What To Choose, What To Choose: Best Area Bevvies

Summer drinking season in the DMV looks a little different than the rest of the year - and no matter what the calendar says, we are still here for it all. 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
- 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 

Rustico Oktoberfest: Rustico is transforming its bar and patio into a Bavarian-inspired beer hall and garden for Oktoberfest on September 19 from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. The free celebration will feature 8 rare and seasonal Märzens, Festbiers, and other German-style brews, plus live Oompah music from The Alpine Players from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and the annual stein-hoisting contest. Bavarian-inspired food specials include beer bratwurst, pork schnitzel, jumbo pretzels with beer cheese, käsespätzle, sauerbraten, and Black Forest cake, with more available à la carte; rusticorestaurant.com

2nd Annual Café Diem: The second annual Annapolis Coffee Crawl returns September 27 through October 4, bringing together more than 30 cafés, bakeries, restaurants, and bars for 8 days of coffee-themed offerings around National Coffee Day. Atlas Restaurant Group spots The Admirals Cup, Marmo, and The Choptank will join the citywide celebration with nighttime coffee cocktails, while guests can use a free digital pass to explore participating locations throughout the crawl; visitannapolis.org

Snallygaster: The District's beloved craft beer festival returns October 10, taking over 4 blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue NW with 450+ beers from 175 breweries around the world. Along with rare pours and appearances by renowned brewers, guests can enjoy cider, wine, cocktails, live music, food from 25+ vendors, a Shop Made in DC makers market, games, and family-friendly activities. Tickets go on sale July 7 at 10:00 a.m., with proceeds supporting Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture and its mission to build a more equitable regional food system; snallygasterdc.com

Oyster Wars: Oyster Wars returns Sunday, October 11, bringing together oyster farmers, acclaimed chefs, and seafood lovers for an afternoon celebrating East Coast oyster culture. Guests can taste freshly shucked oysters from 10 farms spanning Maryland, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Maine, alongside dishes from chefs including Kyle Bailey, Gabe Erales, Manuel Perez, Seng Luangrath, Reid Shilling, and more. VIP entry begins at 2:00 p.m., with general admission from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., and a portion of ticket proceeds will benefit the Oyster Recovery Partnership and its Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. Early Bird tickets are $90.00 for VIP and $70.00 for general admission; thesaltline.com

Chefs for Equality: One of DC's premier culinary fundraisers returns October 19 with this year's "United Plates of America" theme, bringing together top local chefs, mixologists, and restaurateurs for collaborative dinners benefiting the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Hosted across six venues, the event features chef-driven dinners, cocktail pairings, and a new dedicated cocktail experience at Silver Lyan. Tickets are on sale now; chefsforequality.org

NEW & NOTEWORTHY: 

Yes, We Like Coladas: Fall Edition: Colada Shop is welcoming fall with a limited-time menu blending Cuban flavors with seasonal favorites. New sips include the Plantain Spiced Latte, Churro Café con Leche, Banana Espresso Martini, and playful Cuban Sandwich Martini, while the food lineup features Mushroom Croquetas, Plantain Soup, Pastelón “Cuban Lasagna,” Calabaza Muffin, and Flan de Coco. The fall menu is available now at all Colada Shop locations while supplies last; coladashop.com

Benjamin Leroux Volnay 2017, Anyone?: Advanced Sommelier Chris Ray is making rare, high-level wines more accessible at the Georgetown neo-bistro by opening special cellar selections typically offered only by the bottle. Recent pours have included Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé from magnum for $35.00 a glass and Benjamin Leroux Volnay 2017 for $45.00 a glass, with additional cellar selections pulled semi-weekly on weekdays; lutecedc.com

2026 Is Going To Be An Exceptional Year for Champagne: Following the earliest harvest ever recorded in Champagne, the Comité Champagne is reporting an encouraging outlook for the 2026 vintage. Despite historic spring frosts, drought, and 5 summer heatwaves, grapes arrived healthy, ripe, and well-balanced, with notable freshness, concentration, fruit intensity, and finesse. While it is still too early to assess the finished wines, the organization says the harvest has the potential to produce great, and potentially very great, Champagnes, with the raw material’s balance recalling historic vintages including 1921, 1947, and 1959; champagne.fr

Arak Lovers, Take Note: NAJA is celebrating its 1st anniversary on September 22 with a new beverage program inspired by founder Tariq Alaeddin’s family, childhood, and Middle Eastern heritage. New cocktails include the Banana Habibi with aged rum, banana, date syrup, and tahini orgeat and the Beirut to Manhattan with rye, fig leaf vermouth, walnut liqueur, and baharat bitters. The menu also introduces Sifr, a zero-proof program with an equal number of non-alcoholic and alcoholic cocktails, plus a new tableside arak service featuring selections from Lebanon alongside Turkish raki; najamediterranean.com

