This month Communal launched their summer menu. Come enjoy an Oceanside Summer, their fresh take on a pina colada spiked with sabe gold rum. Or enjoy a flight of seasonal spritzes like rose vanilla and elderflower with prosecco.

The four and eight-course Japanese menus at Oceanside’s Matsu is the star, save a space on your table for the excellent cocktails. Chill with a Kaku-Hi, a shimmering blend of icy Japanese whisky, sparkling water, and lemon oil; or, try the Kitsunu made with Etsu gin, citrusy yuzu, and a hint of shiso leaf.

Known throughout San Diego for their ramen, Beshock offers excellent cocktails as well. The lavender hue of Falling For Ube comes from a blend of coconut milk and house made ube syrup with a kick of rum and squeeze of lime. Or stick to a classic profile like the Tokyo Negroni with Japanese Roku gin, Kampari, Sweet vermouth and luxardo liqueur.

Cross Street recently opened at Del Mar Highlands with an impressive cocktail menu by Jesse Ross (Sycamore Den, Fernside). Favorites include the citrusy No Fly List with Blanco tequila, cocchi americano, yuzu, pineapple, lime, agave, and soda. Or try their spin on an Old Fashioned, the Oak & Sesame, a blend of American and Japanese whiskies and house-toasted black sesame with a kiss of amaro.

Perched on the edge of Torrey Pines, Joya Kitchen offers a massive indoor/outdoor space for cocktail lunches and happy hour. The menu offers after work wind-down cocktails like a Passion margarita with Casamigos Reposado, agave, passionfruit, and jalapeno and the Transfusion with 50 Bleu Vodka, grape, lime, ginger, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

La Jolla’s Galaxy Taco recently reopened under a new vision: Sandpiper Wood Fired Grill & Oysters. The menu holds the same high standard of cocktails, from classics like an Aperol Spritz to their boozy homage to their namesake seabird with black rum, vermouth, pineapple, and lime.

Tea infused cocktails lace through the Eternal Remedies menu at Convoy’s Realm of the 52 Remedies. Highlights include the Earl Grey featuring Kasama Filipino rum with Jura 10yrs single malt scotch, saline water, honey, and cinnamon cream. Or explore their Asian cinema-themed seasonal menu that includes an ode to the Japanese film 13 Assassins made with 10-year single malt Scotch whisky and blood orange under delicate baby breath flowers.

Accessed from an alleyway behind one of Convoy’s busiest strip malls, this cocktail haven is an elegant 40-seat space fashioned after Tokyo’s listening bars. With a premium sound system and DJs providing nightly mood music, the bar features a menu of cocktail classics made with Asian flavors and ingredients.

Though the bar recently transitioned ownership to Chad Cline and Jason “Rocky” Nichols (Waterfront Bar & Grill, Aero Club), expect all the same vibes along with a frequently refreshed cocktail menu that includes lovely additions likes the Aqua Tofana with gin, lavender and lemongrass butterfly pea flower syrup or the Pop Secret Old Fashioned, a playful take on the classic cocktail with a touch of caramel, salt, chocolate bitters, and popcorn bourbon.

Grab a seat on Madison on Park’s patio star or end your day with their Carajillo made with Licor 43, espresso and orange peel. Lead bartender Danny Kuehner designs new classics like Heavy Metal Drummer which combines Laird’s Bonded apple brandy, St. George spiced pear brandy, lemon, and Angostura with a splash of port.

Verbena Kitchen’s cocktail menu conveys the same level of detail as their food. General manager Dallas Juanes brings his expertise to drinks like Summer is Coming, a tropical treat built with barrel aged tequila, serrano agave, caramelized pineapple, lime, and strawberry accented with chili bitters.

North Park’s Bar Pink has been transformed into CH Projects’ newest venue, a space still dominated sound with warm vinyl tones spinning through the listening bar and a retail selection of records curated by partner Folk Arts Rare Records. Cocktail include the Kaiju with Japanese vermouth, aquavit, lemon, and sparkling water or the Direct Drive Manhattan with whisky, rye, and sweet vermouth.

Renowned for their food, North Park’s Tribute Pizza has an equally stellar cocktails program that ranges from the simplicity of the Paloma with tequila blanco, Stiegl Radler and lime to the seasonal Seven Caves Saturn with tiki gin, passion fruit, lemon, almond, and velvet falernum.

This buzzy restaurant is continuing to impress on both the food and beverage fronts, with an innovative and appealing 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.

You & Yours recently celebrated five years of distilling their iconic gins and local vodka (and more) in the East Village. Founder Laura Johnson’s downtown tasting room crafts excellent cocktails like the Liquid Sunshine with Y&Y vodka, orange, turmeric, ginger. macadamia nut milk, and black peppercorn.

This East Village restaurant is destination-worthy for its food as well as a fine cocktail list from bar lead James Roe and team. The bar and kitchen have merged their missions in the new De La Montaña cocktail. The bright orange tumbler includes the leftover carrots from the restaurant’s signature Crunchy Egyptian Carrots, juiced and blended with mezcal, pasilla mixed and pineapple.