Our (Spring) Cup Runneth Over: TheList’s List of Drinks

Spring Ready? The DMV is trading hot toddies for spritzes, rosé, and cocktails that taste like sunshine. Bars are opening their windows, patios are filling up, and beverage pros across the region are shaking, stirring, and pouring the flavors of the season.

At TheListAreYouOnIt.com, we’ve rounded up the can’t-miss sips and spirited experiences to welcome spring in style.

-Make a night of it, see a show and grab a great pre- or post-theatre drink or dinner with our theatre + dining guide (here).
-This week's list of The List's favorite food finds, here.
-From cocktail pop-ups to wine tastings and brewery events, spring drinking events are blooming everywhere (here).
-You don’t need an excuse to visit a woman-owned business or celebrate women history month…here’s the list.

So much more refreshing, 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. 

The Judgement of Paris: Museum of American History: The Museum will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the famous 1976 “Judgment of Paris” wine tasting competition and the nation’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with the eighth annual Smithsonian Winemakers’ Dinner April 14. This year’s signature fundraising event, “The Judgment of Paris: There’s more to the story…” will bring together visionary vintners, culinary leaders and supporters of the museum to celebrate the intertwined histories of American wine, food and democracy. The evening will commemorate the history of three Napa Valley wineries that took part in the 1976 tasting and are still producing fine wines that reflect the best of Napa—Freemark Abbey, Clos Du Val, and Mayacamas. The dinner’s culinary experience will be developed in collaboration with Nora Pouillon, chef and owner of Restaurant Nora in Washington, D.C., which was America’s first certified-organic restaurant and a pioneer of the farm-to-table movement. More info here. 

DC Brau Anniversary: On Thursday, April 16th, Dc Brau is celebrating it's 15 year anniversary. As DC’s first production brewery since the 1950s, DC Brau helped spark the city’s modern craft beer movement, making this a meaningful milestone for the local food & beverage scene. They will be doing “15 Beers for 15 Years” featuring rare and specialty DC Brau pours, cask beers and limited offerings and more. Get tickets here. 

Springtime in Paris: Raise your glass to a springtime toast in Paris with a fabulous selection of French wines and spirits at the Embassy of France on Friday, May 1st at 4101 Reservoir Rd NW. Celebrate the turn of the seasons by sipping your way through an impressive list of over 100 wines, from the iconic regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire Valley, Rhône Valley, and more. Get tickets here. 

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

NEW & NOTEWORTHY: 

Shaken or Stirred: Lucy is expanding its cocktail menu with a wide-ranging selection of martinis. The menu features riffs on well-known iterations of the iconic cocktails, house specialties, and offers guests the option to create a bespoke martini. Options from the new menu include the Left Bank-inspired Rive Gauche (Citadelle gin, Dolin dry vermouth, Critone chardonnay and St. Germain); the Highland Whisper (Tanqueray n.10, Noilly Prat dry vermouth and Kilchoman scotch). 1350 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009; lucybardc.com

Spring in a Glass: Blue Duck Lounge and Blue Duck Tavern have new spring cocktails just in time for the arrival of warmer weather. Newcomer libations from the bar include the Under Pressure with Mandarin-infused vodka, Combier, Basil Eau Di Vie, black pepper syrup and lime juice, garnished with dehydrated mandarin and espelette-mandarin sugar rim; So Long, Farewell with Hendricks gin, toasted black pepper syrup, lemon juice, basil leaves and two slices of cucumbers, muddled; and more. 1201 24th St NW; blueducktavern.com

What Is Game Night?: Astro Beer Hall recently introduced the interactive and team-based JEOPARDY! Bar League to its weekly event lineup. Every Thursday beginning at 7:30pm only at the DC location, Jeopardy enthusiasts can join the beer hall to play two hours of Jeopardy emceed by trained hosts, featuring official Jeopardy content and chances to win prizes. Try local brews such as The Hopfheiser Brewing Company’s Old Time Lager and Solace Brewing Company’s seasonal Bloom Goes the Dynamite, available for a limited time this spring. Hand-crafted cocktails and mocktails are also available alongside seltzers and wines by the glass.  1306 G St NW, Washington, DC 20005; astrobeerhall.com

Italian’s Back on NY Ave: Rosselli has opened with Michelin-starred chef Carlos Cardona as the executive chef. The Italian name Rosselli literally means "rose," the flower. 1100 New York Ave, NW; Rosselli.com

New & Improved: Mélange, Chef Elias Taddesse's celebrated restaurant in Shaw, today announced a new partnership with Lou Bernard, Beverage Director of Michelin-starred Mita, to lead and reimagine the restaurant's bar and service program. All offerings are backed by a cocktail program that includes creative expressions like the kibbeh-washed Old Fashioned, a nod to Taddesse’s culinary heritage and innovation. 2108 8th St. NW; melangefoods.com

