Summer is here and the Loudoun living is easy – especially with a craft cocktail in hand. Here we select some of the coolest – and tastiest – cocktails to enjoy in Loudoun this summer.
Dark & Stormy - MacDowell’s
With its palm trees, nautical décor and beach sand, wildly popular MacDowell’s - aka the Beach Bar – is the perfect spot on a hot Loudoun day (or night). A slice of Key West in the heart of downtown Leesburg, go for Caribbean-friendly tropical cocktail, the Dark & Stormy. Made with Myers Rum, Gosling’s Jamaican Ginger beer, served in a copper Moscow Mule cup and garnished with a lime, you’ll feel like you’ve landed in the tropics. When Jimmy Buffet starts blasting on the sound system, you can imagine life as a pirate. Ahoy!
Fresca Margarita - Bluewater Cocina
Some bars have cocktail menus as long as your arm, which can be daunting. Bluewater Cocina, the classy taco hut in downtown Middleburg, simplifies matters by offering a total of four cocktails, all of them margaritas: Classic, Fresca, Garden Jalapeño and Skinny. Being summer, we favor the refreshing Fresca. Made with Luna Azul tequila, it has a vibrant citrus profile from a lovely house-made soft coolie mix topped with fresh limes. Ask for it with a salt rim and sip in the garden with some of those incredible tacos.
West End Smash - West End Wine Bar & Pub
Despite the name, this gem of a restaurant-bar on the west side of Purcellville is just as beloved for its cocktails as its wine. There’s a long list of house-made concoctions but it being summer we like the fruit forward West End Smash, a mouthwatering combo of Knob Creek bourbon, peach schnapps, mint and muddled fresh peaches. During Happy Hour, the downstairs bar is a lively scene for locals but if you’re a newcomer, sit in the sun-filled upstairs section and watch golfers swing their long irons on the fairways of neighboring Loudoun Golf & Country Club.
The Stebner – Local Provisions
The restaurant of power-chef couple Ally and Michael Stebner has taken eastern Loudoun foodies by storm, as evident by the packed tables and line of eager diners outside. If you can’t find a place at the elegant centerpiece bar, head to the sun-filled front porch. There’s a long selection of house-made cocktails to choose from, but we’re partial to the (aptly named) Stebner: Tanqueray gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, bitters and orange zest – a Loudoun interpretation of the classic Italian Negroni. Salut!
The Fox & The Mule – The Lost Fox Hideaway
No summer cocktail compilation is complete without a tasty vodka concoction. Make your way to lively and stylish food and drink temple Lost Fox Hideaway in One Loudoun where a skilled team of mixologists make more than a dozen house specialties as well as all the classics. While we’re intrigued by the espresso martini named for supermodel Kate Moss, The Fox & Mule is more appropriate for summer. It includes your choice of vodka, hard apple cider from Virginia cidery Bold Rock, a splash of fresh ginger and a tart jolt of lime. The perfect balance of citrusy sour and sweet, enjoy it on the upper deck with some great food and people-watching.