The hot gossip from Santa’s Workshop flies fast and heavy at Rosalia Kitchen’s in Miramar.
“Candy Cane Clara only glued two gumdrops on her gingerbread house. She’s such a slacker,” squeaks one elf over a loudspeaker in the restaurant’s restroom.
“And did you see Mrs. Claus lost 3 pounds?” a second elf chimes in over the clatter of toymaking sounds. “I heard she got a Peloton.”
Eavesdropping on tea-spilling elves is part of the immersive vibes at Rosalia’s Holiday Extravaganza, a Christmastime makeover of the Mediterranean-Italian restaurant. Less a pop-up than a total tacky transformation, the dining room features hundreds of shiny ornaments, gift-wrap wallpaper and a trellis draped in faux snow, and serves up dishes like Xmas Tree Spaghetti and 3D-printed cocktails like D’Grinch, with a felt-green hand pinching a cherry stem over a sour apple martini.
Total cost this year: $10,000, estimates co-owner Rafael Brazon-Di Fatta, which includes a promotional blitz of slick influencer videos.
It’s worth the investment: Holiday-obsessed diners can’t get enough of the playful decor, stiff drinks and Christmas-coded meals, so decking out Rosalia’s — this is their third year — translates to big business, he argues, adding that reservations are already nearing capacity through Dec. 25.
“We’re a Christmas restaurant right now,” says Brazon-Di Fatta, who unveiled the transformation to customers last week. “It sets us apart, and you have to have fun and stay competitive in this crazy market.”
Years after the OGs of holiday pop-ups, Miracle and Sippin’ Santa, first brought Christmapolitans and Sugar Plum Mai Tais to South Florida, this maturing scene is booming in the tricounty area — with owners counting on traffic, food and drink sales surging after their whimsical makeovers.
Rosalia’s Kitchen in Miramar is shown transformed for the holiday season. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
During the six weeks between mid-November and Christmas Day, when co-owner Jason Lakow converts his Juicy Cocktail Bar in West Palm Beach into the tiki-themed pop-up Sippin’ Santa, he says drink sales and patronage jump 400% compared with that of spring and summer. This makes the Christmas-ification of Juicy a near-necessity during the holidays, he argues.
“This is our Super Bowl,” Lakow says. “Thanksgiving to Christmas is a six-week stretch of insanity. It does huge business for us. People have a longing to feel cozy and comforted about the holidays, to go somewhere celebratory for a special occasion, and that’s our bar.”
Below, find several decked-out tinsel taverns filled with ugly sweaters, festive cocktails and even one spirited shrine to the patron saint of Christmas music, Mariah Carey.
Santa’s Sleigh Ride Buzz, a whiskey blend with apple cider, ginger and molasses bitters, is one of the 3D-printed cocktails available during Rosalia’s Holiday Extravaganza. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Rosalia’s Holiday Extravaganza
12130 Miramar Parkway, Miramar; 954-302-8878; RosaliasKitchen.com
As part of an annual yuletide makeover of the family owned Rosalia’s Kitchen, the Mediterranean-Italian fusion eatery offers a Christmas-themed menu that states: “Don’t be a basic elf. Pull up a fork.” Culinary offerings include the White Christmas Pinsa, a Roman-style flatbread pizza with a four-cheese sauce and “cheery” tomatoes and herbs; Nonna Lia’s Roast, medallions of beef chuck slow-cooked in red wine; and A Velvety Christmas Chocolate-Hazelnut Mousse Cake on a cookie crust. Libations — there are four — include Mrs. Claus’ Sugar Cookietini with white chocolate, Irish cream, vodka and nonpareils coating the rim; and Jingle Juice, a cranberry-flavored sangria. The Extravaganza runs through Jan. 11.
