The Paseo Rose or the White Linen at Libation Room
If you don’t want to be that person who tells the bartender to make you “a pretty drink,” yet that’s what you really want, try one of the signature Tanqueray gin cocktails at Libation Room. The pink Paseo Rose adds lime, agave, muddled strawberries, and elderflower foam, while the golden White Linen adds elderflower, lemon, muddled cucumbers, and egg white. Either one sets you up for a summery gin punch.
73750 El Paseo, Palm Desert
877-869-8891
libationroom.com
Coconut lovers will hone in on the creamy, dreamy Coconut Cloud martini.
The Coconut Cloud Martini at Tommy Bahama
Is it foolhardy to try to narrow down the Tommy Bahama drink list to one summer favorite? If you’re able, try them all. It’s a cocktail menu bursting with tropical flavors. Amid Tommy’s renditions of sangrias and pina coladas, margaritas, and mojitos, coconut lovers will hone in on the creamy, dreamy Coconut Cloud. “One of our restaurants’ best-selling cocktails, this strong-yet-light martini is the ultimate dessert in a glass,” the brand suggests. For their “creamy wallop of coconut and vanilla flavors,” two rums and Stoli Vanil vodka relax in a glass with cream of coconut and toasted coconut topping.
73595 El Paseo, Suite B1212, Palm Desert
760-836-0188
tommybahama.com
The Hope Diamond looks like Elizabeth Taylor in a coupe glass.
The Hope Diamond at Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
Serving “cocktails with attitude,” this surf-and-turf giant divides its creations into three personality traits. One day you might need fortitude (remastered classics that build strength of character, like the Smoked Old Fashioned, which sneaks a dash of chocolate bitters into your bourbon). Another day finds you clinging to your staunch idealism (drinks that strike a perfect “balance of tart, sweet, and crisp”). For moods when only decadence will do, the Hope Diamond looks like Elizabeth Taylor in a coupe glass. The satiny purple concoction of Grey Goose vodka and grapefruit liqueur draws its sensuous color from butterfly pea flower tea (a blue-hued herbal tea), finished with a dramatic purple diamond-shaped ice cube.
73040 El Paseo, Palm Desert
760-340-9455
eddiev.com
The Blackberry Buck and The Coconut Tiki at Sullivan's Steakhouse.
The Blackberry Buck and The Coconut Tiki at Sullivan’s Steakhouse
Seven martinis join their signature ‘tini called The Knockout, a hot-weather staple of mandarin vodka infused with fresh pineapple. While the AC still blasts, try these other two ways to cool down: The Blackberry Buck combines Kentucky-made Knob Creek bourbon with fresh lemon, ginger beer, and fresh blackberries. The Coconut Tiki is a Caribbean fantasy of Bacardi Superior Rum, mango purée, and crème of coconut.
73505 El Paseo, Suite 2600, Palm Desert
760-341-3560
sullivanssteakhouse.com/palm-desert
The Venue Tini at The Venue Sushi Bar & Sake Lounge
This El Paseo sushi destination celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2021. That calls for a (belated) drink! To pair with your rolls of choice, The Venue has a well-edited cocktail list in addition to extensive Japanese beer, sake, and wine offerings. Most in-house spins on classic recipes for the margarita, old fashioned, and mule include soju as a key ingredient. (The low-alcohol spirit has been distilled in Korea for centuries using rice, other grains, or even sweet potatoes.) For ultimate refreshment, try the Venue Tini. The sweet-and-sour flavors awaken your tastebuds in a mix of soju, sake, and fresh cucumber with simple syrup and lime sour.
73111 El Paseo, Suite 103, Palm Desert
760-346-1500
thevenuepalmdesert.com