Adult Milkshakes
Alcohol-augmented milkshakes may be the most popular way to take in your booze this season. BLD on Beverly Boulevard offers different flavor combinations each month in its Milkshake Madness program; recent hits have included a cafe au lait shake with bourbon, and toasted marshmallow with Frangelico. Short Order’s Adult Shakes come in flavors such as the Drunken Girl Scout (vanilla and chocolate custard, crème de menthe, menta and Thin Mints). 25 Degrees in Hollywood offers creamy concoctions including the Salty Caramel with Maker’s Mark, butterscotch, vanilla ice cream and Hawaiian red sea salt.
Boozy Cream
Of course, you can speed up the process by simply pouring hootch right on top of your dessert. Keep your drinking before noon on the down-low by ordering a Boozy Gelato at brunch at The Mercantile. Top any of the 20 gelato flavors available with a shot of Jameson, Frangelico, Ketel One, Bailey’s or Kahlua. Cecconi’s in West Hollywood fancies up the concept with its Affogato al Negroni. Bar director Chris Ojeda pours the restaurant’s barrel-aged Negroni (Bombay Sapphire gin, Campari and housemade sweet vermouth) over a scoop of seasonal sorbet such as blood orange.
Proper Popsicles
As if lying poolside at the chichi Hotel Bel-Air could be more relaxing, chef Wolfgang Puck serves up icy “push-up pops” made with farmers market fruits and limoncello. Silver Lake’s Diablo Taco wins the award for creativity with its signature Micheladas. The traditional Mexican beer cocktail of lime juice, hot sauces and spices is given a sweet upgrade: Add to any beer a spiced tomato or yuzu popsicle. Imbibe and lick, or drop the whole pop in the cocktail.
Spiked Sips
Bartenders are remaking the sweet refreshments of childhood into something slightly more sinful. At Catch at the Casa del Mar hotel in Santa Monica, the clever Root Float is made with small-batch Root liqueur, old-fashioned Abita root beer and LA Creamery artisan vanilla ice cream. Also in Santa Monica, the new outpost of La Brea Avenue restaurant Tinga makes a spiked horchata, the traditional, comforting Mexican drink made of ground almonds, rice, cinnamon and sugar.