The Christmapolitan, made with vodka, elderflower, dry vermouth, spiced cranberry sauce and absinthe mist, will be served at three Miracle pop-up bars in South Florida. (Melissa Hom for Miracle/Courtesy)
Miracle
Nov. 21-Dec. 28 at Carousel Club at Gulfstream Park, 901 S. Federal Highway, Hallandale Beach; 954-228-3378; carouselclub.com
Nov. 28-Dec. 28 at Ravish Kitchen & Cocktails, 210 E. Ocean Ave., Lantana; 561-588-2444; RavishKitchen.com
Nov. 28-Dec. 28 at Casa Tiki, 1728 SW Eighth St., Miami; 305-200-5039; Facebook.com/casatikimiami
A big sister to Sippin’ Santa, Miracle is the pioneer of holiday pop-up bars — and every bit the cheesy winter wonderland, with inflatable Christmas trees, hanging Grinchy candy-cane socks, and beads of string lights and floppy red hats draped over every rafter. The yuletide drinkery touts 12 festive tipples including the Christmapolitan (vodka, elderflower, dry vermouth, spiced cranberry sauce, absinthe mist), the Snowball Old-Fashioned (rye whiskey, gingerbread syrup, bitters), and new entries Candy Cane Lane, Dancing Sugarplums, Blitzen Barrel, and Miracle Mouse.
The Sugar Plum Mai Tai from Sippin’ Santa, which has two South Florida locations this season. (Sippin’ Santa/Courtesy)
Sippin’ Santa
Nov. 21-Dec. 31 at Sra. Martinez, 2325 Galiano St., Coral Gables; and Juicy Cocktail Bar, 202 S. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach; SippinSantaPopUp.com
Picture Frosty and Santa in tropical shirts taking siestas on the beach with Mai Tais, and that comes close to describing the vibe of this Polynesian-themed Miracle spinoff, which features a rummy cocktail menu programmed by tiki expert Jeff “Beachbum” Berry. Classics include the Sippin’ Santa (aged Demerara rum, amaro, nutmeg and cinnamon syrup) and Sugar Plum Mai Tai (Haitian and Nicaraguan rums, lime, orgeat, plum mix), or try newcomers Coco Ho Ho, Frost Bite and Wreck the Halls. You’ll find the same drink menu at the Sippin’ Santa pop-up at Sra. Martinez in Coral Gables.
Juicy Cocktail Bar co-owner Jason Lakow says traffic during Sippin’ Santa is so strong that, starting this year, he’ll convert a portion of his Tropical BBQ Market next door for overflow seating. He also will add a Polynesian bar bites menu that includes papaya fruit bowls (grown in Lakow’s backyard), Kahlua pork butt lettuce wraps, cucumber and kiwi salad, and brisket flatbreads with Huli Huli sauce. Finally, Juicy plans to offer an off-menu, s’mores-flavored Old Fashioned Hickory Egg Nog (reposado tequila, oloroso sherry, agave, hickory charcoal), while supplies last.
This holiday bar from “Queen of Christmas” Mariah Carey is a shrine to the musician, with a “Letters to Mariah Carey” station, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” played every 30 minutes, and drinks made with Carey’s own Black Irish cream brand. (Dennis Leupold for Mariah Carey’s Holiday Wonderland Bar/Courtesy)
Mariah Carey’s Holiday Wonderland Bar
Nov. 21-Dec. 28 at Ray’s Hometown Bar Miami (inside Freehand Miami hotel), 2727 Indian Creek Drive, Miami Beach; BucketListers.com
In case you haven’t heard, singer Mariah Carey — who each year campaigns a little harder for the “Queen of Christmas” crown — is defrosting again. And now her themed bar, on a national pop-up tour to capitalize on Carey’s resurgent internet fame, will visit South Florida as a tinsel-dressed homage to the musician. There’s Mariah-inspired holiday decor, interactive photo opportunities, an award wall, a “Letters to Mariah Carey” station and, of course, the iconic “All I Want for Christmas Is You” song playing every 30 minutes. Cocktails are made with Carey’s own Black Irish cream brand.
