Flights of Fancy

From spirits to small plates, DC-area menus are taking the word “flight” beyond just the bar. Sip your way through agave terroirs, sample rare piscos, or build your own taco tasting, flights let you compare and contrast. An easy, low-commitment way to explore, here’s where to take off on your next tasting adventure:
 

Amazonia
Beverage Director & Pisco Curator: Glendon Hartley
Pisco Tastings:
We Got You, Causa! – Staff-curated flight of 3 piscos for $45
Memory Lane – Rare pisco vintages across decades, $90

Apéro
Owner: Elli Benchimol
Summer Champagne Flight – Through 9/15, 3 oz pours of:
NV Brut Marcel Pierre
NV Brut Rosé Champagne Mandois
NV Brut Blanc de Noirs Faniels et Fils – $35
Switches to a fall selection after September 15, but Champagne flights will continue year-round.

Cane
Owner: Jeanine Prime
Aged Trinidadian Rum Flight – Angostura 5-year, 7-year, and 1824 ($29)
Aged Guyanese Rum Flight – El Dorado 5-year, 8-year, and 15-year ($29)

Cork Wine Bar
Owner: Diane Gross
Wine Flights – Rotating themed tastings featuring seasonal and rare wines.

dLeña
Chef Robert Sandoval
Horizontal Flight – Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo from the same family ($21–$27)
Vertical Flight – Three tequilas from different families ($22–$27)
Maestro Flight – Three expressions from Maestro Dobel ($33)
Mezcal Flight – Del Maguey Puebla Espadín, Fidencio Clásico, Mezcal de Leyendas Oaxaca
Espadín ($28)

Immigrant Food
Planet Word (DC & Ballston, VA)
Summer Cocktail Flight – Six new creations for $23 (or $15 individually) including:
Spicy ‘N Stormy – Cachaça, brown sugar, honey, Thai chili
Verano Italiano – Bombay Sapphire gin, burrata, Luxardo, lime & basil
Cafe Negroni – Indian vodka, coffee-infused vermouth, Campari
Summer Champagne Flight – Through 9/15, 3 oz pours of:
NV Brut Marcel Pierre
NV Brut Rosé Champagne Mandois
NV Brut Blanc de Noirs Faniels et Fils – $35

JINYA Ramen Bar
Beverage Director: Jose Diaz
Local Craft Beer Flight – Three beer samples for $14, featuring Atlas Brew Works, DC Brau Brewing, Right Proper Brewing Company, Devils Backbone, Port City Brewing Co., and more.

Lapis
Chef Shamim Popal
Starter Tasting Flight – $24 sampler of Afghan appetizers: bolani, sambosas, beef kebabs with fries, shore-nakhot (potato & chickpea salad), and fried cauliflower with mint yogurt & chutney.

Maxwell Park
Owner: Brent Kroll
SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo Flight –
2022 Laurent Tribut, Chardonnay, Chablis, Burgundy, FRA ($35/gl)
2022 Sandlands, Carignane, Contra Costa, CA ($22/gl)
2016 COS, Nero d’Avola/Frappato, ‘Pithos,’ Sicily, ITA ($40/gl)

Mi Vida
Beverage Director: Darlin Kulla
Vuelo a Mexico – Four craft cocktails for $59 including El Suave, La Buena Vida, Spicy De La Casa margarita, and mango-infused Ponche de Lola.

Paraíso
Chefs Geovany Beltran & Avinesh Rana & Beverage Director: Jose Diaz
Mezcal & Tequila Flights – Patron, Mijenta by female tequila master Ana María Romero, Mala
Mia, and Gracias A Dios mezcal. Choose any 3 for $22.
Taco Flight – Carne Asada, Al Pastor, Camaron, and more for $18.

Pisco y Nazca
(DC, Reston, Bethesda)
Pisco Sour Flight – Traditional (pisco, lime juice, egg white, Angostura bitters), Passion (pisco, passion fruit, egg white, Angostura bitters), Chica (pisco, chicha morada, egg white, cinnamon).

Pizzeria Paradiso
Owner: Ruth Gresser
Beer Flights – Rotating craft selections from local and regional breweries.

Press Club
Wine Flights – Curated by the in-house sommelier to highlight producers and styles from around the world.

SYN Rooftop Bar & Lounge
Wine Flight – Selections vary, with tasting notes on aroma, body, balance, minerality, and more.