Penn State Class on Wine: Penn State Extension is offering “Winemaking Basics: The Art and Science Behind Quality Production,” a new self-paced online course for beginning winemakers, grape growers, and winery staff. The approximately 8-hour course covers fermentation, wine chemistry, red and white wine processing, filtration, sanitation, bottling, sensory evaluation, and preventing common wine faults, with a certificate available upon successful completion. Registration is $314.25, with a 25% discount for those who register before January 2027, and the course can also count toward Penn State’s Food Science Certificate Program; extension.psu.edu

A Beautiful Australian Wine Passport: Beauty is bringing 6 weeks of Austrian wine, tastings, travel stories, and interactive programming to National Landing from September 4 through October 16. Inspired by owner Zena Polin’s recent wine trip to Austria, the celebration kicks off with a tasting featuring Austrian wine importer and expert Klaus Wittauer, along with the launch of the Beauty Austrian Wine Passport. Throughout the promotion, guests can earn entries toward a magnum of Weingut Steininger sparkling wine by tasting and purchasing Austrian wines, attending events, listening to Austrian-focused episodes of Beauty’s When You Just Want a Glass of Wine podcast, and more. September’s Bellezza Wine Club will also spotlight bottles selected during Polin’s trip, giving guests a deeper look at Austrian grapes, winemakers, and regions; beautychampagneandsugar.com

No PSL Here: The Fountain Inn is welcoming fall with a new cocktail menu pairing classic techniques with stories inspired by Washington, D.C. Highlights include the Rebellious Old Fashioned infused with baking spices and a choice of whiskey, the Vanilla Beane Highball with vodka cream soda and strawberry coconut foam, and the Sam “The Man” Burns Grasshopper Ramos with crème de cacao, crème de menthe, whipping cream, and egg white; fountaininndc.com

Sounds Disgusting: La Merna’s smoky Coffee & Cigarettes cocktail offers a playful finish to dinner, combining smoked amaro, espresso, and nutmeg. Inspired by nights spent in Chicago taverns and Roman terrazze, the drink is even served with a cigarette to enjoy on the walk home; lamernadc.com

National Bourbon Heritage Month at Jack Rose Dining Saloon: Jack Rose is celebrating National Bourbon Heritage Month throughout September with a month of tastings, cocktail specials, bourbon-infused dishes, and special events. Guests can sip rotating $12.00 bourbon cocktails, including an Old Fashioned, Bourbon Espresso Martini, and Milk Punch, alongside complimentary Monday tastings and dishes like Whiskey Wings and Bourbon Glazed Pork Belly. Special events include a September 13 summer releases tasting, Brunch with Jim Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe on September 20, and a Vintage Bourbon Tasting on September 27 featuring bottles from the 1970s and ’80s; jackrosediningsaloon.com

A Little Bit Will Do Ya: A new subterranean cocktail den has opened beneath Barrel on Capitol Hill, bringing an intimate 32-seat bar and cocktail program from lead bartender Decker Beasley, formerly of Service Bar and Bresca. The menu pairs personal, inventive drinks like the Garden Girls with gin, honeydew, lime, and chamomile ash salt and Skipping School with aged rum, mezcal, cornbread honey, and citrus-milk punch, alongside classics and a customizable tableside Martini Service. Guests can also order from Barrel’s extensive whiskey collection and snack on Charcuterie and Biscuits, Grilled Cheese, Tinned Fish, and Shrimp Ceviche; thebitdc.com

Prost! Oktoberfest Alert: Prost kicks off more than 2 weeks of Oktoberfest festivities on September 19 with a traditional wooden keg tapping, complimentary beer while the keg lasts, Bundesliga Brunch, and plenty of lederhosen and dirndls. Celebrations continue through October 4 with Oktoberfest trivia, Puptoberfest, stein-hoisting competitions, German beer and cocktail takeovers, live music, weekend brunches, giveaways, and more. Guests can also catch special pours from Paulaner, Weihenstephaner, Hacker-Pschorr, and B. United throughout the celebration; prostdc.com; Click here to view our calendar for more information on specific events.

