Love is in the air! Valentine’s Day is on Thursday, February 14, and while flowers and chocolates are a givens, it’s also a great time to impress your sweetie by stepping up your cocktail game. With that in mind, Us Weekly has rounded up an array of drink recipes from bars, restaurants and distilleries around the country that are bound to take your holiday celebration to the next level.
For example, the vibrant red raspberry and passion fruit martini from Zuma New York and Zuma Miami, where David and Victoria Beckham have been spotted, combines Zu Bison Grass Vodka – a spirit that is made from rye and then infused with a specific grass – with a variety of fresh fruits. The result is a lighter, sweeter take on a traditional martini.
If you’re on the hunt for something a bit more decadent, give the Adult Red Velvet Hot Chocolate from Deer Path Inn in Lake Forrest, Illinois, a shot. Billed as a mature take on the classic childhood drink, this cocktail, which is basically a delectable take on hot chocolate, features whipped cream flavored vodka, hazelnut liqueur, brandy and a whipped cream topping. As if you need another reason to try it this Valentine’s Day, the addition of red food coloring gives this drink a holiday-appropriate hue.
Conversely, if your looking for a cocktail that might do your heart some good, (or at least not clog those arteries) we’ve got you covered as well. The Beet cocktail from Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in the Bahamas is delicious and heart-healthy thanks to the combination of organic beet juice and an egg white.
For those celebrating Galentine’s Day come February 14, the Sparkling Gal cocktail recipe from Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co. in Texas is ideal to sip on while you gab with your BFFs. That’s because this effervescent drink combines fruity cranberry juice, blood orange and lemon juices with Prosecco while TX Whiskey gives it a unexpected kick.
For more Valentine’s (and Galentine’s) Day worthy cocktails from across the nation, scroll through the gallery below!