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9 Ways to Conquer Winter With Hot Cocktails in Montreal

Warm up to these drinks.

by Tim Forster and Ian Harrison Updated
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by Tim Forster and Ian Harrison Updated
Shutterstock

What's better than a record-setting blizzard in the dying days of winter? A hot toddy, for one, or some other quite literally "hot" take on an alcoholic beverage.

Despite the unpleasantness of a late season storm, we're almost out of the woods. But in the meantime while temperatures hover below freezing, these are some of the best spots in the city to warm up with booze, and specifically, hot drinks that'll heat you up from the inside.

Some here go more for classics — take Else's, with hot toddies among other piping hot boozy libations. Others do some re-invention: Le Lab has a next-level version of a hot buttered rum with apple liqueur, Galliano, and grilled almond bitters. And others create something altogether new, such as La Distillerie's hot pear and bourbon concoction, the Teddy Pear.

Did we miss anywhere that sells a hot alcohol drink worth a trek through the snow? Tell us about it here.

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132 Bar Vintage

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Jonathan Elbaz and his cohorts make an intricate, and hot, Le Strom cocktail at this Ahuntsic bar. It involves Appleton rum, spice-infused apple juice, grapefruit-citronella-honey syrup, rosemary butter and gets topped off with a ginger mousse and rosemary garnish.
132 Fleury Ouest, Montreal, QC, Canada
(514) 419-1404
(514) 419-1404

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Huis Clos

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Spike your hot chocolate good and proper at this Villeray bar, with four choices of alcohol.
7659 rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC H2R 2E7, Canada
(514) 419-8579
(514) 419-8579

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La Distillerie No. 1

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This popular bar, with multiple locations, serves up hot options like the Teddy Pear, with Jim Beam black, pear, lemon oleo and vanilla bitters..
300 rue Ontario Est, Montreal, QC H2X 1H6, Canada
(514) 288-7915
(514) 288-7915
Andre Tremblay

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Le LAB Comptoir à Cocktails

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Eddy Germain, the bar manager at this Plateau mainstay, serves up an elaborate hot buttered rum, or the sweet and spicy Chocolab as one of a few winter warmers.
1351 rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC H2J 2K2, Canada
(514) 544-1333
(514) 544-1333

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Taverne Midway

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Midway partner Charles Landry likes a classic Blue Blazer for the cold season: blended Scotch, boiling water and powdered sugar.
1219 boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2X 2G6, Canada
(514) 398-9669
(514) 398-9669

Dinette Triple Crown

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Oft thought of as a fried chicken and/or picnic spot, Triple Crown's cocktail game is actually rather strong, headed up by co-owner Nicole Turcotte's expertise — and in the colder months when it's less crazy with picnic-goers, you can also grab a hot buttered rum (note: they have a restaurant license so food needs to be purchased with alcohol).
6704 rue Clark, Montreal, QC H2S 3E9, Canada
(514) 272-2617
(514) 272-2617
Yelp

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The Sparrow / Le Moineau

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One of the city's best winter bars just on ambiance alone, Sparrow also has at least one hot option for cocktails on its menu — hot toddy, anyone?
5322 boul. Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2T 1A5, Canada
(514) 690-3964
(514) 690-3964
Sparrow

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Else's

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Already an excellent bar for winter based on its cozy vibe alone, Else's has multiple hot and boozy options on the menu, from a classic hot toddy to a calvados-cider mix. Note: you need to order food to go with booze due to Else's liquor license.
156 rue Roy E., Montreal, QC H2W 1M2, Canada
(514) 286-6689
(514) 286-6689
Yelp

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Cold Room

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Old Montreal newcomer Cold Room has the added bonus of being tucked underground, meaning you won't even have to look at snow banks outside. But the bomb hot buttered rum they do is reason enough to drop by.
155 Saint-Paul E, Montreal, QC H2Y 1G8, Canada
(514) 451-6911
(514) 451-6911
Randall Brodeur

Also featured in:

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132 Bar Vintage

132 Fleury Ouest, Montreal, QC, Canada
Jonathan Elbaz and his cohorts make an intricate, and hot, Le Strom cocktail at this Ahuntsic bar. It involves Appleton rum, spice-infused apple juice, grapefruit-citronella-honey syrup, rosemary butter and gets topped off with a ginger mousse and rosemary garnish.
132 Fleury Ouest, Montreal, QC, Canada
(514) 419-1404
(514) 419-1404

Huis Clos

7659 rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC H2R 2E7, Canada
Spike your hot chocolate good and proper at this Villeray bar, with four choices of alcohol.
7659 rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC H2R 2E7, Canada
(514) 419-8579
(514) 419-8579

La Distillerie No. 1

300 rue Ontario Est, Montreal, QC H2X 1H6, Canada
This popular bar, with multiple locations, serves up hot options like the Teddy Pear, with Jim Beam black, pear, lemon oleo and vanilla bitters..
300 rue Ontario Est, Montreal, QC H2X 1H6, Canada
(514) 288-7915
(514) 288-7915
Andre Tremblay

Le LAB Comptoir à Cocktails

1351 rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC H2J 2K2, Canada
Eddy Germain, the bar manager at this Plateau mainstay, serves up an elaborate hot buttered rum, or the sweet and spicy Chocolab as one of a few winter warmers.
1351 rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC H2J 2K2, Canada
(514) 544-1333
(514) 544-1333

Taverne Midway

1219 boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2X 2G6, Canada
Midway partner Charles Landry likes a classic Blue Blazer for the cold season: blended Scotch, boiling water and powdered sugar.
1219 boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2X 2G6, Canada
(514) 398-9669
(514) 398-9669

Dinette Triple Crown

6704 rue Clark, Montreal, QC H2S 3E9, Canada
Oft thought of as a fried chicken and/or picnic spot, Triple Crown's cocktail game is actually rather strong, headed up by co-owner Nicole Turcotte's expertise — and in the colder months when it's less crazy with picnic-goers, you can also grab a hot buttered rum (note: they have a restaurant license so food needs to be purchased with alcohol).
6704 rue Clark, Montreal, QC H2S 3E9, Canada
(514) 272-2617
(514) 272-2617
Yelp

The Sparrow / Le Moineau

5322 boul. Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2T 1A5, Canada
One of the city's best winter bars just on ambiance alone, Sparrow also has at least one hot option for cocktails on its menu — hot toddy, anyone?
5322 boul. Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC H2T 1A5, Canada
(514) 690-3964
(514) 690-3964
Sparrow

Else's

156 rue Roy E., Montreal, QC H2W 1M2, Canada
Already an excellent bar for winter based on its cozy vibe alone, Else's has multiple hot and boozy options on the menu, from a classic hot toddy to a calvados-cider mix. Note: you need to order food to go with booze due to Else's liquor license.
156 rue Roy E., Montreal, QC H2W 1M2, Canada
(514) 286-6689
(514) 286-6689
Yelp

Cold Room

155 Saint-Paul E, Montreal, QC H2Y 1G8, Canada
Old Montreal newcomer Cold Room has the added bonus of being tucked underground, meaning you won't even have to look at snow banks outside. But the bomb hot buttered rum they do is reason enough to drop by.
155 Saint-Paul E, Montreal, QC H2Y 1G8, Canada
(514) 451-6911
(514) 451-6911
Randall Brodeur