Clarified-Milk Cocktails Are Having a Moment in Philly. Here’s Where to Find the Best

Suraya’s Melody in the Night / Photograph by Mike Prince

Philly’s cocktail scene is evolving thanks to a new generation of bartenders shaking things up. To celebrate the great minds pushing the limits of what can go in a glass, we’re declaring this Cocktail Week. Check back daily for stories from our print feature on the game changers revolutionizing the scene in the November issue of Philly Mag.

If you’ve been paying attention to cocktail menus in Philly lately, you’ll have noticed that milk is having a moment. Don’t worry, few bartenders are pouring straight milk into a drink; instead, they’re clarifying milk to craft multidimensional beverages.

The process dates back to 18th-century England, and involves curdling milk with citrus and spirits, then straining out the solids to leave a translucent liquid. The result is an elixir that could be as clear as a glass of water, but tastes like virtually anything, depending on what you add to the mix — with a smoother flavor and texture.

Bartenders have been reviving the method in recent years, and in Philly, they’re pouring out all kinds of clarified-milk concoctions. There’s plenty of milk punch, running the gamut from sweet to spicy; milk-infused spins on classic cocktails like the grasshopper and paloma; and a botanical drink reminiscent of an herb garden. Here’s where to find those and more of the most interesting, clarified beverages on Philly’s bar scene.

(Keep in mind, bars often change their menus based on what’s in season or available, so not all of these drinks may be on offer when you visit, but ask the bartender if they’re serving any other clarified cocktails — chances are, the answer will be yes.)

If you’re in the mood for milk punch

From left: Middle Child Clubhouse’s clarified spicy punch, N/A cosmo milk punch, and cannoli milk punch / Photograph courtesy of Middle Child Clubhouse

Clarified Spicy Punch at Middle Child Clubhouse, Fishtown
If you like your drink to have a kick, this is the cocktail for you. A mix of cachaça, passionfruit, pineapple, Serranos, and coconut, the Clarified Spicy Punch is a flavor bomb of a beverage, with sweet, tropical notes from the drink’s fruity components and heat from the pepper that’ll leave your tastebuds tingling after each sip. 1232 North Front Street.

Paloma Milk Punch at R&D, Fishtown
When I asked my Instagram followers for their favorite clarified cocktail, most people mentioned R&D’s Paloma Milk Punch — and for good reason. The coconut-milk-based drink is a crowd-pleaser, made with blanco tequila, Ancho Reyes Verde, Thai basil, pamplemousse liquor, and lime, tinged with cardamom, fennel, pink peppercorn, star anise, and cinnamon to warm up the fruity, herbaceous beverage. The drink takes days to make, with all the ingredients left to infuse for 24 hours before they’re strained over the course of 48 hours; the refined liquid that remains is served in a lowball glass with a big ice cube and a glug of club soda. 1206 Frankford Avenue.

Ponche at La Jefa, Rittenhouse
When Dan Suro and the team at La Jefa were developing the Ponche — their clarified take on a Guadalajaran punch — they were “being a little sarcastic about milk punches,” Suro says, adding that often the style of drink can feel overdone. But the Ponche is made with intention. The combination of peanut-butter-laced rye, pajarote tamarind, and cucumber is a bit like a cream soda crossed with punch — topped with club soda and clarified with milk to give it a sumptuous texture — with a decadent, nutty taste and slightly herby undercurrent. 1605 Latimer Street.

For a clarified take on a classic

The Southampton Iced Tea at Vernick Fish / Photograph by Gab Bonghi

Southampton Iced Tea at Vernick Fish, Center City
A Long Island Iced Tea might bring to mind a sickly-sweet drink loaded with liquor. But the Southampton Iced Tea at Vernick Fish is more like a distant cousin to that boozy cocktail. This upscale version is lightly carbonated with a mellow, balanced flavor that emphasizes the cola and lemon, lending it a nostalgic taste. 1 North 19th Street.

Swamp Water at My Loup, Rittenhouse
My Loup’s head bartender Jillian Moore makes three kinds of clarified cocktails, but it’s the Swamp Water that really steals the show. (The other two, also worth ordering, are the Key Lime Pie and Pornstar Martini.) The Swamp Water is a vacation in a glass, garnished with basil that brings a crisp, refreshing scent to your nose before you take a sip. Then, there are the fruity, tropical notes of pineapple and lime, green Chartreuse that lends an earthy taste, and cooling mint. There’s a lot going on, but clarified oat milk brings things down a notch, leaving a delicious drink that still has some bite. 2005 Walnut Street.

If you’re craving agave

Alma Blanca at Tequilas, Rittenhouse
If you’re into earthy flavors, you’ll love the Alma Blanca, made with tequila ocho blanco, smoked corn, and hoja santa (Mexican pepperleaf). Clarified with whole milk, the drink’s stronger notes are toned down a little. But it still packs a punch with a lovely grassiness and smokiness, and a hint of sweetness from the corn. The dehydrated hoja santa dusted over the top completes it, giving the cocktail a peppery finish. 1602 Locust Street.

