Some popular local beverages will help you warm up on even the coldest days.
With cold weather continuing in Athens, places such as Tony’s Tavern are offering a chance to warm up while turning up.
From the Hot Nut shot or a calmer option of a mocha from Court Street Coffee, Uptown has no shortage of coffee shops, cafés and bars to supply students and locals with their cozy fixes.
Tony’s Tavern, 7 W. State St.
Tony’s most popular and notorious drink is the Hot Nut. Although the complete recipe is a “closely guarded secret,” bartender Brittney Thomas said the shot contains equal parts coffee and a flavored liqueur, along with a few special things like “magic and unicorn tears.”
“It’s easily our most popular shot,” Thomas said. “Everybody has to do at least one before they leave.”
The Hot Nut originated when a bar regular first suggested it, but Thomas said she is not sure why or how.
The Hot Nut typically costs $2.50 but is sold on special for $1.50 on Wednesdays and $1.75 on Sundays. Tony’s also serves a special on cold Monday nights that features a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream, mixed with a shot of the customer’s choice, which determines the price of the drink.
Athens Uncorked, 14 Station St.
Athens Uncorked recently added a new warm addition to its drink menu. The wine bar is now selling hot cocoa with peppermint or cinnamon schnapps for a price of $4.
“We just thought winter and hot cocoa went perfect together and then we threw a little schnapps in there, too,” owner Kathy Blake said. “People definitely seem to be enjoying them.”
Athens Uncorked also sells coffee and hot tea.
Donkey Coffee and Espresso, 17 ½ W. Washington St.
Donkey Coffee and Espresso is a local favorite known for its use of fair trade coffee. It offers a variety of drinks ranging from cappuccinos to chai.
A normal mocha can keep a customer warm for a price between $3.95 to $4.45.
Donkey also serves seasonal monthly specials, such as pumpkin chai in November or peppermint bark mochas during the holidays.
Mallory Spieth, a senior studying nursing, is a fan of mocha. However, she puts a spin on hers by adding lavender syrup.
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“It’s kind of weird,” Spieth said. “I like it because it’s unusual.”
Court Street Coffee, 67 S. Court St.
Court Street Coffee, another popular venue on Court Street, is best known for its “Court Street Mocha.” The popular coffee, a white mocha with caramel drizzle, is its best-seller all times of the year, said manager Natalie Hunter. It costs between $3.45 and $4.90, and can be ordered hot, iced or frozen.
“It’s sweet, it’s comforting, and it’s very popular,” Hunter said.
Court Street Coffee is currently serving hot apple cider as a seasonal special. It costs between $1.50 and $2.75. The cider can also be mixed with chai to make a “hot apple chaider,” which costs between $3.45 and $4.45.
“(The cider) sells really well when it’s chilly out because it’s sort of cozy,” Hunter said. “It’s really sweet.”
For Sarah Vinson, a graduate student studying physical therapy, a Court Street Mocha just won’t do. Instead, she opts for a plain cup of coffee, or her personal favorite, vanilla steamed milk to fight off the cold.
“I don’t like chocolate,” Vinson said. “So it’s like a hot chocolate, but vanilla.”
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