With Georgia humidity a constant summer companion, and the mercury creeping higher and higher, we found a surefire way to beat the heat: slushies. These remarkably refreshing frozen drinks from Atlanta restaurants and bars are guaranteed to cool you down.
Credit: Courtesy Whiskey Bird
Credit: Courtesy Whiskey Bird
Frosé Aperol spritz at Whiskey Bird
The Aperol spritz is the drink of summer 2019. Combine it with the darling of the past few years and you get the clever frosé Aperol spritz, Italy’s classic cocktail in slushie form. It may be trendy, but it also is a bittersweet antidote to summer heat. Kick back on Whiskey Bird’s expansive back patio with a cold one.
Whiskey Bird. 1409 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-600-5797, eatwhiskeybird.com.
Credit: Brett Ferencz
Credit: Brett Ferencz
Bourbon slushie at ASW Whiskey Exchange
The new ASW rickhouse in West End serves up cups of bourbon slushies made with its own Fiddler bourbon. The boozy, cooling drink is good for walks around the facility to see barrels of aging spirits in the retro space designed in homage to a turn-of-the-century commodities exchange. The entire Lee & White development is open-carry, so you can sip and check out other spots along the Westside Beltline. Flavors change biweekly. Look for a frozen Moscow mule soon.
ASW Whiskey Exchange. 1000 White St. SW, Atlanta. 404-590-2279, aswdistillery.com.
Credit: Alex Lazzari
Credit: Alex Lazzari
Pearl Diver at Biltong Bar
The Pearl Diver is big, bold and beautiful. It’s best on Tuesdays, from 5 to 11 p.m., when Buckhead’s Biltong Bar transforms into a tiki hut, with elaborate, overly garnished, mostly rum-based drinks. This one is like an iced buttered rum, featuring spiced honey butter blended with rum, curacao, falernum and lime juice. Snack on crab rangoon while you take in the ambiance and cold sips.
Biltong Bar. 306 Buckhead Ave. NE, Atlanta. 678-927-9272, biltong-bar.com.
Limoncello frosé at Colletta
“Modern Italian” is the tagline at Colletta, and that’s just what they’ve done to this frosé. Tangy and tart, refreshing and sweet, Colletta’s version is topped with a floater of limoncello liqueur. You even can grab one to go from the bar window, for strolling through Avalon with a cupful of frozen sunshine.
Colletta. 900 Third St., Alpharetta. 678-722-8335, collettarestaurant.com.
Credit: Courtesy TWO Urban Licks
Credit: Courtesy TWO Urban Licks
Frozen mai tai at Two Urban Licks
Did you know that mai tai is Polynesian for “out of this world”? The meaning is clear with Two Urban Licks’ take on the blended classic. It’s delightfully sweet and fruity, with the freshness of squeezed citrus and hints of almond from the orgeat. It’s sinfully strong, with light, dark and overproof rums, and it’s in frozen form, ready to be enjoyed while playing bocce ball on the patio, or people watching along the Beltline.
Two Urban Licks. 828 Ralph McGill Blvd. NE, Atlanta. 404-522-4622, twourbanlicks.com.
Credit: Courtesy Botiwalla
Credit: Courtesy Botiwalla
Kerala Kolada at Botiwalla
Botiwalla’s Kerala Kolada is cooly transportive, like a vacation to the tropical Malabar Coast. The frosty mixture of rum, coconut, lime, pineapple and mango tastes like it belongs on palm-lined beaches. But, sipping it on Botiwalla’s Jungli Hut patio is just as fun.
Botiwalla. 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. 470-225-8963, botiwalla.com.
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee
Cucumber Swizzle at Watchman’s
Head to Krog Street Market for a cold, ice-heavy alternative to a truly frozen drink. Miles Macquarrie adds fresh cucumber juice, mint and sherry to a daiquiri base, gives it a shake, and swizzles it over a mound of pebble ice. He garnishes it with a crown of cucumber and mint sprigs, and calls it “liquid air conditioning.”
Watchman’s. 99 Krog St. Atlanta. 404-254-0141, watchmansatl.com.
Room Number at Brezza Cucina
Brezza Cucina is known for its Rosé the Riveter, which blends frosé, pineapple and Aperol, but the newest addition to its drinks lineup is the Room Number, which calls on tequila for cooling down. Herbal notes of the Alpine spirit genepy, a mellower alternative to Chartreuse, echo the grassy notes in tequila, which also hints at smokiness. Refreshment is furthered with the addition of cucumber and lime.
Brezza Cucina. 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-724-9700, brezzacucina.com.
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