Punch at Supérette, East Passyunk
Supérette may be known for its wine, but don’t sleep on its cocktail program. Case in point: The Punch, a subtly complex drink that’s dangerously easy to sip and combines mezcal and blanco tequila with cooling aloe and spearmint. A sprinkling of dried Persian black lime over a single ice cube serves as a fragrant, smoky garnish. 1538 East Passyunk Avenue.

If you want something seasonal

The Sass-Squash at Emmett / Photograph by Mike Prince

Sass-Squash at Emmett, Fishtown
Emmett’s seasonal milk punch is a hit with patrons, and it’s easy to see why. This fall, it’s all about squash. The Sass-Squash is as comforting and sumptuous as a bowl of butternut squash but lighter in texture and taste, with a gorgeous autumnal flavor — not just from the cooked squash it’s made with, but also the bourbon, amaro, and dash of black-walnut liqueur, which adds a touch of nuttiness. A sprig of rosemary perched on top is a fitting, elegant garnish. 161 West Girard Avenue.

Chai Clarified Milk Punch at Bad Brother, Fairmount
Bad Brother’s clarified milk punch changes with the seasons, and appropriately its fall offering — inspired by a chai latte — tastes like autumn in a glass. Made with dark rum, Amaro Melleti, port wine, chai, vanilla, and lemon, the drink has all the warmth and sweetness of a fall candle, with tones of caramel and cider. 726 North 24th Street.

If you want a cocktail with a spot of tea

Thank You, Little Roots at Southwark, Queen Village
A botanical masterpiece from Southwark’s Randall Greenleaf, the Thank You, Little Roots is an herbaceous milk punch fused with grappa, green tea, and lemon — plus lavender and mint plucked from the restaurant’s garden. Clarified with whole milk for a satin-like consistency, the cocktail has a slight creaminess while its earthy and floral notes give it a robust, balanced flavor. 701 South Fourth Street.

Melody in the Night at Suraya, Fishtown
With subtle, balanced notes of citrus, herbal Levant tea, and chamomile, Suraya’s Melody in the Night tastes like an elevated iced tea. Served in a rocks glass and poured over a single large ice cube, the clear liquid is garnished with a basil leaf that gives the drink a herby fragrance as you take a sip. 1528 Frankford Avenue.

If you have a sweet tooth

Next of Kin’s Neapolitan Milk Punch / Photograph by Jessica Leplon

Neapolitan Milk Punch at Next of Kin, Fishtown
Bar manager Josiah Ridgeway was eating a pint of Neapolitan ice cream at home one night when he decided to add a sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt to enhance the taste. The only thing better, he thought, would be to bring a little booze into the mix. With his Neapolitan Milk Punch — made with bourbon, strawberry, vanilla, and saline, and clarified with chocolate milk — you get exactly that. The fun, adult take on the dessert is just the right amount of sweet and salty with warm vanilla notes that round out the flavor and sliced strawberries for a pretty garnish. 1414 Frankford Avenue.

Stay Grassy, Philadelphia at Andra Hem, Rittenhouse
This Scandinavian-inspired bar’s sleek take on a Grasshopper is the perfect after-dinner drink. Like the cocktail it’s modeled after, the Stay Grassy, Philadelphia is sweet — but not overly so — and refined. (More like enjoying an After Eight, than, say, a pint of mint-chocolate ice cream.) There’s rum, crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and lime to give it a little lift. And because it’s clarified, the texture is beautifully silky. 218 South 16th Street.

Cannoli Milk Punch at Middle Child Clubhouse, Fishtown
This spot is arguably a clarified cocktail destination, with multiple milk-washed beverages on the menu, including the Cannoli Milk Punch. Made with whiskey, orange liqueur, pistachio orgeat syrup, acidulated orange juice, almond milk, and angostura, the dessert drink would be an appropriate digestif at an Italian wedding, thanks to its sweet, almond cookie-like taste. 1232 North Front Street.

If you’re a bread lover

Burrata Wooder at Mighty Bread Company, East Passyunk
They may be known for loaves, not cocktails; but the bakery’s Burrata Wooder — available during its aperitivo hour — gives you a little of both. The rum milk punch clarified with burrata whey and morning bun spices has a bready flavor, a silky texture, and a pleasant warmth that’s somewhat reminiscent of a holiday drink. 1211 Gerritt Street.

If you want an N/A cocktail

N/A Cosmopolitan at Middle Child Clubhouse, Fishtown
This clarified beverage has all the fruity flavors of a classic Cosmopolitan, but without the alcohol or quite as much sweetness. The drink’s supple texture from the clarification process also makes it feel more elevated than most non-alcoholic cocktails, making it the perfect choice when you want something easy to sip that’s still interesting. 1232 North Front Street.