Get Your Warming Winter Drink Fix at These Spots

Katie Coy, Managing Editor | Nov 4, 2025 4:30 pm | Add a comment | 99 reads

It is officially winter drink season in Beijing! As usual, there are numerous spots around the city offering a range of warming winter beverages to make you all nice and cozy, and here we've picked out a few of our favorites.

The Local

The Local recently launched their hot drinks menu, with the return of classics like their Mulled Wine (RMB 45) and Hot Toddys (RMB 50), which you can choose to have with whisky or rum. They've also got two new options. The first is the Winter Zinger (RMB 55); served hot, it combines Grand Marnier, honey, lemon and orange. Then they've got the Harvest Apple Margarita (RMB 60), which, although it is served cold, has warming flavors, with mezcal mixed with orange liqueur, apple, maple syrup and rosemary.

The Local Cocktail Bar & Eatery
101, 1/F, Southeast Side of Bldg 80, Zone E, Courtyard No. 4, Gongrentiyuchang Beilu, Nansanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区南三里屯路工体北路4号院80号楼E区东南侧1间101号1层
Hours: Daily, 11am-midnight

Side Street

Side Street now serves hot drink specials at both their branches. They've got alcoholic options like Mulled Wine and a Hot Toddy on the menu, and then for non-alcoholic options, they've got Hot Chocolate and Hot Honeyed Milk, the latter of which was famously featured in Studio Ghibli's Ponyo and simply combines hot milk with a dash of honey.

Side Street (Jianguomen branch)
Bldg N28 2/101-102 17 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District (behind Nola)
朝阳区建国门外大街17号楼2/101-102（Nola后面）
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 135 2195 8643

Side Street Jiaodaokou
113-02 Jiaodaokou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
东城区交道口东大街113-02
Hours: Sun-Thu 10am-midnight, Fri-Sat 10am-1am
Phone: 176 0088 1832

Slowboat

Slowboat winter warmer drinks menu this year includes Mulled Wine (RMB 50) and Hot Choco (RMB 55/classic; RMB 60/rum). This time around, they are also doing Party Size Mulled Wine (RMB 120, three servings), which comes in a pretty little thermos, and you can get it to take away for an additional RMB 50. Their Mulled Wine is available across all Slowboat locations; however, the Hot Choco is only available at their Maizidian and Shichahai branches.

Q MEX

This past weekend, Q MEX just launched their Mulled Wine (RMB 45) for the season. It keeps things simple with spices like star anise and cinnamon and a slice of lemon. It's now available across all Q MEX branches.

Great Leap

This offering is not a hot drink, but a seasonal special. Great Leap has recently introduced a new beer called the Crimson Berry Stout. Described as a “tale of two seasons in one glass,” it brings the warm embrace of a classic stout with the infusion of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and black currants, adding a gentle hint of summertime.

The change of season also sees the return of their IPA Beer Dictator, a bold, sweet, malty brew whose 12 percent ABV is sure to fortify you against the chill. Both beers are now available across all Great Leap locations.