5 Acadiana Holiday Drinks from Local Favorites

Your curated Acadiana Holiday Drinks list from local favorite spots is here!

Holiday parties are in full swing as 2025 comes to a close. The pressure is on. Will you meet the expectations that last year’s host set at the annual family gathering? Can you even come close?

If you get anything right this holiday season, let it be your holiday drink menu, because one thing is for sure: guests are always in better company with a nice drink in hand.

But, where do you even start? Researching elaborate cocktails, reading through long-winded recipe stories, picking the ones you can actually make–no one has time for this.

Instead, stick to drinks your guests already know and love from their favorites around Acadiana.

Acadiana Holiday Drinks

1. The Mantelpiece from Park Bistro – The Mantelpiece, a festive bourbon-forward tipple balanced with elements of smoke and fire, is a celebration crowd-pleaser.

Recipe: Smoke maple syrup in a metal container at 250 degrees for 30 minutes (will last refrigerated for months). Mix 2 ounces pomegranate juice with 2 ounces red wine and set aside. In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 ounces bourbon, 1 ½ ounces smoked maple syrup and ¾ ounces fresh lemon juice. Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with ice. Top with a pomegranate juice and red wine float. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and a torched rosemary sprig.

The Mantelpiece, Photo by Romero & Romero

2. Banana Nut Old Fashioned from 531 Liberty Café – The Banana Nut Old Fashioned echoes the warm and inviting flavors of fall baking with cinnamon, brown sugar, nuts and bourbon.

Recipe:  In a shaker, combine 11/2 oz. house-infused walnut Maker’s Mark bourbon, 1 oz. Giffard Banane du Brésil liqueur, 1 pinch salt and ½ oz. homemade brown sugar cinnamon simple syrup. Fill with ice and stir with a bar spoon until chilled. Strain into a large rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with 2 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters and a cinnamon stick.

Banana Nut Old Fashioned, Photo by Romero & Romero

3. Banana Wars Cocktail from Le Grenadier’s – Le Grenadier’s Banana Wars cocktail adds a festive, sweet element that will spark conversations during any celebration.

Recipe: Fill a glass with crushed ice (for dilution). Pour the 2 oz. overproof rye, 1.5 oz. banana liqueur and 4 heavy dashes Angostura bitters over the ice. Garnish with dried banana chips and a sprinkle of brown sugar. Finishing touch: Add 4 heavy dashes of Everclear (or additional Angostura bitters). Carefully light the top with a torch for a dramatic flair.

Banana Wars Cocktail, Photo by Romero & Romero

4. Apple Cinnamon Old Fashioned from Fremin’s – The Apple Cinnamon Old Fashioned is a holiday favorite, infused with fall flavors and optional smoke.

Recipe: Pour 2 ounces bourbon, a splash of bourbon cherry juice, ½ ounce apple cinnamon syrup, and 3 dashes Angostura bitters into a 10-ounce rocks glass. Use a cinnamon stick to stir cocktail and garnish. Drop one big ice rock into the glass. If using a cocktail smoker: Set the smoker on top of the glass and smoke with applewood chips, withholding the ice until the smoking is complete. Skewer a cooked apple slice and a bourbon cherry as garnish.

Apple Cinnamon Old Fashioned, Photo by Romero & Romero

5. Hibiscus Spritz Cocktail from Cinclare Bar & Table – The Hibiscus Spritz Cocktail is zero proof but loaded with flavor, sure to entice all guests.

Recipe:Add ice to a large wine glass, pour in 4 oz. ice cold club soda and top with 2 oz. triple-strength hibiscus orange tea, ¼ oz. fresh lemon juice and ½ oz. honey syrup. Stir gently to combine without breaking the bubbles. Twist a large piece of orange zest over the drink, drop into the glass and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Hibiscus Spritz Cocktail, Photo by Romero & Romero

Pair your Acadiana Holiday Drink menu with dishes from “The Essential Louisiana Seafood Cookbook.”