A lot has changed since March, but one of the happiest pieces of news came out of Austin. On March 18, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a waiver allowing restaurants to sell alcohol, including beer, wine and cocktails, with takeout food purchases. According to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, these beverages can be sold unopened or in a preparation kit that customers can mix at home.
“The state of Texas is committed to supporting retailers, restaurants and their employees," Abbott says in a statement. "These waivers will allow restaurants to provide enhanced delivery options to consumers during this temporary period of social distancing."
Chill Bar and Grill in Grapevine makes at-home brunch easy with its $15 mimosa and bloody mary kits. The bar also offers $30 green tea kits, which feature Jameson Irish Whisky, peach schnapps and two ZingZang sweet and sour mixes.
Chill Bar director of operations Julia Sizemore says there are three stipulations to being able to serve alcohol takeout – you have to have a mixed beverage license, you have to sell it alongside a food purchase and you can sell liquor in no larger than .375 milliliter bottles.
“If you have a mixed beverage license, you can’t sell mixed beverages to go,” Julia iterates. “Everything has to be in its original packaging. I can sell a bottle of champagne and orange juice separately. I can’t pour and mix a Jack and coke. That’s against the TABC parameters.”
Keller’s FnG Eats also jumped on the bandwagon by offering its craft beer and wine selection to takeout customers. On top of those bottles, FnG also offers a few of its signature cocktails like its bloody mary, crafted with chile-infused Tito’s Vodka, and blood orange margarita, which contains 4 Citrus and Sauza Gold Tequila. Guests can also enjoy the Sip It, made with Jim Beam Bourbon, lemonade and mint-infused agave. For a drink that represents the time, FnG rolled out the COVID (not) Punch, a combination of Bacardi Rum, blood orange, mango, lime and agave.
“The COVID (not) Punch was just having fun, trying to make you smile a little bit about having a cocktail while being in quarantine,” FnG Eats owner Bob Stephenson muses. “We’re really happy the governor relaxed those TABC restrictions. It helped keep us moving while all this is going on.”
If you are looking to liven up your backyard happy hour, get a little help from the patio experts by ordering food and drinks from HG Sply Co. in Trophy Club. The healthy eatery offers cocktail packages that can make up to six servings each. Its top-shelf margarita mixes come with a .375 milliliter bottle of tequila, while its Moscow mules and cucumber and strawberry smashes are packaged alongside either vodka or gin.
Perry’s Steakhouse and Grille in Grapevine also carries cocktail kits that include six servings. The Bourbon Bloom comes with St. Germain liqueur and freshly muddled blackberries while the Cucumber Blueberry comes with flavored vodka, fresh lime and cranberry juice. The Smoky Rita mix is combined with reposado tequila and orange liqueur with agave nectar for a sweet yet spiky flavor, and the Perry Berry Mule mixes vodka, strawberries, lemon juice and ginger ale together for a revitalizing finish. And you could never go wrong with a Jameson Mocha Old Fashioned, which brings Irish whiskey, mole bitters and house-made coffee syrup together for a strong, bold taste.
But Perry’s isn’t the only local steakhouse that now offers its cocktails to go. Boi Na Braza Brazilian Steakhouse sells its Brazilian margarita cocktail, made from Brazilian Cachaça, as individual drinks or by the gallon. And with its wine available for 50% off, it’s easy to find a bottle to accompany your hearty feast. Vino lovers have plenty of local options for discounted wine including Del Frisco’s Grille, Next Bistro and Coal Vines.
Also located in Grapevine, Fireside Pies offers three cocktail kits. For a classic, order the Moscow mule kit, accompanied by Tito’s Vodka. Bright flavors can be found in its Grapefruit Rickey, which also comes with the Texas-crafted spirit. For something a little different, try its Red Passion Fruit Sangria, featuring lambrusco, brandy and its signature sangria mix.
Besides offering 17 different wine varietals and 45 brews in 32-64 oz. growlers, Craft and Vine Taproom and Eatery in Roanoke also offers five refreshing cocktails for carryout. Mixing Deep Eddy Grapefruit Vodka and fresh grapefruit juice with rosemary-jalapeno syrup creates the sweet yet Spicy Ruby, while Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila and fresh lemon and orange juice make up the Oak St. Margarita.
Fresh lemon juice can also be mixed with either Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka or Jim Beam Bourbon to craft the Lemon Drop and Trillionaire cocktails. Throwing pineapple juice and Bacardi Rum into the mix produces the Vaccine – though maybe not the one you’re hoping for.
If you’ve been craving a good bleu cheese-stuffed olive martini, then The Classic Cafe in Roanoke has got you covered. With individual sale items including Tito’s Vodka and roasted garlic-stuffed olives, you have access to all the staples needed for a stocked bar.
Locals can still enjoy their favorite mixed drinks in the comfort of their own home thanks to Herencia Texican Cuisine’s margarita packages, which includes 21 oz. of margarita mix and Sauza Gold Tequila. Whether it’s frozen or on the rocks, Herencia’s margaritas highlight different fruits such as orange, prickly pear and passion fruit, offering a variety of flavor combinations.
Grapevine’s Mi Dia From Scratch also offers margaritas featuring Exotico Silver Tequila and Triple Sec 8, either frozen or on the rocks. Guests can also add in its housemade sangria for a Jalisco twist. Delucca Gaucho Pizza offers fruity options such as mango habanero, blackberry and passion fruit margaritas in both single serving and liter quantities, along with its wine and beer selection. But if you have a hankering for its signature drink, rest assured Delucca is also selling its beloved caipirinhas.
Besides offering 50% off on over 140 of its exquisite wine choices, il Calabrese Ristorante and Bar in Southlake has also rolled out its new drink kit lineup. Whether you enjoy its calabria pepper bloody mary or a traditional mimosa, there’s plenty to get excited about on its cocktail menu. Guests can also try something new with the Citrus Moscow Mule, which features Cointreau liqueur and Gosling’s ginger beer.
The Sagamore Rye Old Fashioned features whiskey, fruit syrup and orange bitters, while mixing Western Son blueberry vodka with lemon juice makes the Blueberry Lemon Drop. The margarita mixes aren’t a joke either with Herradura Reposado Tequila, Cointreau and the house-made sour mix.
Taverna Rossa also offers a mean cocktail lineup, including its newest beverage, the Honey Bear made with Wheatley Vodka, Giffard apricot brandy, raspberry honey and pineapple. The Strawberry Agave Limeade comes with Casa Noble reposado and Italicus strawberry agave, while the Lemon Basil Crush pairs Deep Eddy-infused vodka with grapefruit and yellow chartreuse.
The Rossa Mule and Rossarita are at your disposal; all that’s left is to decide between its infused bourbon or tequila. For a refreshing, sippable drink, try the Preston Rd., made with Skyy Vodka, St. Germain liqueur, fresh grapefruit and cherries.
This new wave of drinks to go came about during not only a hard time for restaurants but also for the general public, helping provide a little bit of ease and maybe even a sense of normalcy for those who enjoy a craft cocktail every once in a while. Because while customers are able to enjoy these quality drinks even while sheltering in place, restaurants are able to make up a little more of their average income. FnG’s Bob believes that this step can benefit the Texas economy as a whole, even after people start dining in local eateries again.
“When this is over, I think we need to be pushing to keep this,” Bob expresses. “I think it’s time to start loosening up a little bit of those regulations when it comes to creating different revenue streams for the state of Texas. If the TABC will allow us to sell alcohol after all this is done and come up with guidelines everybody can live with, I would love it.”