6 spooky cocktails to enjoy in North Jersey this Halloween
It's Halloween season, and if the pumpkins weren't already screaming in the dead of night, they are now — because some of North Jersey's restaurants and bars are turning them into fall-inspired cocktails.
Juicing, scraping, spicing and squeezing — the poor gourds are going through it all to arrive, pulp-free, in a chilled martini glass on a seasonally decorated counter. If they're lucky, they even get topped with a cinnamon stick.
So, Atlantic giants, autumn golds and jack-o'-lantern? Hide. It's really not your time.
As for humans, though, rejoice! It's creepy party season. Time to get dressed up and down those seasonal drinks by the dozen.
With or without pumpkin (because sometimes apples have to scream, too), here are six Halloween-themed cocktails you can get in the area this year.
Pumpkin King, River of Beer, Bloomingdale
At River of Beer, the Pumpkin King is — in its creators' words — a fall menu "legend." Returning this year for another season of spooks and sips, the drink is crafted with Plantation Fiji rum, fresh lemon and house-made pumpkin butter. The rim of its glass is lined with cinnamon sugar, and the whole concoction is topped with a smoking cinnamon stick.
Fragrant, fun and loaded with late-October aesthetics, the cocktail is pretty much a pumpkin patch in a glass.
Go: 133 Main Street, Bloomingdale; 973-750-1820, riverofbeer.com.
Día de los Muertos Cocktails, Bitol, Clifton
Nothing's scarier than death, so, if a haunted drink is something you're after this Hallo-week, look no further than Bitol's Day of the Dead cocktails.
In the heart of Clifton, this Mexican craft kitchen is serving two themed creations for the holiday. The Ofrenda (which translates to "the offering"), is deep purple in color and features mezcal, aperol, chocolate bitters, lemon and marigold-infused tea. In visual contrast, the bright orange Mayan Soul is made with silver tequila, peach liquor, lime juice and ginger hibiscus tea.
Go: 1061 Bloomfield Ave., Clifton; 973-246-3558, bitolnj.com.
Pumpkin Tequila Martini, Barbès, Hoboken
Once you hit the age of 13, Halloween is all about parties — and nothing says party quite like tequila (if you're older than 21, that is). The Pumpkin Tequila Martini at Barbès in Hoboken, therefore, just kind of makes sense.
Using Casa Amigos tequila, the team crafts a cocktail that is as strong as it is orange. Drink more than one this Halloween, and you won't need a costume to have a good time.
Go: 1300 Park Ave., Hoboken; 201-610-1000, barbesrestaurant.com.
Apple Picking After Dark, The Office Tavern Grill, Ridgewood and other locations
Good news, gourd sympathizers: no pumpkins were harmed in the making of this drink. Can't say the same for the apples, though.
At The Office Tavern Grill, the second most popular flavor of the fall is featured in a sweet and spicy cocktail with vodka, chambord, apple cider, lemon, blackberry and a cinnamon-brown sugar rim. Under the chilling name Apple Picking After Dark, the stark red creation is a great option for those looking to indulge in something fall and spooky — but without the pumpkins.
Go: North Jersey-based, various locations; officetaverngrill.com.
Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini, Tavern 5, Pompton Plains
Need an energy boost to help you stay awake this Halloween night? Look no further than Tavern 5's Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini.
Adding seasonal flavors to alcohol's favorite coffee beverage, this delicious caffeinated cocktail will be sure to keep you up fighting zombies — or kids throwing toilet paper — all night long.
Go: 710 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains; 973-835-1426, tavern5.com.
This is Halloween, Beetle House, Manhattan
Okay, so New York City isn't North Jersey, but the East Village's Beetle House might be the most Halloween-y bar on the East Coast. Claiming on Instagram that, "Every day is Halloween," the Tim Burton-inspired spot is loaded with haunted decor, black lights and staff getting their freak on.
If you can stand the drive through the Lincoln Tunnel or over the GWB, then I highly suggest a visit. With cocktails such as the This Is Halloween (cinnamon liquor, sour apple pucker, pumpkin liqueur, apple cider, and ginger beer), and neon blue Poison Shots, the place will transport you from the streets of the city to the laboratory of Jack Skellington.
Go: 308 E. 6th St, New York City; 646-510-4786, beetlehousenyc.com.
Kara VanDooijeweert is a food writer for NorthJersey.com and The Record. If you can't find her in Jersey's best restaurants, she's probably off running a race course in the mountains. Catch her on Instagram: @karanicolev & @northjerseyeats, join our NorthJerseyEats Facebook group, and sign up for her North Jersey Eats newsletter
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: 6 spooky cocktails to enjoy in North Jersey this Halloween
