After a day in the cold, whether skiing fresh powder on Aspen Mountain, skinning up Tiehack or Nordic skiing Northstar Preserve, there’s no quicker way to warm up than a hot drink. All over Aspen, you’ll find winter warmers—everything from mezcal-infused hot chocolate to mulled wine. Here are four of our favorites.
Clark’s Oyster Bar’s Hot Toddy
Clark’s Aspen has become an Aspen institution for all things seafood, including freshly shucked oysters, crudo, lobster rolls, daily fish specials, caviar and blini, and bowls of chowder and cioppino. Clark’s warm and intimate dining room (including a centerpiece fireplace) and marble oyster bar are famous for apres-ski cocktails, like Clark’s Hot Toddy. The warm beverage features Laird’s Apple Brandy, Old Forester Bourbon, Hamilton Pimento Dram, local honey and fresh lemon juice. Just sip the warm yourself from the inside out. 517 E. Hyman Ave.,clarksoysterbar.com
Limelight Snowmass’ Chai Hot Toddy.
This slightly spicy hot toddy variation combines classic ingredients like hot water, bourbon, lemon and honey. Still, it features a robust flavor by swapping water for chai tea and lemon for orange. Enjoy the toddy in the Limelight Lounge, a buzzing and family-friendly spot for gathering, connecting and enjoying some of Aspen’s best live music. 355 S. Monarch St.,limelighthotels.com
While Ellina is highly regarded for its award-winning wine list—featuring over 2,500 bottles curated by owner/sommelier Jill Carnevale—its bar is a hot spot for cocktails. Located on the Hyman Avenue walking mall, the modern Italian restaurant features a cozy stone-walled dining room where loyal guests dine on housemade pasta, artichoke heart bruschetta, braised short ribs, chicken Milanese and more. Lively conversation fills the air at the horseshoe bar over birria or tempura squash tacos. Willy pours delicious cocktails, like his perfectly balanced Paper Plane or the green-as-a-garden La Boca del Diablo. But in winter, order Ellina’s hot tea toddy, which combines perfectly steeped Earl Grey tea from single-origin Ceylon and bergamot with Buffalo Trace whiskey, lemon and local honey. 430 E. Hyman Ave. Downstairs,ellinaaspen.com
Declared “America’s Best Hot Chocolate” several times over, the cocoa at The Little Nell is almost as famous as the five-star, five-diamond hotel itself. Just as popular with locals (and little locals) as with visitors, the decadent delight combines Valrhona’s single-origin chocolate, cocoa powder, half-and-half, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt. Perhaps the most loved addition, the hot chocolate, is topped with a jumbo-sized housemade marshmallow and clouds of whipped cream as soft as fresh snow. Adults can spice up the drink with Amaretto, Bailey’s or Frangelico. 675 E. Durant Ave.,thelittlenell.com
Photography by: PHOTO: COURTESY OF BRAND; PHOTO: BY SHAWN O’CONNOR
