalisco (the flower of the Mexican state of Jalisco) mocktail is a colourful fusion of sweet and spicy. The beverage combines mango purée, orange, lime and just a touch of Tabasco sauce to create a refreshing and sweet blend with a little heat.
GO: Call +966 9200 33801 for reservations and more information.
LPM Riyadh
Renowned for its ingredient-led French Mediterranean and Niçoise inspired cuisine, LPM Riyadh will showcase Frescoes from its inspired mixology menu on World Cocktail Day. The artistic new mocktail offers an alcohol-free drinking experience that combines light bursts of peach, almond, and clementine with the complexity of juniper syrup for an irresistible touch of umami. The new mocktail forms part of Global Bar Manager Tibor Kracsenics’ “Recipes for our Friends” beverage menu, inspired by French artist Jean Cocteau. Other highlights include the Menthe À L’Eau Fizz – Strawberry (an elevated take on the classic Mojito, served over three artisan ice balls), the Tomati-NO mocktail (a non-alcoholic rendition of LPM’s global signature drink Tomatini) and Menthe À L’Eau Fizz (a beguiling concoction of mint and passionfruit).
GO: Visit http://www.lpmrestaurants.com/riyadh for reservations and more information.
Meraki Riyadh
On World Cocktail Day, Meraki Riyadh will showcase their non-alcoholic version of classic and modern classic cocktails such as the Pina Colada Clover Club and Old Fashioned. The innovative mocktails are concocted using Lyres and Bôtan products to recreate some of the brand’s signature beverages for the Saudi Market. The Meraki Riyadh cocktail menu is also 100% sustainable, using the by-products from homemade syrups, shrubs and compotes for the garnishes.
GO: Visit https://meraki-restaurant.com/riyadh or email receptionriyadh@meraki-restaurant.com for reservations or more information.
