These Cocktails Offer The Spirit Of Bourbon Street Just In Time For Mardi Gras

There’s nothing like being in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. From the huge crowds and lively celebrations to the incredible music and food, it’s quite a spectacle to behold.

But if travel isn’t in the cards this year, there’s bars and restaurants nationwide offering an array of cocktails that can easily help to capture the spirit of Bourbon Street.

King Cake Old Fashioned

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A beautiful cocktail from Couvant at The Eliza Jane in New Orleans, this Rhum Barbancourt-based drink is like King Cake in a glass. It contains Fireball, cinnamon syrup, lemon juice and Peychaud’s bitters, which are shaken together and served with a king cake sugar rim, orange, cherry and, of course, a king cake baby. “We’re celebrating Mardi Gras with our King Cake Old Fashioned. It’s prepared like a traditional Old Fashioned plus our in-house cinnamon syrup rimmed with king cake sugar. It tastes like a liquid king cake and is the perfect drink for the season,” said Lindsey Kloor, Director of Food & Beverage at The Eliza Jane.

Creole Sazerac

Found in Denver at Lady Jane, this is made with Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Rhum J.M. Gold Agricole, John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, bitters, celery bitters, absinthe and Louisiana hot sauce topped with an absinthe rinse. Then, just garnish with a lemon peel. “The Creole Sazerac is a riff I did on the classic New Orleans Sazerac but with a zesty Louisiana spin. Using hot sauce is tricky in cocktails, but when you find the right balance, it’s really fun!” said Stuart Weaver, general manager.

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King Cake Daiquiri

At Gris-Gris in New Orleans, this cocktail is made with King cake rum cream, praline liqueur, bayou rum and vanilla. It’s Mardi Gras season, so there’s no better time to have your King Cake…and drink it too!” said Eric Cook, Executive Chef and owner of Gris-Gris, “Our King Cake Daiquiri has been a hit for many years, so it’s something we’ll always create to celebrate the season. It’s the perfect Mardi Gras brunch boozy cocktail or even better to grab-and-go for a long day on the parade route.”

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The King Cake Daiquiri

In San Diego County at The Shore Room at The Seabird Resort, this beautiful, festive daiquiri includes light rum, lime juice and King Cake simple syrup. Says bartender Atreyu Hondo: “Mardi Gras translates to Fat Tuesday, indicating a period of feasting before fasting. The signature treat of that Carnival feast is, without a doubt, the King Cake. We incorporated the “o” shaped cake and topped it with an icing-like look with a green, gold and purple rim.”

Frozen Hurricane

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At The Rustic, the Frozen Hurricane is the perfect swirling storm of Bacardi, pineapple juice, orange juice and grenadine! “The Rustic is excited to bring this New Orleans fan-favorite hurricane-inspired cocktail to Texas this Mardi-Gras season!” said Daniel Menchanca, The Rustic Beverage Director.

Kings & Queens

Available in New Orleans at Toups’ Meatery, the contemporary Cajun restaurant has a special Mardi Gras libation with Cheramie Rum, Velvet Falernum, Liqueur de Cassis, Orgeat, lime and 2 dashes tobacco bitters. “This bright purple cocktail’s look is deceptive, but it actually packs a big punch. The cocktail name is a double entendre – the kings of Mardi Gras parades sure, but we also use Bitter Queens tobacco bitters which add a subtle flavor of smoked tea, clove and vanilla,” said Kenny Watson, Head Bartender.

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The Last Stag

Served at New Orleans-based Compere Lapin, James Beard Best Chef South Nina Compton’s restaurant, is The Last Stag. This cocktail features Hombres Mezcal from Bryan Cranston, Jägermeister, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur and fresh lemon. “The Last Stag is a balance of whimsy and purpose, much like Chef Nina’s cuisine. The smokiness of the mezcal and potency of Jägermeister, is offset by the Luxardo and lemon,” says Laura Estenson.

King Cake Martini

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Available in New Orleans at Bakery Bar, this is a cocktail made for a “King” with its mixture of Beignet vodka, cinnamon demerara syrup, cream and Grand Marnier poured into a green, purple & gold sugar rimmed glass and topped with a plastic baby for garnish. “It’s King Cake in a glass,” says GM/Bartender Vincent Heitz. “The Beignet vodka adds the cake-like flavor to the cocktail and of course, you have to have a plastic baby!”

King Cake Daiquiri

At Arnaud’s and the French 75 Bar in New Orleans, this riff on the classic daiquiri is made with King Cake Syrup from New Orleans-based Cocktail & Sons. “One of my favorite cocktails of all time is a classic daiquiri, ideally made with Plantation three star rum. It’s one of my favorite drinks to order after work. If I want to have a little more fun with it during carnival season in New Orleans I like to make it with Cocktail and Sons King Cake Syrup, the cinnamon and lemon add a nice touch. This one is a mix of a classic Daiquiri with another cocktail called a Royal Bermuda Yacht Club so we throw in a little bit of orange curaçao. It’s a fun way to celebrate Mardi Gras and make a unique daiquiri with a locally made product,” said Christoph Dornemann, Head Bartender, Arnaud’s and the French 75 Bar.

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Ma Cherie

At Buttermilk & Bourbon in Boston, this cocktail is made with Sipsmith London Dry Gin, Rives Spanish Gin, passionfruit, ginger, lime, cucumber. “This is my interpretation of one of my favorite cocktails that I had when visiting New Orleans with my wife a few years back. The passionfruit and ginger combination were so refreshing after walking around the Garden District in the hot sun,” said Chef/Owner Jason Santos from Buttermilk & Bourbon.

King Cake Ramos Gin Fizz

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At The Jones Assembly in Oklahoma City, this cocktail is made with gin, lemon, simple syrup, egg white, muddled blackberries, club soda, and rainbow sprinkles. “It’s a colorful twist on the New Orleans Classic from Henry C. Ramos in 1888. We follow the classic recipe but give it the regal hue of purple by muddling a few blackberries before building the drink. If that isn’t enough, we then add traditional Mardi Gras Colors of purple, green and gold on top of the drink with sanding sugar. And finally, we set the King’s Cake baby into the head as our final nod to Mardi Gras, wishing our guests luck and prosperity in the year ahead,” said Charles Friedrichs, principal bartender.

Caribbean Violet

At Punta Cana-based Lopesan at Costa Bávaro Resort & Spa, the Caribbean violet represents one of the three colors of Mardi Gras – purple, green and yellow. “A Caribbean take on the festival’s colors, the purple color is created by combining grenadine and blue curacao with vodka and lemon juice,” said Amilkar Amador, Bar Manager at Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort & Spa.

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Number One Customer

Available at The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club in Nashville, this cocktail is made with Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum, Lime Stock, Hibiscus, Underberg. “A reimagination of the frozen, bright red, 2-foot-long daiquiris that you find all along Bourbon street, this refreshing cocktail features rich barrel aged rum tempered with a bracing herbaceous bite from an alpine bitter and a dust of fragrant, dried hibiscus,” said head bartender, Laura Unterberg.

VooDoo Cold Brew

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At The Graystone Tavern in Chicago, this cocktail is made with Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, Dark Matter Cold Brew, heavy cream, and sprinkles. “After a night of Mardi Gras revelry, partygoers can use a little pick me up. The VooDoo Coldbrew is the perfect revival cocktail combining Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey, cold brew, whipped cream and colored sugar sprinkles to continue the festivities!” said Chelsea Swanson, Manager at the The Graystone Tavern.