Summer Sips: TheList’s List of Beverages

Summer drinking season in the DMV looks a little different than the rest of the year. Wine lists get lighter and colder, spritzes return to every cocktail menu in town, frozen drinks make their comeback, and bartenders start leaning into seasonal ingredients like berries and herbs and tomatoes from local farms. Even beer gardens and breweries shift into warm-weather mode with seasonal pours and outdoor events.

Here at TheListAreYouOnIt.com, we’ve rounded up all the can’t-miss cocktails, happy hours and summer sipping events happening around the DMV right now.

- Make a night of it with a show + a great pre or post-theatre cocktail or dinner with our theatre + dining guide (here)
- This week’s list of The List’s favorite food finds is right here
- From cocktail pop-ups and wine tastings to brewery events + summer beverage happenings around the region, we’ve got those covered here
-You don’t need an excuse to visit a woman-owned business or celebrate women history month…here’s the list.
- Looking for outdoor sipping season? Check out our Patio Pleasures + Up On The Roof roundups featuring patios, rooftops, courtyards & outdoor cocktail spots all across the DMV.

So much more glass-raising goodness below:

MARK YOUR CALENDAR 

Napa Valley Barrel Auction: The Napa Valley Barrel Auction takes place Friday, June 5, 2026, at the newly reimagined Robert Mondavi Winery, opening in May. Featuring more than 100 participating vintners, the Barrel Auction brings together wine enthusiasts and winemakers for a day of tasting wine directly from the barrel and bidding on lots. More info here. 

Six at Six at Hay-Adams: Six at Six,” a new guided cocktail hour at Off The Record, the hotel’s celebrated bar just steps from Lafayette Square. Designed for guests who enjoy taking a closer look at what’s in the glass, Six at Six offers an intimate, seated experience at The Bench, the bar’s most sought-after seating area. Held from 6-7 pm on the last Tuesday of each month, Six at Six welcomes only six guests for an hour that feels unhurried, interactive, and quietly structured. May 26, 2026 – Tequila & Mezcal – an agave-focused hour ($90 per person); June 30, 2026 – Gin & Jun – a bright, botanical exploration ($80 per person); July 28, 2026 – Vodka & Bubbles – light, celebratory cocktails that sparkle ($90 USD per person)

Foam 10th Anniversary Party: Rustico is celebrating Foam Brewers’ 10th anniversary on May 29 with 6 special anniversary releases on draft, including beers from the brewery’s “Some Things Last a Long Time” series. Expect sought-after hazy IPAs, saisons, lagers, and more from the Vermont cult-favorite brewery—available à la carte with no cover charge; rusticorestaurant.com

Blue Duck Tavern Anniversary:  Blue Duck Tavern will toast 20 years in the nation’s capital as one of the city’s most iconic restaurants in June 2026. To honor this monumental occasion, nationally recognized chefs, who formerly spearheaded Blue Duck Tavern, will return to prepare their signature dishes for a special dinner gathering accompanied by merrymaking over 2006 vintages from Blue Duck Tavern's Sommelier selections. The five-course feast will take place on Wednesday, June 10, with a champagne reception and hors d'oeuvres at 6 p.m. blueducktavern.com

Keg Hunt: Come take part in a multicity craft beer scavenger hunt hosted by ChurchKey, Rustico, and Neighborhood Restaurant Group. From Thursday, June 4th - Sunday, June 7th, visit up to 8 participating locations to discover secret beers and win prizes, including 2 VIP tickets to Snallygaster. Register here. 

Rosé at the Rosewood: Join the Rosewood Hotel in Georgetown for an afternoon of rosé and Champagne, with sweeping views of the Potomac as we celebrate the start of summer and National Rosé Day in style on June 13th. Enjoy wines like 2023 Schramsberg Brut Rosé, California; Champagne Marguet, Shaman 20 Rosé Grand Cru; 2012 Champagne Louis Roederer Brut Rosé; 2024 Clos Cibonne 'Tradition,' Provence. Get tickets here. 

Lulu’s Winegarden World Cup of Wine: World Cup of Wine: Lulu’s Winegarden is hosting a global wine tasting party on June 14 featuring 25+ wines from a dozen wine-producing countries, paired with bottomless breakfast tacos and soccer matches airing throughout the space. The interactive tasting includes walkaround pours, discounted take-home bottles, and two afternoon sessions designed for wine lovers of every level; luluswinegarden.com

NEW & NOTEWORTHY: 

Who Has The Best Bubbles?: Nominations are now open for the 5th annual Top 10 Bars and Restaurants for Enjoying Champagne list, spotlighting standout venues across the U.S. that celebrate Champagne through exceptional wine programs, educational experiences, and creative events. Nominations close July 31, with the final honorees announced ahead of Champagne Day on October 23; champagne.fr/en

Vietnamese Cocktails, Reimagined: NUE Elegantly Vietnamese is expanding its signature cocktail menu with two new seasonal additions. The modern Vietnamese restaurant in Falls Church is now offering the Amber Skies, a rich, aromatic and refined cocktail mixed with vanilla cream clarified Vietnamese coffee, Licor 43, and fat washed coffee vodka, alongside the floral, creamy and herbaceous Garden in the Sky made with a fig and laurel gin, rice, coconut, and pear. 944 W Broad St, Falls Church, VA 22046; nuevietnamese.com

