5 Bars in Canada Offering Take-out Cocktails

Written by Grayce Yuen

With local bar restrictions lifted, cocktail season is now in full swing! Canadians can return to enjoying their favourite drinks on local patios. While this may be the case I personally have gotten very comfortable with having quality prepared cocktails at my fingertips. That ready-made Margarita from my favourite bar in my fridge for nights when I work late or just want to have a boozy dinner at home have become deliciously convenient.

During the pandemic, the provincial governments allowed bars to sell alcohol to-go with food orders. Many bars batched cocktails with longer shelf-lives such as barrel-aged cocktails and milk punches which were perfect for accompanying dinner or for having a little at-home happy hour. By batching cocktails and selling them in multiple serving sizes, bars were able to continue to bring in revenue during lockdown.

“It has [also] allowed us to extend our offerings and develop our brands further. Bottled cocktails and kits have created another surface for us to showcase our ethos and brand art. It has definitely created some boundaries as far as what can be bottled and preserved and still taste good”, explains Drink Consultant, Farzam Fallah.

Though a large majority of bars have switched back to in-person drinks, there are still cocktail kits and bottled cocktails available for those not yet comfortable being out and about or for those who just want to have a cheeky drink at home.

Here are my top cocktail Bottle Shops still kicking it in Canada.

When I am asked for recommendations for a good cocktail, Mother Cocktail bar is definitely on the tip of my tongue. Located at Queen West and Crawford, this quaint bar is known for their spirit-forward cocktails, creativity, and knowledgeable bar keeps.

During lockdown, they opened a Bottle Shop with house and barrel-aged cocktails. Each order also comes with ice for the perfect dilution. Post-pandemic, the Mother Cocktail Bar Bottle Shop is still open online and barrel-aged cocktails are available for pick-up.

Address: 874 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1G3. @mothercocktailbar

Born from lockdown but still thriving this summer, the Grey Tiger Bottle Shop  offers a rotating variety of cocktails which can be ordered and delivered right to your door for only $8 per delivery. These come in single and multiple serving sizes and are delivered with a snack to accompany your drink.

Address: 1190 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6H 1N2. @greytigerto

For only $6, you can get a single serve Tamarindo Sour, Midnight Blue (blueberry, orange, and lime) or Tropic Like It’s Hot (pineapple, coconut, and lime) cocktail mix delivered with your fried chicken order on DoorDash.

If you’re willing to make the trek to Chinatown, you can also pick up cocktail kits and syrups with your chicken order! Though the syrups and drink mixes do not include alcohol, these are perfect for mixing at home with your own spirits.

Address: 182 Keefer St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1X4. @jukefriedchicken

With over 4 locations in Calgary, Blanco Cantina is known for “Margarita Mondays” and #HalftyHour – half price drink specials of their famous margaritas. These are also available in Margarita Kits that make 6 standard margaritas or 2 “really fun ones” (in their own words!)

The kits come in Classic, Chili Coconut, Raspberry Jalapeno, Cadillac and Watermelon.

Address: 723 17 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2S 0B6. @blancocantina

As one of the most awarded cocktail bars in Canada, our list would not be complete without a recommendation for ACC At Home – Atwater Cocktail Club’s takeout cocktail program.

At the reasonable price of $10-15, you can take home a bagged cocktail mix to enjoy at home. These generally make 2 – 6 servings and even contain garnish!

Address: 512 Atwater Ave, Montreal, Quebec H4C 2G5. @atwatercocktailclub