Winetoberfest: Lulu’s Winegarden is welcoming fall with the return of Winetoberfest from September 18 through November 8, transforming its indoor and outdoor spaces with grape vines, gourds, harvest baskets, and amber-hued foliage. The seasonal pop-up pairs the décor with German, Austrian, and Alsatian wines, cowboy boots filled with Festbier, and fall cocktails like pumpkin pie Negronis, apple cider margaritas, and Concord grape spritzes. The festivities also include a CRUSH walkaround tasting on September 20, featuring unlimited tastes of 25+ fall wines, all-you-can-eat breakfast tacos, and discounted take-home bottles for $55.00 per person, with sessions at 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.; luluswinegarden.com

Oktoberfest Starts in September: Atlas Brew Works is celebrating the release of its seasonal Festbier with 3 days of Oktoberfest festivities across its DMV taprooms September 10–12. The celebrations kick off at Atlas Navy Yard on September 10, followed by Atlas Alexandria on September 11 and Atlas Bridge District on September 12, with $5.00 Festbier pints, $9.99 6-packs, discounted beer, live Oompah bands, and limited-edition Festbier steins. Bridge District will also serve a special Oktoberfest menu featuring brats, sauerkraut, and giant pretzels. The 6.1% ABV Festbier, a lighter and hoppier take on a traditional Oktoberfest beer, is also available at all three taprooms; atlasbrewworks.com

NOT NEW, BUT NOTEWORTHY: 

Raise a Glass of Bourbon: The Fountain Inn is celebrating National Bourbon Heritage Month throughout September with special bourbon-focused offerings. Sip the Dirty Bourbon Pumpkin Spice Latte ($19.00) or bring the celebration home with Provenance at Home ($150.00), featuring 2 Fountain Inn single-barrel bourbon selections and a Glencairn glass.; fountaininndc.com

A Manhattan with a Pittsburgh Twist: Pittsburgh-based Wigle Whiskey has released a ready-to-serve Manhattan that brings Pennsylvania rye back to the classic cocktail historically built around the regional whiskey style. The bottled cocktail combines Wigle’s Pennsylvania rye with Little City Sweet Vermouth, a New York-made vermouth crafted with 53 botanicals, and can be served simply over ice with a cherry. At 34% ABV, the 750 ml bottle is priced at $35.00 and features notes of cherry, bitters, and charred orange. It is available at Wigle’s Pittsburgh locations and online for shipping within Pennsylvania and DC; wiglewhiskey.com

Scene and Be Seen: Chef Michael Mina’s flagship restaurant inside the Four Seasons Hotel Washington DC has unveiled its newly redesigned Bourbon Lounge, marking the restaurant’s first major renovation since opening in 2008. Inspired by Georgetown’s historic residential salons, the new standalone lounge pairs an intimate setting with inventive cocktails like the Bourbon Steak Rob Roy and Capital City Margarita and elevated bar fare including Mina’s signature Bone Marrow Burger, truffle popcorn, Wagyu skewers, and lamb kafta “pops”; fourseasons.com

Barrel of Fun: Capitol Hill’s longtime whiskey bar has refreshed its cocktail and food menus, putting a new spin on classics while staying rooted in its whiskey and bourbon expertise. New drinks include the Brown Butter Old Fashioned, Black Manhattan, Freezer Martini, and tiki-inspired Port Light, alongside updated food offerings like Biscuits and Charcuterie, a Fried Cod Sandwich, and new bar snacks. Happy hour runs Monday through Thursday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and Friday beginning at 2:00 p.m., with discounted Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, whiskey, beer, wine, and bites. The weeknight lineup also brings $10.00 Mystery Happy Meals every Monday, featuring a surprise beer, shot, and toy, plus rotating cocktail specials throughout the week; barreldc.com

Get a Clue: McClellan’s Retreat is leaning into nostalgia with a limited-time Clue-inspired cocktail menu available throughout September and October, with drinks referencing characters and game pieces from the classic mystery. On October 18, the bar will host a free Clue movie watch party, with doors at 3:00 p.m. and the film beginning at 4:00 p.m. The menu also features the savory Wadsworth, made with tequila, mezcal, dry vermouth, house-made tomato cheong, and house brine, with $1.00 from every Wadsworth sold donated to PBS in honor of Tim Curry; mcclellansretreat.com

Sake Club at Perry’s: Perry’s latest Sake Club release explores “Effervescent, Unfiltered, & Unpasteurized: The Dynamic Side of Ginjo.” Curated by James Beard Award-winning Chef Masako Morishita and sake expert Devin Sparks, the $98.00 collection includes two 720ml bottles showcasing distinctive ginjo styles, with a premium sparkling nigori available as a $72.00 add-on. Members also receive 10% off their Perry’s check on pickup day, with boxes available September 2 from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m.; perrysam.com