The Resy Guide to Atlanta’s Essential Fall Cocktails

Old-fashioned, but make it autumn. Kitty Dare’s signature Old Fashioned Kitty bundles up for an autumn-ready version with smooth whiskey, fall-inspired smoky bitters and a touch of warming sweetness. This cocktail features High West Bourbon, Nocino Walnut Liqueur, Rhubarb Liqueur, and 18.21 Havana & Hide bitters. Rich, nutty, and perfectly balanced, it’s an ideal sipper for crisp nights.

Kimball House’s Honeycrisp Daiquiri captures that in-between summer and fall moment perfectly. A warm-weather classic reimagined for cooler days, the bartenders blend Probitas rum with honeycrisp cordial, lime, Montreuil Pays d’Auge calvados, lime basil extraction, and honey syrup. The result is crisp and tart with a hint of orchard sweetness — like the first cool snap after a long Georgia summer, when you can finally taste fall in the air.

Ticonderoga’s Background Noise cocktail is a masterclass in autumnal balance. Maison Ferrand 1840 cognac and Murrell’s Row Eno Amaro mingle with lemon and honey to create a balanced cocktail that’s simultaneously subtle, cozy, complex and a touch moody — perfect for fall evenings.

If fall were a cocktail, this would be it. The Orchard Storm blends Denizen aged rum with chilled apple cider, bright lemon, and St. George spiced pear liqueur for a balance of warmth and crispness, a welcome companion for lounging around the fire pit on the Citizen Soul patio. A dash of Angostura bitters and a splash of Gosling’s ginger beer bring a little bite — like the first cool breeze after a long southern summer. If you’re more of a brown boozer, try the Fig & Vanilla Revelry, a seasonal makeover of the old fashioned with subtle fig, vanilla, and pecan notes.

Nadair takes the classic Manhattan and turns it into a fall statement with the Burnside Manhattan. Deep, rich, and layered, it’s the kind of cocktail you want to savor slowly as the nights get longer. This version of the classic cocktail blends cherry-smoked Rittenhouse Rye and Tomatin Single Malt, house-blended sweet vermouth, bitters, Benedictine, and a brandied cherry.

Leaning into the campy, playful side of Halloween, Lucky Star beverage director Kirk Gibson and chef Jason Liang have crafted a five-course cocktail experience that’s both visually striking and inventive. Highlights for their cocktail omakase include the Poison Apple, made with absinthe, calvados, lemon, simple syrup, and edible glitter. Want to keep it just one? Save room for a dessert drink, as Lucky Star is also serving up a Halloween twist on their iconic Clarified Espresso Martini, distilling it here with Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups for Halloween.

A smooth and aromatic celebration of fall around the world, the Dubai Drift balances the warm, malty depth of Toki Japanese Whisky with the crisp orchard notes of apple brandy. House-made chai-spiced ginger syrup and a touch of maple bring cozy spice and subtle sweetness, while fresh lime adds brightness and lift.

Showcasing dishes from the southern, northern, central and Isaan regions of Thailand, Pink Lotus Thai Restaurant brings a dash of Southeast Asian panache to your cocktail glass with the inventive Massaman Sour, which arrives complete with a roti bread garnish(!). Made with makrut lime-infused vodka, fresh lime, ginger, coconut milk, and massaman curry, this cocktail encompasses an abundance of fall flavors. The massaman curry brings out a spiced, earthly flavor complementing the creamy, comforting coconut milk and ginger for an unexpected and exceptional fall drink that goes well beyond your standard pumpkin spice.