When it’s too hot to do anything (including lounging on the beach), do cocktails. These alcoholic bevvies will cool you down after a couple of sips and remind you that summertime is a good time.
We’ve done the hard yards and sipped our way around Brisbane. The result? Eight refreshing cocktails to get your hands on this summer. From fancy gin creations to the classic numbers, here are just a few of the best summer cocktails in Brisbane. Get sipping.
Tetto
Everton Park
Spritzes are definitely the star of the show at Brisbane's new suburban rooftop bar, Tetto, and you’ll be channelling serious Mediterranean vibes under their striped umbrellas. Personally, we’re fans of the Tetto Spritz, a ‘grammable purple number with gin, lavender, violet liqueur, lemon, soda and prosecco.
Jungle Cat at ZA ZA TA
Fortitude Valley
ZA ZA TA has to be one of the summeriest looking venues in Brisbane, so it only makes sense that they have one of the summeriest cocktails too. Their new summer menu features exotic sips like the Jungle Cat, featuring tequila mixed with mezcal, Campari, clarified pineapple harissa, citric acid, agave, dehydrated pineapple and fresh mint. Don’t mind a savoury cocktail? We also recommend sampling the Shakshuka Sour, with paprika infused Aperol, cumin and tomato shrub with aquafaba.
The Terrace
South Brisbane
Let’s be real, unless you’re a hardcore spirits fan, a straight up martini can be a hard one to down. Not so if you’ve ordered the Perfect Martini at The Terrace atop Emporium Hotel. This summery number comes with Hendricks Gin, chardonnay and orange bitters served straight up with pickled onion and cucumber. Clean, herbaceous and smooth, it comes with a side of city views.
Saké
Brisbane CBD
Other than having adorably Japanese (and wanderlust-inducing names), the cocktails at Saké are designed to perfectly match the menu and are downright delicious. New for summer, the Murasinko Mirror combines Jinzu Gin, Kozaemon Yuzu Sake, cherry blossom syrup and Pink Citrus Tonic and is punctuated with juniper berries and served in a star anise, smoke-infused glass.
Wet Deck
Brisbane CBD
There’s nothing like sipping cocktails poolside to get you into the summer mood, especially if it’s at W Brisbane’s luxe Wet Deck. Their Chelsea Rose will have you drinking pink, with gin, rosé, yuzu and sour watermelon foam that looks as good as it tastes.
Yoko Dining
Brisbane CBD
Remember how much you loved slushies once upon a time? Well recapture that love, only with a boozy, sophisticated yuzu version at Yoko Dining, where their vibrant, Japanese slushies go down a treat on a hot summer’s day. The rest of their cocktail list is pretty great too, so you may as well just make a whole afternoon of it.
Phat Boy
Brisbane CBD
You know they whip up delicious modern Thai food, but did you know that Phat Boy also shake up creative cocktails? Just get a load of their Sawadde Muang Thai (that’s ‘hello Thailand’), which features gin, vodka, ginger syrup, Thai Iced tea, egg white, guava juice, star anise and cinnamon. Order up their tower of entrees and settle in for the night.
Red Hook
Brisbane CBD
Red Hook do more than just mighty fine burgers, trust us. If you’ve been itching to get on the hemp oil train, their latest creation might be just the thing, with London dry gin, hemp gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon, bubbles and hemp oil, best paired with infamous mac ‘n’ cheese balls.
Want to keep drinking? Just check out Brisbane’s best rooftop bars here.
Image credit: Larissa Drazic