Dallas restaurants regularly roll out menus these days that follow the season, keeping things fresh by taking advantage of whatever's being harvested. But bars are getting in on the action, too, unfurling creative drink menus that make the most of seasonal ingredients and flavor trends.
Here are some refreshing drink menus to look forward to in Dallas this spring:
Knife Plano
Plano steakhouse has four new seasonal cocktails for spring including In Bloom, which contains both mezcal and tequila, along with pineapple juice and lime, served in an absinthe-rinsed glass. The Umit’s Mule is a spin on the classic mule featuring bourbon with aromatic bitters. Monk’s Sabbatical blends Diplo rum with trendy Green Chartreuse, Averna, and falernum, stirred. Finally, the fruity Fresa, which combines tequila blanco with citrus syrup, lime juice, and fresh strawberries. Cocktails are $14-$16.
Midnight Rambler
Award-winning cocktail bar at the Joule Dallas Hotel is doing two very distinctive themes. One theme is Pokemon-inspired drinks including Marky Mav with Bacardi Ocho rum, Cuban Style, and citrus mint prosecco foam. The Conspirator is a Caprese-style martini with tomato-basil-infused rum and Mozzarella Co. bocconcini — cheese in a drink, how wild is that. Matcha Chop has Illegal Caribbean Cask, mezcal, matcha, coconut milk punch, and blackberry foam. Their second "Rambler on Lock" theme features cocktails inspired by Dallas staples such as The 11, a riff on 7/11’s frozen Slurpee; and the Filthy 2.0, an ultra-dirty martini. Cocktails range from $14-17.
On Rotation
Brewery located near Dallas Love Field has brought back Turbulence, an IPA they first released in 2021. It's a hazy IPA full of Citra and Idaho 7 hops with grapefruit, tangerine, mango, apricot, and oranges. They have it on tap, $4.50 for eight-ounce or $8 for 14-ounce; and or via growler, $9 for a 32-ounce fill. They also have it in cans at the brewery, $22 for a four-pack.
Tupelo Honey
North Carolina-based Southern restaurant has launched a new beverage menu nationwide and that includes the two DFW locations in Las Colinas and Frisco. It's heavy on matcha and watermelon in drinks such as the Mindful Martini with Prairie Organic Gin and matcha; a nonalcoholic iced match latte; and the Watermelon Smile Margarita. Cereal Milk Martini is a rum-based cocktail topped with rainbow cereal marshmallows. There is also a Whiskey Flight with four old fashioneds served in a mimosa flight stand; and house-made lemonades in flavors like matcha, peach, and blueberry. Drinks are $11.50-$28, or $6.50 for the non-alcoholic matcha.
Virgin Hotels
Commons Club at the Virgin Hotels in the Design District has a new limited-time cocktail menu promoting the new Hulu sitcom Mid-Century Modern, which follows three friends as they spend their golden years in Palm Springs. Drink highlights include Boys Just Wanna Have Fun with Ketel One Vodka, cherry vanilla soda, and lemonade; She’s Throwing Shade, with Spring 44 Gin, St-Germain, Fever-Tree grapefruit soda, and lime; and Rainbow Rager with Bacardi 8, Aperol, pineapple, and cinnamon. Drinks are $16 each, but for those who want to indulge or share, a For The Queens Bowl for 3-4 is $45. Available through April 27.
Waterproof
Statler Dallas Hotel rooftop bar is going all tiki with three new tropical cocktails: Llama’s Choice with Tito’s Vodka, guava nectar, lemon, and coconut; Mai Tai with a pineapple rum blend, orgeat, triple sec, lime, and Fee Foam; and Rooftop-Rita with LALO Blanco Tequila, orange liqueur, agave, and lime. Drinks are $15-$16.
Cocktail notes
RTDs at the supermarket
The Texas legislature is considering a bill to allow "RTD" ready-to-drink cocktails in grocery and convenience stores. The bill, authored by Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-Fort Worth, would allow the sale of beer and wine products with up to 17 percent ABV. Texans can currently buy RTDs at liquor stores such as Total Wine, although those have a higher alcohol content than the lower-ABV malt liquor versions Hancock is suggesting for convenience stores. In the bill, Hancock claims the laws are "confusing for Texans." The bill is sufficiently innocuous and pointless that it has made it through the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee, and if passed, it would be effective September 1.
Bar takeover
Ginger’s, the speakeasy-style cocktail lounge in downtown Dallas' East Quarter that is operated by Sushi | Bar Hospitality, will host a special bar takeover for one night only featuring craft cocktail icon Christine Wiseman on Tuesday, April 23, from 6-10 pm. Formerly the Global Beverage Director for Bar Lab Hospitality, Wiseman spearheaded award-winning programs at Broken Shaker locations in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago, and is known for her creative, playful yet refined cocktails.
