It feels like this summer might as well be nicknamed "sangria season," given how the wine cocktail is popping up on menus all over town.
Fruity, refreshing, and still able to get the job done, sangria is the stealth cocktail, a drink that brings with it a booze-soaked fruit snack to be enjoyed once the glass has been drained.
These fives places might not be what you immediately think of when you want a glass of sangria, but give them a chance this summer, and you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Cedar Grove
The old Dish Cedar Springs location has been reimagined as an indoor forest, and mixologist Trevor Landry's cocktails play on that theme. There are also plenty of sharable drinks for the gang, like a pitcher of Grove sangria, which serves four to six people. Three Olives flavored vodka, seasonal wine, club soda, and Sprite makes for a refreshing stop when you're cruising Cedar Springs.
Mi Cocina
Isn't it sacrilege to go to MiCo and not get a Mambo Taxi? Hear us out. The Mexican restaurant does a tequila twist on sangria, with Milagro Silver tequila, red wine, agave nectar, and a blend of fruit juices. But the coolest part just might be the custom-designed glassware the drinks are served in, created by painter Luis Sottil, whose works are on display inside the restaurants.
Gordon Biersch
The food menu at this brewery can be a little overwhelming, but if you stick to the small plates and pair them with a cocktail, then it's easier to focus in on the flavors. Made with sweet red wine, the sangria here is a great alternative to a heavy beer.
Spin Neapolitan Pizza
A selection of summery sangrias fill out the seasonal menu at this pizza joint, including "summerberry," pineapple peach basil, watermelon mint, and blood orange. Each is served with a frozen fruitsicle, and there are the regular red and white varieties as well.
Dallas Grilled Cheese Co.
Though mainly known for its craft beer selection, this Bishop Arts paean to cheesy goodness also has a thing for sangria. There are three different kinds, in fact: white, red, and sweet tea. The first mixes white wine, brandy, triple sec, peach schnapps, St. Germain, orange juice, a splash of lime juice, a splash of Sprite, and fresh fruit. The red has a strawberry theme, with Skyy strawberry vodka, simple syrup, sweet red wine, and fresh-sliced strawberry. And because this is the South, there's also a mixture of sweet tea, white wine, and a "drunken berry garnish."
There's nothing like a nice glass of sangria on a warm summer night.
