June 4, 2018 | Food & Drink
From roses to orchids, flowers are popping up everywhere in Philadelphia—even in your favorite cocktails. Here are five fragrant floral cocktails that are as pretty as they are potent.
Bring cherry blossom season into the summer with shaved ice, rose liqueur, sparkling grapefruit and hibiscus. “We wanted to craft a drink that was vibrant and unique, something inspired by the transition from spring to summer. The DC 1910 does exactly that, from first sip to last drop,” says Tuna Bar chef-owner Kenneth Sze. Garnished with microflowers, the drink changes color and flavor profiles as the ice melts. $14, 205 Race St., 215.238.8862, tunabar.com
Butterfly pea flower-infused gin, lavender honey and rosewater make up the main ingredients for this creamy egg-white-based cocktail. “Butterflyy pea flowers give libations a wow factor. Besides the beautiful floral flavor, this natural ingredient initially turns the gin blue after the infusion. When we mix it with lemon juice, the acid turns it a purple hue,” says lead bartender Kyle Darrow. $12, 433 Chestnut St., 215.923.2267, redowltavern.com
“Our guests love the Black Orchid, as it is a unique take on the cosmopolitan. The Belvedere Intense vodka perks up with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, white cranberry juice and just a hint of St. Germain,” says General Manager Tricia Finke. Bartenders top the drink off with an edible orchid ice orb—lending a sweet scent to the citrusy libation. $13, 124 S. 15th St., 215.563.0163, ocean-prime.com
Try a floral riff on the classic Negroni cocktail. “We take the subtle flavors of orange blossom and Meyer lemon from the classic recipe, and marry it with the nontraditional flavor profiles of elderflower liqueur and a floral white vermouth,” says Harsh Dayalani, Veda beverage manager. $12, 1920 Chestnut St., 267.519.2001, vedaphilly.com
Introduce some botanical hints into your classic Champagne with this bubbly refresher. Barbuzzo adds St. Germain elderflower liqueur along with an edible floower as a nal touch. “St. Germain stood out to me, as it’s floral, rich and fresh-tasting. Something so vibrant and unique needs little else added to it, so I paired it with French sparkling wine and cut it with a little club soda,” says Terence Lewis, beverage director for Barbuzzo. “It’s a simple, sparkling cocktail that’s one of our bestsellers.” $10, 110 S. 13th St., 215.546.9300, barbuzzo.com
