Bottoms up: 7 drinks for your Valentine
Valentine’s Day: a day that explodes with orders of chocolate-covered everything, lavish dinners and, of course, a few cocktails. You could go traditional with flutes of champagne or a nice bottle of wine, or you could try specialty drinks made lovingly for you and yours on this special heartfelt day.
‘I get a kick out of you’
Cost: $9
Where: Motor Supply Company Bistro, 920 Gervais St. (803) 256-6687, www.motorsupplycobistro.com
Ingredients: Raspberries, tequila and amaretto
More: “A nice, decadent, colorful cocktail for Valentine’s Day,” said Josh Streetman, bar manager. “Tequila makes everyone happy, and raspberries make everyone warm.”
Signature flaming ‘Mayan’ coffee
Cost: $12
Where: Nonnah’s, 923 Gervais St. (803) 779-9599, www.nonnahs.com
Ingredients: Dark French roast coffee from Charleston, brandy, rum, a cinnamon stick, orange zest and house-made whipped cream
More: “We love doing these on Valentine’s Day because they serve two,” said Greg Windsor, general manager and head bartender. “It’s a nice coffee to go with your dessert. It’s delicious.”
White chocolate raspberry truffle
Cost: $8
Where: Kaminsky’s, 930 Gervais St. (803) 550-9979, www.kaminskys.com
Ingredients: Vanilla vodka, Godiva white chocolate liquor and house-made raspberry sauce
More: “It’s a pretty versatile martini. Guys and girls order it,” said Corey Steranka, bar manager of Pearlz and Kaminsky’s. “The color comes off as a Valentine’s Day drink. We have a chocolate martini, but it doesn’t scream Valentine’s Day.”
The Lavender Kiss
Cost: $9
Where: Goat’s, 2017 Devine St. (803) 708-4495, www.goats2.com
Ingredients: Crème de Violette (a lavender-flavored spirit), lemon vodka and sparkling wine
More: “Everyone is doing something pink or red, so I wanted to do something different,” said Olando Patterson, proprietor of Goat’s. “This drink is light, refreshing and beautiful. All that’s left is serve and consume.”
The Bleeding Heart
Cost: $9
Where: Saluda’s, 751 Saluda Ave. (803) 799-9500, www.saludas.com
Ingredients: Rye whiskey, bourbon, blood orange juice and red wine
More: “Bourbon gives it the base, makes it nice and smooth. But I wanted to throw in rye whiskey to add another flavor to it,” said James Bryant, head bartender. “And then floating the red wine on top gives it a nice fruitiness.”
Chocolate-specific beer flights
For couples, there’s the “Choco-Sutra” flight and for singles, you have the “Drink Your Feelings” flight.
Costs: To be determined
Where: Flying Saucer, 931 Senate St. (803) 256-2055, www.beerknurd.com/stores/columbia/
Ingredients: A range of chocolate-infused beers
More: “You can fly away with your sweetheart while sipping the ‘choco-sutra flight’ or warm your heart by ‘drinking your feelings’ with more featured chocolate brews,” said Juno Davenport, beer manager.
All-night XOXO
Cost: $8
Where: Gervais & Vine, 620 Gervais St. (803) 799-8463, www.gervine.com
Ingredients: Ziya-infused rum (made in-house), hazelnut liqueur, RumChata and pomegranate liqueur topped with a cherry
More: “We’re known for being the number one date spot in Columbia for many reasons,” said Melanie Parker, manager. “We make the drinks that can keep you up.”
This story was originally published February 9, 2016 at 5:19 PM with the headline "Bottoms up: 7 drinks for your Valentine."