Entertaining Company in Chicago makes a wintry hot toddy punch. The drink is made with ingredients such as fresh ginger, honey, crushed red pepper, orange pekoe tea, and whiskey.
In Austin, Texas, catering firm Royal Fig makes a summery nonalcoholic punch using fresh-pressed watermelon juice, pureed cucumber, agave, water, and mint.
A Perfect Event in Chicago works with Pure Kitchen Catering to create custom "smoking punches" for all seasons. One that's particularly suited to October bashes is the "Zombie Punch," made with ingredients that include three types of rum, grapefruit juice, cinnamon syrup, fresh lime juice, and Herbsaint liqueur.
Rebar, the bar at the ritzy Chicago hotel, serves a cold-weather punch dubbed "Winter Magic." The drink combines mulled red wine with cloves, oranges, cinnamon, and cherries marinated in cognac.
Incorporating traditional fall flavors, the nonalcoholic "Cranberry Cobbler" punch at hotel restaurant Highball & Harvest in Orlando combines muddled lemon and raspberry with cranberry juice and honey syrup; it's topped with soda. The drink was created by bartender Blake Herndon and can be made alcoholic with the addition of vodka.
The Orlando catering firm Puff 'n Stuff creates a nonalcoholic fusion of lemonade and fresh herbs that suits warm-weather gatherings.
Chicago firm Paramount Events' summery drink contains fresh strawberries and strawberry preserves, mezcal, grilled tangerine, and basil.
The firm also makes a springy punch with fennel-infused gin, rosemary syrup, and fresh rhubarb and pink grapefruit juices.
Tanta, a Peruvian restaurant in Chicago, serves its Pisco punch in a cup decked with a mermaid. The drink contains Pisco Portón, zucca, lime, cinnamon, and Cusqueña beer. National Pisco Sour day is celebrated in February to help bring summery vibes to the dead of winter, but the drink is served at Tanta year-round.
Chicago catering company Limelight makes a summery drink that puts a spin on the usually fruity sangria. The Vegetable Sangira Punch incorporates white wine, fresh herbs, heirloom tomatoes, watermelon radish, and cucumber.
New Chicago restaurant the Duck Inn has "Bath Tub Punch" on its event menu. Created by senior executive bar director Brandon Phillips, the punch is served in a tabletop bathtub with a large chunk of ice that typically holds a frozen rubber duck. The punch is suited to all seasons, but in the summer the venue hosts outdoor "backyard parties" that offer smoked ribs, sausages, and signature Duck Fat Dogs.
Chicago catering firm Blue Plate is serving the inventive Into the Woods cocktail this season. The drink combines Reposado tequila and lemon with unusual ingredients including pecan-spiced maple syrup, port reduction, and 2010 Vintage Caramel Dream Pur-Eh tea. The garnish is fresh thyme.
Chicago-area restaurant House 406 serves a Box Lunch cocktail inspired by the school days. Made with dark chocolate, Licor 43, Galliano Ristretto, Thai coffee, and cream, the drink is served in a glass vessel that recalls a paper milk carton. Guests sip it through a striped straw.
The restaurant also serves a bright cocktail called the New York Delhi. The potent drink contains gin, pineapple juice, curried nectar, and—perhaps its most exotic ingredient of all—barbecue mist.
Looking for a workday-friendly drink? Chicago restaurant Ruxbin serves house-made dry sodas in seasonal flavors such as Tamarind Apricot and Cranberry Ginger. Dry sodas are less sweet than more traditional sodas and are made with fresh ingredients and simple syrup.
The recently launched pilsner, which will be served at select Chicago-area restaurants including RPM Steak, has a unique brewing process during which Australian truffles are hand-shaved and incorporated into the mixture.
Dallas restaurant Oak has a whimsical drink called the State Fair. The cocktail, which combines pomegranate and lemon liqueurs with champagne, is topped with a stick of lime cotton candy that's made at the bar.
Toronto special events and catering firm Eatertainment adds an unusual—and visually appealing—garnish to its "Rolling Storm" martini. Made with Ramazzotti Black sambuca and Absolut Elyx vodka, the drink is topped with floating star anise.
There's also a unique garnish on the tropical-style "Toronto Sunset" cocktail. Containing grenadine, vodka, Malibu rum, and cranberry and pineapple juices, the festive drink is topped with a pineapple wheel and toasted coconut.
Highball & Harvest, the new restaurant at the Ritz Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, serves an inventive cocktail called the Last Wish. The drink—served with an ice sphere holding a frozen orange peel—contains whiskey, spiced cola syrup, Old Havana tobacco bitters, and orange essence.
In Chicago, Rockit Burger Bar serves an unusually meaty drink. Combining spiced whiskey with Strongbow cider, Moose Drool brown ale, and Vermont maple syrup, the drink is garnished with a slice of bacon.
Miami catering and event firm Barton G. serves ceviche cocktails. Inspired by the Latin dish, the cocktail blends raw seafood with citrus and a dash of spirits. Guests sip the drink, which is typically paired with seafood-based appetizers.
Barton G. also serves Pop Shots, which are one-bite jello shots in mojito and kamikaze flavors.
Chicago's Entertaining Company has served its champagne intermezzo as a second course on an all-beverage menu. The treat contains coconut sorbetto with a champagne splash and is served over berry compote and fresh coconut moon chips.
Though it looks like a standard flavored martini, the Lychee Luxury Drop from Chicago restaurant Sunda has a spicy twist: a touch of wasabi. The drink also contains Absolut vodka, St. Germain liqueur, lemon juice, and lychee syrup.
The St. Regis Aspen Resort serves ripe-for-the-season Marshmallow Cocktails. Flavors include candy apple with German apple liqueur; candy cane with peppermint schnapps; dipped strawberry with Godiva chocolate liqueur; and hot toddy with butterscotch schnapps and rum. The drinks are served in miniature martini glasses and presented in quartets.
