
Duo of green asparagus soup with a pancetta-wrapped Parmesan crostini and white asparagus salad with pickled watermelon rind, crispy pig skin, and fried egg, by Wolfgang Puck Catering & Events in Los Angeles
Photo: Courtesy of Wolfgang Puck Catering & Events

Medjool dates stuffed with marcona almonds and blue cheese wrapped in bacon, by M.B.C. Michelle Bernstein Catering in Miami
Photo: Courtesy of M.B.C Michelle Bernstein Catering

Fried anchovies with sage, rock salt, and truffle aioli served in mini tomato-paste cans by Lindsey Shaw Catering in Toronto
Photo: Courtesy of Lindsey Shaw Catering

“TV dinner” featuring filet mignon topped with quail eggs, lobster mac and cheese, and Brussels sprouts with carrots, by Boutique Bites in Chicago
Photo: Cristina G. Photography

“Bee Break” spread, including honey-drizzled almond croissants; honey, orange, and chocolate chip muffins; and honey-drizzled fruit and yogurt parfaits, by Grande Lakes Orlando in Orlando
Photo: Courtesy of Grande Lakes Orlando

Smoked copper river salmon, beluga caviar and caramelized onion foam cones, by Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando
Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort

S’mores cheesecake, by Thomas Preti Events to Savor in New York
Photo: Courtesy of Thomas Preti Events

Mini pretzel bites served with whole grain mustard and shots of Hefeweizen, by Marcey Brownstein Catering & Events in New York
Photo: Courtesy of Marcey Brownstein Catering & Events

Pull-apart pork sticky buns with slow-cooked pork confit and brown sugar spice glaze rolled up in sweet dough, by PS 7 in Washington
Photo: Carrie Nosal

Party platter including a whole rotisserie chicken and side dishes like corn on the cob with Parmesan chili and chipotle sauce, and crushed baby potato tostones with truffle chimichurri, by Kokoriko Natural Rotisserie in Miami
Photo: Courtesy of Kokorioko Natural Rotisserie

The "Kuro Smash," served at Chicago's Union Sushi & Barbecue Bar, blends bourbon and cognac with lemon juice, simple syrup, blackberries, and tarragon seeped in Everclear.
Photo: Courtesy of Union Sushi & BBQ Bar

From Nantucket restaurant American Seasons, the "Bartender's Handshake" combines Italian liqueur Fernet Branca with house-made ginger simple syrup and a splash of lemon. According to general manager and beverage director Orla Murphy LaScola, swapping out the drink's traditional ginger beer for ginger syrup offers a warmer note.
Photo: Courtesy of American Seasons

Chicago's Sepia will feature the "Cocoa Old Fashioned" on its menu this fall. Created by head bartender Josh Pearson, the drink combines cocoa-nib-infused rye whiskey with sherry-vanilla bitters, muddled oranges, and brandied cherries.
Photo: Courtesy of Sepia

Another of Pearson's whiskey-based cocktails created for Sepia's fall menu is the "Boston Martha," made with magnolia-and-oolong-tea-infused Irish whiskey, yellow chartreuse, honey, lemon, egg white, and orange bitters.
Photo: June Suthigoseeya

According to Jeremiah Krickhahn, head bartender at Chicago's Red Door, his "La Turista" is a pisco-based cocktail that uses fruit-forward brandy. "This fall, reinventions of this 'new' spirit will do away with the overused Pisco Sour," says Krickhahn, who also used an Olroso sherry to add a creamy texture and subtle nuttiness to the pisco, bitters, and locally farmed mint and lemon balm. The drink is topped off with sparkling Muscadet culled from a small biodynamic grower in France.
Photo: Courtesy of Red Door

Sushi Samba Rio corporate beverage director Drew Peterson also says that pisco is trending for fall cocktails. The restaurant will be serving the "Chica Sour," which blends the ingredient with egg whites, cinnamon simple syrup, fresh lime juice, and other flavors.
Photo: Courtesy of SushiSamba Rio

Jordan Bushell, Hennessy's Toronto-based mixologist, created "The End Game" for fall. Using vinegar (a popular ingredient this season), Bushell also added Hennessy V.S., Zubrowka Bison Grass vodka, apple cider gastrique, Angostura bitters, and fresh-grated cinnamon.
Photo: Courtesy of Hennessy USA

Vikram Hegde, head bartender at Boston's Island Creek Oyster Bar, says that adding sherry to cocktails will be a fall trend. This drink, called "The Equinoccio," also contains tequila, spicy Czech bitters, house-made cinnamon syrup, Tiki bitters, and shaved nutmeg.
Photo: Courtesy of Island Creek Oyster Bar

