I love shopping, and nothing gets me more in the holiday spirit than shopping around Union Square in SF. I would say I have a lot more stamina to shop than others (looking at you Armando), but I know the secret to a great shopping session is to stay hydrated, carry snacks and take plenty of breaks.
If you brave the crowd at Union Square in San Francisco and are in need of a drink then you deserve to treat yourself to a fun holiday cocktail at the Top of the Mark Bar in the InterContinental Mark Hopkins hotel.
For the holiday season, the Top of the Mark bar has 13 holiday-themed cocktails based on the 12 Days of Christmas and one Christmas tradition. Armando and I spent Sunday brunch taste testing some of these specialty drinks along with their extensive brunch menu.
We had an incredible view of the city while sampling the Seven Swans a-swimming, Nine Ladies Dancing, Eight Maids a-milking, and The Mark Hopkins Nutcracker with our holiday brunch.
Our favorite from this tasting flight was the Eight Maids a-milking. This classic Christmas egg nog flavor is mixed with spiced rum, gingerbread syrup, hazelnut liqueur and topped with an anise star and nutmeg and cinnamon.
I loved the Seven Swans a-swimming, which is the Top of the Mark’s take on an espresso martini. Armando was not the biggest fan since he is not a coffee lover (gasp!), but we both enjoyed the Nine Ladies Dancing, which featured Lillet Blanc and cognac with lemon juice, cranberry sauce, and orange bitters.
The most surprising, and creative drink was The Nutcracker. This drink is made with activated charcoal and topped with a raspberry dusted with powdered sugar to evoke Santa leaving a lump of coal in your stocking. The activated charcoal is mixed with rum, fresh pineapple juice, agave, and fresh lime juice. Armando and I both left with that and the Eight Maids a-milking as our favorites. It would be tough for our next visit if we would order our top two again or branch out to try as many of the other remaining cocktails on the menu before the holidays are over.
The Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel has a full list of events throughout the holiday season in case you aren’t shopping in the area, but need another festive occasion to check out while you are in the City. Let me know if you’ve been to the top of the hotel before and enjoyed the view before. Have you had any of the other drinks from the 12 Days of Cocktails menu that you think we should try next time we are there? If not, which would you try?
Enjoy responsibly over the holidays and until next time,
