Press Play Salem Tasting TeamAs the temperature drops, warm your winter with a hot cocktail. Ranging from the traditional, such as a Spanish Coffee, to the unique, Pumpkin Shrub, these adult beverages embody winter and the holidays. No matter the drink, each has its own twist. We took a tour of downtown Salem’s hot cocktail offerings and discovered some distinctive taste options that will warm you from the inside out. Here are the highlights of what we discovered.
Amadeus
135 Liberty St. NE
503-362-8830, amadeussalem.com
Whether going out for dinner or just drinks and dessert (you know Sweetsmith is just a few steps further into the restaurant), Amadeus has two featured hot cocktails: a hot toddy and hot buttered rum. The Amadeus Hot Toddy starts with EZ Orchards apple cider, but kicks it up a notch by using housemade apple-infused whiskey to give it that extra boost. It’s autumn in a cup, and just the kind of drink to take the chill off a crisp night, plus it’s served in a family heirloom goblet which just adds to the air of sophistication. The Hot Buttered Rum, on the other hand, is a desert-like treat. It’s snickerdoodle cookie dough in liquid form — buttery, warm and spicy. PS: Another standard hot cocktail on the menu is the Oregon Coffee made with Turkish coffee liqueur.
Archive Coffee & Bar
102 Liberty St. NE, Suite 120
archivecoffeeandbar.com
When we stopped by Archive, they were in the midst of finalizing their Winter menu, which will include a couple of hot cocktails. We heard rumblings of an amped Spanish coffee and the return of their signature hot buttered rum, so that’s something to look forward to…but until then, their current menu features Pharoah’s Folly, a tea cocktail made of brandy, Lord Bergamot tea, cacao, Fernet and creme de menthe. It’s a rift on a grasshopper. If that’s not your thing, a Revolver is always an option — that’s where you name your spirit and they do the rest (just be sure to tell them you want it heated).
Bari Restaurant
136 High St. SE
503-991-5386, barirestaurantandbar.com
The ambiance of Bari bellows for a beverage with bravado so it’s no wonder that when we asked for something hot, Spanish coffee was the recommendation, there is, after all, a certain amount of theatrics to its creation. The firey display isn’t just for visual stimulation though, it also helps caramelize the sugar rim and toast the cinnamon and it definitely leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy.
Basil & Board – Urban Pizzeria and Wine Café
500 Liberty St. SE, Suite. 150
503-447-3350, basilandboard.com
Basil & Board added their first hot cocktail to the menu in November. Their Hot Toddy is made with bourbon, apple brandy, cinnamon-infused brown sugar and black tea, and it is delicious.
Bentley’s Grill
291 Liberty St. SE
503-779-1660, bentleysgrill.com
Bentley’s is another locale with a vast stretching bar and Spanish coffee on top of the list of recommendations, and for just cause. It’s tasty. But if a fancy coffee drink after dinner isn’t your jam, they do offer an alternative, you just may blush a little when ordering it: Grandma in the Bath — warmed Grand Marnier, slightly sweet orange-flavored brandy.
Epilogue Kitchen
130 High St. SE
503-581-1880, facebook.com/EpilogueKitchen
When we spotted mulled wine on Epilogue’s Instagram, we knew we needed to try it. Made from a rotating wine offering (the one we tried was Illahe Viognier), combined with Armagnac (brandy), bay leaves, cinnamon, ginger, honey and cherry bark vanilla bitters, it’s winter in a mug: warm, spicy and seasonally satisfying.
Ritter’s Housemade Foods
102 Liberty St. NE, Suite 100
503-339-7928, ritterseatery.com
If you are looking for the after-dinner standards, Ritter’s has you covered. Both Spanish and Irish coffee are regular options on their menu, and they use homemade goods, such as their vanilla nutmeg whipped cream, wherever possible.
The Space Concert Club
1128 Edgewater St. NW
971-208-3995, spaceconcertclub.com
The Space makes a hot buttered rum, complete with whipped topping, that is warm ‘n sweet…and it’s vegan!
tableFIVE08
508 State St
503-581-5508, tablefive08.com
tableFIVE08 has a collection of after-dinner sips that fit the bill for hot cocktails, and while they make a grand traditional Irish coffee (it’s the right mix of demerara sugar, coffee and Irish whiskey topped with the perfect amount of whip cream), they just added Hot Buttered Bourbon to their seasonal menu and it left us almost speechless. Warm, sweet and delicious, it’s garnished with a marshmallow that’s toasted on the spot. Order it by name: Winter Day and Summer Nights.
Taproot Lounge & Cafe
356 State St
503-363-7668, taprootloungeandcafe.com
The Taproot Toddy packs a kick. It starts with Oregon Marionberry Whiskey combined with lemon, honey, fresh ginger and turmeric to create a winter warmer that’s spicy and hot. It’s the kind of drink that will heal what ails you.
Wild Pear
372 State St
503-378-7515, wildpearcatering.com
We were intrigued to see two items on the Wild Pear menu that offered hot options (so these drinks can be ordered hot or cold/alcoholic or kid-friendly). Their Spiced Apple Cider starts with EZ Orchards apple cider, but they can make it a toddy by adding Pendleton whiskey, fresh lemon juice and housemade honey-ginger simple syrup. Yum.
Their other option had us captivated. Housemade Pumpkin Shrub. Toddizied (yes, we are making up words. It’s creative license.) with the addition of Pendleton whiskey, fresh lemon juice and housemade honey-ginger simple syrup. To sum it up in one word, we’d say “zing” as the resulting concoction was sweet and sour, spicy and warm — a unique conclusion to a meal for sure.
W.Wallace
383 State St
503-400-6440
The seasonal specialties at W.Wallace include Hot Buttered Rum, made with Sailor Jerry’s rum, and Mexican Hot Chocolate. We sampled the latter, a chocolatey delight with a kick from both a little spice and a little tequila — a win/win all around. Note: Wallace was the only location we found to offer such a beverage. They also offer their version of a Spanish coffee called The Brick Wall.
This story originally ran in Press Play Salem issue 10 (Dec 2019/Jan 2020)
Tracy Torres