Mariah Carey’s Holiday Wonderland Bar is coming to Ray’s Hometown Bar Miami (inside Freehand Miami hotel) from Nov. 21 to Dec. 28. (Mariah Carey’s Holiday Wonderland Bar/Courtesy)
Rooftop@1WLO Holiday Pop-up
Nov. 24-Dec. 30 at Rooftop@1WLO, 1 W. Las Olas Blvd., Suite 700; 954-523-1956; Instagram.com/rooftop1wlo
An 18-foot centerpiece Christmas tree, hanging mistletoe, oversized bows and ribbons of gold will distinguish this “classy, not tacky” pop-up bar on the seventh floor of the 1 West Las Olas tower, says Tim Petrillo, cofounder of The Restaurant People hospitality group (YOLO, S3, Java & Jam).
“It’s a festive Christmas garden in the sky,” he says. “Because everyone else is doing tacky Christmas, we’re going the other direction.”
The seven-cocktail menu ranges from Christmas Tree Martini (vanilla-infused vodka, apple cider, cranberry, lemon, winter spice) to Snowman Season (chai-infused mezcal, guava, orgeat) to Ornament Spritz (dry gin, prosecco, pomegranate, rosemary, citrus). The venue will also function as a Fort Lauderdale SantaCon Bar Crawl stop on Dec. 20.
Chops + Hops Axe Throwing Lodge in Fort Lauderdale will throw its annual Winter Wonderland Pop-Up with festive holiday cocktails in lumberjack-chic surrounds. (Chops + Hops Axe Throwing Lodge / Courtesy)
Winter Wonderland Pop-Up
Dec. 4-31 at Chops + Hops Axe Throwing Lodge (inside Sistrunk Marketplace), 115 NW Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-329-2551; ChopsandHopsFL.com
In South Florida, our bodies aren’t accustomed to cold — they’re built for Margaritaville. Still, we like the compromise at this holiday bar, which combines stiff wintry beverages and the leisurely activity of hurling sharp weapons at wooden targets. The pop-up inside the Sistrunk Marketplace food hall will offer a handful of cocktails including Apple Sauced (apple-cinnamon martini), Santa’s Sidepiece (maple-pecan Old Fashioned) and Bacon Washed Manhattan (double-oaked bourbon, vermouth, vanilla bean). The venue will also function as a Fort Lauderdale SantaCon Bar Crawl stop on Dec. 20.
The Polar Peppermint Lattini at the Reindeer Room, the holiday pop-up inside Unit B Eatery & Spirits at the Shops of Pembroke Gardens in Pembroke Pines. (Unit B Eatery & Spirits / Courtesy)
The Reindeer Room
Nov. 19-Jan. 3 at Unit B Eatery + Spirits, 610 SW 145th Terrace, Pembroke Pines; 954-367-6896, UnitBEateryandSpirits.com
The second edition of the cocktail haunt inside this gastropub will dash all the way into January for six weeks of themed Christmas cheer, featuring red leather banquettes decked out in distracting amounts of tinsel, peppermint sticks and glittery ornaments and giant presents suspended from the ceiling.
“This year we’re taking it even further: more decor and even more magic,” says Matt Faul, chief operating officer of Unit B’s hospitality group Wolverine Management.
Add to that reindeer-themed libations, including Prancer’s Paradise (rose gin, pear cordial, pomegranate liqueur, cranberry, cinnamon), Blitzen’s Bananas (Irish whiskey, banane du Bresil, cinnamon, walnut bitters) and Polar Peppermint Lattini (vodka, espresso, peppermint liqueur, white chocolate).
Holly Jolly Christmas Bar
Nov. 13-Dec. 28 at Puttery, 239 NW 28th St., Miami; 786-733-0770; HollyJollyBar.com
The perfect accompaniment to putt-putt is this pop-up bedecked in presents, over-the-top ornaments and “floor-to-ceiling tinsel,” if you believe the bar’s online description. Each ticket ($22 for 90-minute timed open seating) comes with a “welcome drink” of spiked hot chocolate, with more festival cocktails (pomegranate margarita, winter sangria and icicle tea) and holiday-themed bites (cinnamon-sugar pretzel with peppermint mocha mousse) also available to buy on site.
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