At Back Deck in Boston, general manager Brian Corcoran developed a brisk-weather version of classic summer cocktail the Arnold Palmer. This version, called the "Ginger Arnold Palmer," adds craft-distilled Berkshire bourbon and spicy ginger liqueur to iced tea and fresh-squeezed lemonade.
Photo: Brian Samuels

At Chicago's Barrelhouse Flat, bartender Jeff Donahue has created a red-wine-based cocktail called the "Refined Hobo." The drink combines red wine with fall-appropriate cinnamon syrup; other ingredients include absinthe, blended scotch, maraschino, lemon juice, and egg white.
Photo: Darkroom Demons

At Jake Melnick's Corner Tap in Chicago, beverage director Chris Jecha is serving bottled cocktails. The "Mexico" has a tequila base and ingredients like coffee liqueur and a red vermouth called carpano antica.
Photo: Courtesy of Jake Melnick's Corner Tap

Other bottled cocktails from Jake Melnick's in Chicago include the "Diplomatic Immunity," made with Templeton Rye whiskey, smoked blood orange bitters, and the Italian vermouth punt e mas.
Photo: Courtesy of Jake Melnick's Corner Tap

Tim Williams, a Chicago-based mixologist who creates cocktails for venues including Old Town Social and Nellcote, is serving "The Company" this fall. The drink melds hand-blended Woodford Reserve bourbon with carpano antica, Sicilian liqueur Averna, house-made bitters and brandied cherries.
Photo: Courtesy of Old Town Social

Blue Plate Catering in Chicago will be serving Hennessy cocktails imbued with fresh lemon, lavender, and honey syrup.
Photo: Courtesy of Blue Plate Catering

Another fall cocktail from Blue Plate Catering is the exotic "Thai Firecracker." The drink combines gin and champagne with cucumber water, mango, and the Thai hot sauce sriracha.
Photo: Courtesy of Blue Plate Catering

Rob Macey, the bar director at Area Four in Cambridge, is also using sriracha in his fall drinks. "The Concubine" is made with the local Bully Boy vodka, fresh pineapple juice, mint, and the hot sauce.
Photo: Courtesy of Marlo Marketing & Communications

At Sola in Chicago, chef and restaurant owner Carol Wallack is serving up margaritas with an Asian-inspired twist. Called "Senora Geisha," the drink blends tequila with blood orange juice and house-made syrup infused with hibiscus, ginger, and serrano pepper.
Photo: Courtesy of Sola

Chicago-based mixologist Revae Schneider of Femme du Coupe is also making use of Templeton Rye whiskey and lavender this fall. Her "La Tenue" cocktail blends Templeton Rye with lavender bitters, blueberry-lavender syrup, lemon juice, vanilla-citrus liqueur Tuaca, and Angostura bitters.
Photo: AJ Kane

The Hilton Orlando's new cocktail menu includes three "Breakfast of Champions" cocktails, made with breakfast ingredients like Froot Loops and bacon. The particularly autumnal "Bacon Reserve" (pictured, far right) contains Woodford Reserve bourbon that has been sous vide with brown sugar, orange zest, and bacon. The drink is garnished with a piece of chocolate-covered bacon. The "Bottom of the Cereal Bowl," (pictured, far left) mixes different flavors of Bacardi rum with raspberry syrup and half-and-half, and comes topped with Froot Loops.
Photo: Courtesy of the Hilton Orlando

At Three Forks in Chicago, Clark Grant and Lance Gresak—the restaurant's executive chef and wine director, respectively—concocted the "Pocket Square." Also made with Templeton Rye whiskey, the cocktail also includes chai tea simple syrup, lemon juice, egg white, and Italian apertif Aperol.
Photo: Courtesy of III Forks

Benjamin Newbie, vice president of nightlife for Menin Hotels, created a fall cocktail called "Smoke" to serve at Chicago's Drumbar. The cocktail's ingredients include scotch, Lapsang tea, grapefruit juice, pistachio nut liqueur, and Fee Brothers black walnut bitters.
Photo: strongholdphoto.com

Also popular this fall: beer-based cocktails. At Prost in Chicago, general manager and trained mixologist Vince Baratta created the "Bierhund." The drink, which is a twist on the classic Greyhound, contains German Pilsner, grapefruit juice, house-made simple syrup infused with thyme and other spices, and Fee Brothers black walnut bitters.
Photo: Potluck Creative