PHOENIX — Both Miracle and Sippin' Santa, two popular Christmas-themed pop-ups, have opened at two bars in downtown Phoenix in time for the holiday season.
And despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the uptick in cases in the state, both say they're implementing safety measures in line with the CDC and ADHS recommendations.
Miracle at 13th Floor, which features classic Christmas-themed cocktails and festive decorations, opened Nov. 18 at the Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Downtown Hotel, near Central Avenue and Monroe Street. Last year, Miracle was located at Blue Hound.
Sippin' Santa, which is a tiki-inspired Christmas pop-up with tiki cocktails, has returned to Bitter & Twisted, an award-winning cocktail bar near Jefferson Street and Central Avenue downtown. The pop-up launched on Nov. 24.
"There's absolutely nothing going on downtown at all. There's no events, there's no concerts, there's no nothing. And there's no reason for people to come downtown. It was a bit of a no-brainer bringing it back because it's got all of the trimmings of Christmas," said Ross Simon, owner of Bitter & Twisted, in a recent interview with ABC15.
"It's just giving people a reason to come downtown and kind of escape this mess if you will," he said.
In terms of safety precautions, Simon said he has reduced the number of tables and chairs inside his bar, which has transitioned to a restaurant in order to open, got rid of his bar starting, increased the circulation and filtration of his HVAC, added an Ionizer, uses digital menus, and limited people's experiences to 90 minutes.
Reservations are also highly, highly recommended, he said. Reservations can be made, here.
Up the street at the Hilton Garden Inn, Angie Horney, the director of sales at the hotel, said their 13th Floor bar and restaurant is "90%" outside.
She said they have reduced capacity below the mandated 50%, removed seats around the bar, and set-up the experience with six-foot distancing in mind. Hand sanitizer and safety signage are also located around the bar, she said.
Their pop-up will be open on a first-come, first-served basis. They are not taking reservations.
It is their first time hosting the Miracle pop-up.
"Phoenix was an open sport for this year...and we were able to jump onto that," she said in a recent interview with ABC15.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE MENU
Each pop-up has its own festival cocktails. Most cocktails range between $13-$16. Here is a sampling of
Miracle
Christmapolitan: vodka, Elderflower, dry vermouth, spiced cranberry sauce, rosemary, lime, absinthe mist
Snowball Old-Fashioned: Rye, vermouth, Angostura bitters, Wormwood bitters, orange essence
Dasher: Bourbon, mezcal, sweet vermouth, spiced hibiscus, lemon, Burlesque Bitters
Fruitcake Flip: Brandy, Jamaican overproof rum, amaretto, fruitcake, cherry, bitters, whole egg
SanTaReX: Tequila, Branca Menta, cacao, mezcal, Serrano, coconut, acid-adjusted pineapple
Sippin Santa
Runaway Sleigh: London Dry gin, cranberry-sage syrup, lime juice
Endless Summer Swizzle: Overproof rum, lime juice, Nutmeg syrup, Herbal liquors, Angostura Bitters
North Pole Punch: Bourbon, Overproof rum, Dark Jamaican rum, Creme de Banana, Maple syrup, Cinnamon syrup, lime juice
Parrot In A Pear Tree: Blanco tequila, pear liquor, Parrot mix, Black Walnut bitters, Apple Brandy, lime juice
Blitzen Bowl: Jamaican and Demerara rums, Allspice dram, Apricot brandy, Tuaca, ginger syrup, lime juice, Angostura bitters, Almond bitters (for two people)
In Arizona, restaurants, movie theaters, and bars are currently operating at 50% capacity, while gyms are operating at 25% capacity.
Some bars -- those with a series 6 or 7 licenses -- have been allowed to reopen, as long as they serve food. Others remain closed.
IF YOU GO:
Miracle at 13th Floor
Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Phoenix
15 E. Monroe Street, Phoenix AZ 85004
Hours: Monday - Thursday, 5 p.m. - 10 p.m., Friday - Saturday, 5 p.m. - midnight.
https://floor13rooftopbar.com
Sippin' Santa
Bitter & Twisted
1 W. Jefferson, Phoenix AZ 85003
Hours: Tuesday - Thursday, 4 p.m. - 10 p.m., Friday - Saturday, 4 p.m. - 11 p.m.
https://bitterandtwistedaz.com