Down on the Boulevard: The Boulevard blends modern American dining with Asian fusion, a rooftop bar, and weekend DJs. Expect dishes like lamb slider bao buns, king salmon tiradito with yuzu leche de tigre, cavatelli with king mushrooms, sushi, spicy salmon ceviche, etc. Upstairs, Solset rooftop offers lighter bites and drinks by Glendon Hartley (Service Bar, Amazonia) ranging from caviar-paired Gibsons to a nostalgic “Breakfast Fizz.” DJs spin house and down-tempo beats. 2915 Wilson Boulevard Arlington VA 22201; boulevardva.com

Flora Garden Pop Up at Lulu’s: Lulu’s Winegarden will soon celebrate DC’s long-awaited spring season with the return of its popular “Flora Garden” – a springtime pop-up bringing floral cocktails and petaled patios to the U Street bar. Lulu’s is showcasing a bouquet of spring flavors and spirits in several creative floral cocktails, including the edible flower-topped First Bloom with botanically-driven Citadelle Jardin D'ete gin, elderflower and Aperol; a slightly-savory garden margarita infused with black pepper tequila; a shiso-pineapple crush; a spicy-citrusy sour with yuzu and jalapeno aguardiente; and a bubbly Chandon Hugo Spritz. 1940 11th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001; luluswinegarden.com

NOT NEW, BUT NOTEWORTHY: 

Rose Season: For its newly released 2025 vintage, Miraval announces its very first international collaboration, and it could only ever have been with Cannes. At the heart of this rendez-vous is an exclusive gift set — not merely a bottle of wine, but a symbol. A talisman of what becomes possible when the right minds, in the right place, reach for something greater than the sum of their parts. The Miraval Rosé 2025 is, by every measure, a vintage that earns its mythology. Born of the intense heat of Cannes summer days and the whispered coolness that descends with a Provençal evening, it captures a duality that feels, itself, almost cinematic.

New Orleans Coffee in Maryland: PJ's Coffee has opened a new location at 1703 Ritchie Station Court, Suite 100.The café sits in the Ritchie Station shopping center near Exit 13 off Interstate 495, close to Dave & Buster's, and offers a convenient drive-thru for commuters, students and nearby residents. Guests can enjoy PJ’s signature powdered-sugar-dusted beignets, seasonal Mardi Gras favorites such as the Frozen King Cake, Purple Energy and Carnival Latte, and staples including the Vienna Cold Creme and hot Café Au Lait.  pjscoffee.com

Tide Tiki PopUp: Hi-Tide Lounge’s Tiki Bar Pop-Up is officially open and it's bringing a vibrant, tropical escape to Old Town Alexandria for a limited time.Running now through August 31, the pop-up transforms the space with festive Tiki décor, island-inspired cocktails, and a specialty menu. On the drinks side, the menu leans into bold, tropical flavors with cocktails like the Mai Tide (a bright rum blend with orgeat and citrus), Smuggler’s Mist (mezcal with coconut cream and pineapple), and Saturn’s Daughter (gin with passion fruit and falernum), plus large-format punch bowls designed for groups, and plenty of zero proof options. 101 N Union St Unit B, Alexandria, VA 22314; volasdockside.com

If I Ever Get Out Of Here: Kathmandu is a Himalayan-inspired cocktail bar from restaurateur Dipesh Acharya that blends the energy of Nepal’s capital with DC’s evolving nightlife scene.Head Bartender José Cox, the concept highlights house-made cordials, infusions, and ingredients sourced directly from Nepal, with signature drinks like a clarified Mango Lassi cocktail, a spiced Himalayan Old Fashioned, and a Timur Collins. Chef Shiva Nepal's focused menu of elevated Nepali tapas complements the bar. 1342 U Street NW; kathmandu-dc.com

Forget Breakfast, Cocktails at Tiffany’s: Tiffany’s Bar & Bistro recently introduced a wide selection of spring-inspired cocktails. Cocktail enthusiasts can enjoy playful drinks such as the Lion’s Bite stirred with cognac, strawberry, almond syrup, Campari, and San Pellegrino Limonata; the Galata Sunset made with vodka, mastiha (a traditional Greek liqueur made from mastic trees grown on the island of Chios), cucumber, basil, fresh lemon orange blossom, and prosecco; and the Summer Light crafted with chamomile bourbon, Heering cherry liqueur, fresh lime, and ginger beer. 709 H St NE, Washington, DC 20002; .tiffanysbistrobar.com

There is No Bottom (Brunch Alert): Bar Chinois, the French-Chinese fusion restaurant, put a truly signature spin on their seasonal cocktail menu for spring with a special bartender showcase. Selections include the Bijou de Gansu, with rye whiskey, toasted rhubarb, strawberry-cinnamon honey and soda, the Citrus Paradis with Cazadores Blanco Tequila, grapefruit, basil, orange blossom and Stiegl Radler, and the Le Rubis with Citadelle Rouge Gin, Strega, blueberry, honey and lemon. 455 Eye Street, NW; barchinoisdc.com