Virginia is for Lager Lovers:  Virginia Tourism Corporation and Devils Backbone Brewing Company have a new partnership surrounding Devils Backbone’s flagship beer, Vienna Lager: a collaborative “Virginia is for Lager Lovers” logo will appear across all Vienna Lager packaging beginning in April 2026. The co-branded “Virginia is for Lager Lovers” campaign is a spin on the iconic original logo and slogan, “Virginia is for Lovers,” first introduced in 1969. dbbrewingcompany.com

Beer. Shuttle. Game.: Atlas Brew Works and Redbrick are making game day easier with a complimentary shuttle service for all weekend Washington Nationals home games in April, including this Friday’s Home Opener (April 3). Running Friday through Sunday, the shuttle will transport guests from Bridge District directly to Nationals Park. Pickup will be conveniently located right outside the Atlas Bridge District Brewery & Tap Room, with drop-off near the First Base line along Potomac Ave SE.

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

Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves: Annabelle’s Alison Paige Sachs: This March, in honor of Women’s History Month, Annabelle in Kalorama is spotlighting women leaders in wine and spirits with a month-long, all-female by-the-glass program. Wine Director Alison Paige Sachs curated a global selection of wines made and/or owned by women from France, Argentina, Australia, Spain, Italy, and the U.S., including standout producers from Château La Freynelle, Vasse Felix, Susana Balbo Wines, Jansz Tasmania, and Canard-Duchêne.  2132 Florida Avenue, NW, 20008; annabelledc.com

NOT NEW, BUT NOTEWORTHY: 

C’mon Get Happy (Happy Hour Alert): The Dabney Cellar is the casual offspring of the MICHELIN-starred The Dabney’s award-winning bar program. This hidden, underground English basement space serves Happy Hour from 5-7pm on Wed- Sat ft $10 classic cocktails including martinis, old fashioneds, g&t, and more, $10 wine, $12 Boilermaker with local lager and a pour it amaro dell’etna, and $10 off full dozen oysters. 1222 9th Street; thedabneycellar.com

Arak without Alcohol: At Tapori, Bar Director EJ Apaga set out to challenge the predictable world of spirit-free cocktails, and to create something that truly drinks like an extraordinary adult beverage. Frustrated with the current state of non-alcoholic cocktails, which often use lemonade, ginger or capsaicin as a base, he drew from his experience with Arak. The result, after three months of refinement, is the Pom Star Soda: a sparkling, crystal-clear, non-alcoholic arak-inspired drink with layered spice, balance, and a distinctly grown-up profile. 600 H Street NE; taporidc.com

Festival of Friendship: Inspired by the historic gift of cherry blossom trees from Japan to the U.S., Silver Lyan raises a glass to the spirit of friends near and far with their Festival of Friendship. Silver Lyan will welcome some of its favorite industry friends behind the bar for a limited-time menu of collaborative cocktails and snacks created alongside DC standouts Your Only Friend, Minibar, Moon Rabbit, and Bar Betsie. 900 F St NW, Washington, DC; riggsdc.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

Pink is In: Vera Cocina & بار, the acclaimed Lebanese and Mexican restaurant in Ivy City, is expanding its  curated experiences, uniting with sister venue Culture, to launch “Dine + Dance.” Dine + Dance allows you to have an immersive dining experience and step straight into the city’s most electric scene, without waiting in line. The Dine + Dance experience includes tableside ticket services, a complimentary signature Vera cocktail shot, a 15% discount off the check, and a personal escort to the show. veradc.com

C’mon Get Happy (Happy Hour Alert): Flight Club has a new happy hour. The revamped happy hour is now available introducing a refreshed menu daily from 4–6 p.m. Guests can enjoy $2 off all draft beer, liquor, and wine by the glass, plus specialty cocktails starting at $8. A highlight is the Jungle Bird cocktail ($8 during happy hour) and is a classic tiki drink originally created at the Aviary Bar at the Kuala Lumpur Hilton and is considered one of the last original tiki cocktails before the genre faded in the disco era. 641 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001; flightclubdartsusa.com

Martini Hour (Happy Hour Alert):  Elegancia has a new Martini Hour, a stylish and elevated take on the classic happy hour, celebrating the timeless cocktail through a Latin lens. From Tuesday through Friday, you can enjoy a curated selection of handcrafted martinis for $10 each, including the Mango Martini, the Espresso de Olla Martini, and a Classic Vodka or Gin Martini. 1280 4th St NE, Washington, DC 20002; Elegancia.com