Just up the street from the Oceanside Pier, Frankie’s offers the slow warmth of classic cocktails. At the front the wall opens toward the street and into a small patio with outdoor tables. Warm up with cocktails like the Kerouac Alley, a blend of bourbon, fig, cardamom, and sage.

At this Oceanside tasting room you’ll find Pacific Coast Spirits’ small batch, “grain-to-glass” liquors bended into classic, draft, and canned cocktails for dine in and take out. This month enjoy the Fall Back draft cocktail brewed with PCS Immature Brandy, fresh cranberry, pineapple juice, and cinnamon simple syrup.

The Plot’s front-of-house manager Marisa Johnson has created a new craft cocktail menu that celebrates all things botanical including the Neon Prayers with Lillet Blanc, basil, lemon, and sweet vermouth and the String of Hearts with lillet rose, cardamaro, handcrafted pink peppercorn syrup, aquafaba and lemon.

Chef Claudette Zepeda’s North County spot has plenty of cocktails to pair with world class food and views. Enjoy the weekend with a Sunday Namaste made with You & Yours Gin, basil, fennel, lemon, and grapefruit or take in the Encinitas breeze with a Sea Bluff made with Hendricks Lunar Gin, cucumber essence, nori, fino sherry, and cardamom bitters.

This winter Puesto introduced their first high-end margarita, That Good Good Cadillac made with Siete Leguas Añejo tequila, Grand Marnier and fresh lime. Or find seasonal flavors in the Passion Fruit Margarita with El Tesoro Blanco Tequila, passion fruit, ginger and lime designed by bar and spirits creative director Beau du Bois.

Enjoy cocktails with hints of anise and fennel at Wormwood, San Diego’s new absinthe bar. Start off with a Spritz Provence, a refreshing glass of Lo Gentian Amaro, Yellow Chartreuse, and prosecco with an absinthe rinse, rosemary, and olive or sip on the Le Frappe anchored by absinthe with anisette, elderflower, creme de menthe, lime, and a splash of soda.

Grab a seat on Madison on Park’s heated patio and keep warm with a Paru Tea Bar Hot Toddy made with Okinawa Sugar tea plus Suntory Japanese Whiskey, local honey, lemon, and star anise. New classics by lead bartender Danny Kuehner include the Heavy Metal Drummer which combines Laird’s Bonded apple brandy, St. George spiced pear brandy, lemon, Angostura, and a splash of port.

This open air restaurant is the perfect spot to take in a happy hour wrapped in glossy red walls and waterfalls. Co-owner and director of cocktails Moe Girton entices with concoctions like the Double Down with Highwest Double rye, chai syrup, Strongwater Amores bitters, and a scorched orange twist. Or keep the evening dry with a Mock Mule spiked with pear cardamom cordial, kefir ginger soda, and a shock of lime.

Cocina De Barrio delights with their colorful cocktails. Linger over the La Tia Chata, a tumbler of rumchata with lime and coconut popsicle topper or keep things light with a El Fresco de Granada made with mezcal, pomegranate juice, fresh lime juice, and mint.

With a Bib Gourmand and new full liquor license, Cesarina is celebrating with fresh new cocktails all evoking the warmth of an endless Italian night. Start off with an Maracaibo Spritz, a sparkling glass of vodka, Ramazzotti rosato, prosecco, jamaica, pineapple, and lemon and end the night with the Sara’ Perche’ Ti Amo, a cocktail centered on rye whiskey with Aperol, Amaro Montenegro, Strega, and strawberries.

A new jewel in Balboa Park, Artifact at the Mingei International Museum brings refined food, but more importantly creative cocktails to the heart of San Diego. Ease into lunch with a light Artifact House Tonic with bvgin, fig, lemongrass, cardamom, and seltzer or close out the afternoon with the Twenty-Eight Blossoms, a rich blend of bourbon, dark cherry, cocoa nib, and thyme shrub.

This remarkable new Little Italy bar has a 24-seat circular cocktail carousel bar that slowly spins at its center; it’s where curious guests sip on popular signature cocktails like the Fleur de France with vodka, grapefruit, and crème de violette, or the namesake Wolfie’s Connection with cognac, amaretto, raspberry, and a sprig of rosemary.

Kindred’s winter menu welcomes the long nights with cocktails like Midnight to Midnight with gin, curacao, cranberry, rosemary, and lemon with a splash of sparkling rose. At brunch find refreshing choices like the Wax Bloom with bourbon, rye, sherry, ginger, bitters, and plum jam.

This brand new restaurant is already impressing on both the food and beverage fronts, with a cocktail menu by David Tye that incorporates Asian ingredients like bitter melon and lychee into drinks that range from refreshing and straightforward to potent and complex.

Bowling, games, and cocktails have returned to the East Village. Celebrate hitting that 7-10 split with a Night in Jaisco made with Reposado tequila, orange syrup, fresh lime, allspice dram. Or keep things sober with a Strawberry Rhubarb Fizz sparkling with house-made strawberry syrup and Fee Brothers rhubarb bitters. 

The East Village’s You & Yours continues to impress with its house distilled spirits. Keep cozy with a Hot Graham cocktail, made with whiskey barrel-aged London Dry Gin, cranberry, pomegranate, blood orange, lemon and salted graham cracker rim (served hot). Or try their Rainbow Bunny made with Y&Y Vodka, rainbow carrot, blueberry, lime, and sarsaparilla bitters.

This East Village hotspot welcomes its first winter with a delightful cocktail lineup by bar lead James Roe and team. Warm up with the Heat Miser, a blend of bourbon, cacao, maple, urfa pepper, and cinnamon bitters topped with whipped cream or sip on the Stage Fright with rye, smoked eggplant, ginger, lemon, and arak.