There’s nothing like starting your morning breakfast with a sweet sip. Our top two contenders vying for the title of the true fall drink are the pumpkin spice latte, and hard apple spiked cider. While the former has pumpkin (a big plus) and caffeine, the latter has alcohol—a slight advantage, we’d say. Get your fill of all the warm fuzzy feelings of fall by visiting one of these watering holes for a cup of apple spiked cider in Chicago. Some of these establishments alter their menu by the day, so consult their daily menus before going!
1. Cafe Robey, Wicker Park
Cafe Robey is your seasonal food and Halloween bar destination in Wicker Park. As for libations, Robey has a keen talent for extracting fall flavors and using them to concoct the most wonderful beverages.
From their Bourbon-spiked apple cider topped with maple whipped cream hot chocolate to their mulled wine, Horchatty Kathy cocktail, and Robey Old Fashioned, Cafe Robey will set you up nicely. Additionally, the cafe offers a delicious assortment of brunch, dinner, and dessert options based on the season’s harvest!
2. Lonesome Rose, Logan Square
Hit the patio or rooftop at the Lonesome Rose while the weather lets you. We’re not sure how well apple cider pairs with Baja Fish Tacos or Lonesome Vegetarian Burritos, but we’re sure it goes freakin’ excellent with a plate of warm, crispy churros!
3. Parson’s Chicken & Fish, Various Locations
If, for some reason, you’re unfamiliar with Parson’s Chicken & Fish, you’re probably thinking to yourself: “A chicken and fish joint, eh? They must have bangin’ hot cider,” and for that, friend, you would be correct.
Their House Mulled Cider comes with bourbon, brandy, rum, or Zubrowka, but if you want to switch things up, Parson’s also delivers on-fire Hot Toddys. Furthermore, if you’re at Parson’s and not chomping down on their Hot Chicken Sandwich, you’d be doing your taste buds a significant injustice.
4. Billy Sunday, Logan Square
Known for their award-winning adventurous “spirits,” Billy Sunday in Logan Square can whip up several autumn cocktails with their own personal flair. From frothing-over-the-top Butterbeer to pumpkin/apple-infused cocktails made straight from the gourd, the bar’s fall cocktail menu is made for sweater weather.
5. Racine Plumbing, Lincoln Park
For many, fall means football. If Sundays are for Chicago sports bar, you can catch the game at Racine Plumbing with a burger, side of wings, and other pub favorites. Come the time of the fall and winter months, the bar adds a few holiday touches to its cocktail menu, with hot toddy, mulled wine, gin and cider-infused cocktails, and heart-warming hot chocolate libations. Be warned, if any New York sports team rivals yours, you might be walking into the lions’ den.
6. The Moonlighter, Logan Square
A friendly neighborhood bar in Logan Square, The Moonlighter, offers a menu of burgers, salads, starters, craft beer, ciders, and spirits. Among a series of crisp and refreshing cocktails, their fall libations include a hard apple cider likely best enjoyed on their dog-friendly patio.
7. Beatnik Chicago, Various Locations
Beatnik is up there as one of the most photogenic places to enjoy a warm fall sipper. Get warm inside their swanky, euro-bohemian digs in West Town, or catch some fresh air on their riverside patio in the Loop. In addition to an eclectic medley of dishes, Beatnik offers a myriad of cocktails that hit the spot.