The Resy Guide to Warm Holiday Cocktails in Boston

Alcove boasts a trifecta of served-hot cocktails. The classic Mulled Wine adds honey and fall spices to red wine; Spiked Hot Cocoa mixes Flor de Caña Spresso, a coffee liqueur from a renowned Nicaraguan rum label, with house cocoa mix and whipped cream; and the Rum Wassail calls back to ye-old New England drinking traditions by adding a 7-year rum to cinnamon and apple cider.

In terms of winter warmers, the Hot Toddy is about as basic as they come. But Black Lamb kicks up their version by opting for scotch and applejack as a spirit base and rounding it out with ginger and honey. Pairs well with crispy mushrooms in vadouvan yogurt or a slice of Dutch apple pie with cheddar ice cream.

Through January 3, Bow Market is playing host to potable Hanukkah pop-up Maccabee Bar, which is back for its third year with cocktails riffing on Jewish cuisine and culture. Among its new offerings are the Hot Date, a toddy made from a blend of rums, cardamom, dates, hot water and lemon; and the Judah Maccabeet, composed of cognac, cacao, hot chocolate, beet syrup and crème fraiche whipped cream. The latter can also be requested spirit-free, and all are available to-go. Order here for takeout.

Bonus: Also in the market, Tanám is hosting two very special takeout takeovers with Resy on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, featuring cocktails and meals!

What else could a proper German establishment do for the yuletide but offer a piping-hot mug of Nürnberger Glühwein? Said in English, that’s a spiced red wine blended with cinnamon, orange, and cherry liqueur. It may prove a great digestive aid after you’ve polished off a plate of house-made bratwurst with crispy potatoes.

The 21^st century Jewish deli remains a strictly patio or pick-up affair, but you can warm your hands outside with a Spiked Hot Cider fortified by Four Roses Bourbon. Alternatively, if you’re more the year-round iced coffee-type you can opt for a Spiked Iced Cider instead. Order takeout and delivery here.

Shojo’s modus operandi is remixing Chinese American restaurant tropes, and it’s subverted a local one — the infamous “cold tea” — with its delightfully named Hot in Hurr. The warm cocktail for two arrives via teapot and is made with maple bourbon, Benedictine, lemon, honey, cinnamon, and cloves.

Like its sibling Mamaleh’s, State Park is strictly patio, takeout, and delivery. Through these avenues, you can enjoy any of the five warm cocktails currently served by the North Carolina-inspired quasi-dive. There’s the Hot Buttered Rum Punsch made with Kronan Swedish Punsch (and actual butter); a Hot Irish Coffee with whipped cream; a Hot Toddy with Irish whiskey and Benedictine; classic Mulled Wine; and a Spiced Bourbon Cider that packs a blend of rum, bourbon, and spiced liqueur. All are available hot in to-go cups; some can also be requested in a heat-at-home bottle. Order here for takeout and delivery.

The Hot Toddy served by the comfort food-focused spot isn’t just any Hot Toddy: it’s the Stillwater Toddy. The difference? Stillwater makes theirs from an Irish whiskey infused with cinnamon, cloves, and star anise before cutting it with lemon, honey, and hot water.

Thanks to its heated, seats-six private igloos, Woods Hill Pier 4 provides what might be the coziest outdoor dining option in the city. To further insulate yourself while you enjoy views of the Boston skyline and pork belly confit with peach ponzu, consider one of the two “Winter Warmers” on the cocktail menu. The simple Spiced Hot Cider is enlivened by rum or bourbon, while the Mexican Hot Chocolate follows the restaurant’s local sourcing-ethos by blending melted chocolate from Somerville’s Taza with reposado Tequila.