Special Drinks for that Special Someone: LA’s Best V-Day Cocktails

Whether you plan to spend Valentine’s Day with your significant other, impressing a Tinder date, or drowning your sorrows, cocktails are clearly an essential lubricant for Feb. 14. So grab a reservation at one of LA’s hottest spots for a Tuesday, and cocktail, you won’t forget. Valentine optional.

Barton G Los Angeles: A specialty drink from the Below Zero Nitro-Bar is sure to impress the most discriminating of valentines. The West Hollywood culinary playground features two dramatic cocktails that would be perfect for romance, the signature Sabrinatini – orange vodka and watermelon liqueur, adorned with a nitro-champagne popsicle and a chocolate monkey – and The Diamonds Are Forever – citrus vodka, Triple Sec and lemonade with a citrus vodka popsicle. (The perfect drink to pop the question?)

Kettle Black: Jordan Young’s Gin Cocktail take on a G & T features peppercorn cordial, Thai basil, cucumber and tonic. According to Italian lore, when a man gives a woman a sprig of basil, she will fall in love with him. Perhaps bring your crush to Kettle Black to see how that plays out!

Gin Cocktail, Kettle Black, (gin, peppercorn…) | Kim Mahair

BOA Steakhouse: Over on the Sunset Strip, Tara Shadzi has created the Floral Bloom, a flute of sparkling rosé topped with St. Germain foam made in-house. All the Single Ladies…

Floral Bloom | Courtesy of BOA Steakhouse

EP & LP: Lovebirds can flock to WeHo’s mod Asian eating & drinking house for the one-of-a-kind large format cocktail, The Bird is the Word. Served in a copper flamingo – How cool is that? – the drink pairs lemongrass-infused Absolut Elyx with Amaro Montenegro, pink guava puree, lemon and Thai basil.

The Bird is the Word | Courtesy of EP & LP

Crossroads:  Lead bartender Joanna Bronson says, “Couples can easily share this experience with Look My Way, starting at the baked soy salt rim; then their palate is instantly met with the smoke of the Mezcal and finished with a sweet dark rum aftertaste. Imbibers can play Dare with the blistered Shishito pepper garnish — you never know which one is salty goodness — or firewater.”

Le Petit Paris: From the City of Love by way of DTLA, treat your amour to L’Eau de Rose — Grouse scotch, rose, fresh lemon and Piment d’Espelette.

Le Petit Paris: Famous Grouse Scotch | Ryan Tanaka

Esters Wine Shop & Bar: Planning a quiet evening at home? Learn a few drink recipes from Aaron Ranf at the Feb.13 Cocktail Workshop in this cozy Santa Monica emporium.

Alas, should your love life have taken a turn for the worse, we have a couple of options for the heartbroken.

Sawyer: In Silverlake, Sawyer’s mixologist Jordan Young has created Up in Smoke. The blend of mezcal, Chareau, lemon verjus, and smoked spices seems like the perfect cocktail to drown your loneliness.

Up in Smoke | Courtesy of Sawyer

The Library @ The Redbury: To Tinder or Not to Tinder –That is the question! Check out The Library’s Swipe Left event with a special performance by Eli Teplin, DJ, and specialty cocktails. Bring in old love letters and pics from your ex for a complimentary glass of champagne – Do texts count?

Cleo Cocketail | Courtesy @ The Redbury

Bring your significant other or fly solo. Regardless, LA has plenty of cocktail options to toast (or lament) Valentine’s Day 2017.