Everything You Need to Throw a Fabulous Cocktail Party
We love a good cocktail party. Great drinks, delicious snacks, and lots of laughs with good friends. Whether yours is large or small, everyone you know or a few close friends, The Kitchn has some tips to make it the best one you’ve ever hosted.
First, The Drinks
First things first: Let’s start with the drinks.
- The Kitchn’s 9 Bottle Bar column is a great place to start if you’re ready to build your bar, bottle by bottle, garnish by garnish.
- Keep it simple and Just Add Booze: Stock These 5 Mixers for Quick and Easy Cocktails.
- Cold out? Try this Snow Day Cocktail Recipe: Spiked Chocolate Truffle Hot Cocoa.
- How did I miss this post? Every time I go to Brooklyn, I look forward to a trip to the Clover Club to drink what I thought was their signature drink, The Clover Club. I’m so excited that I know how to make them, I’m not even embarrassed to admit that I now know the bar was named after the drink, and not the other way around.
More Cocktails for a Party
- A Whiskey & Winter Citrus Cocktail Recipe: The Blinker Cocktail
- Winter Party Recipe: Fish House Punch
- Three-Ingredient Cocktail Recipe: The Black Lily Cocktail
- Sparkling White Cranberry Sangria
- The Brooklyn Cocktail
- Brown-Buttered Hot Rum Cocktail
- Holiday Cocktail or Mocktail Recipe: Festive Cranberry Fizz
- Hazelnut Eggnog with Homemade Hazelnut Liqueur
- Slow Cooker Cocktails? 5 Delicious Sips Perfect for Your Next Party
- Why You Should Have a Sparkling Wine Bar at Your Next Cocktail Party
- 15 Extra-Simple Cocktails for Your Snowed-In Weekend
But Food Is Just as Important
A cocktail party without food can turn into a brawl faster than you can say “liquor on an empty stomach.” Or maybe your friends are more well-behaved than mine. Either way, there are plenty of great party appetizers you can serve, from simple to fancy!
- Cheddar Olives, always a crowd pleaser.
- Sausage Balls
- The Canape: A Classic Cocktail Party Nibble
- Cocktail Party Tip: Do One Passed Appetizer. This is a surefire way to make sure your guests eat!
- 5 Hors D’oeuvres & Cocktail Pairings
- Cocktail Party Tip: Serve Cake Bites on Washi-Tape Toothpicks!
Cocktail Party Strategy: Make a Lot of a Few Dishes
- How Much to Serve at a Cocktail Party
- Nibbles & Sips: No-Fuss Menu for a Fancy Cocktail Party
Don’t Break Your Budget
Bank account a little light this time of year? Here are some great tips to throw a party on a budget.
Booze on a Budget! 12 Wines and Cocktails That Won’t Break the Bank
- Reader Intelligence: What Are Your Best Strategies for Throwing a Party on a Budget?
A Cocktail Party for 20 for Just $140
Party Tips & Inspiration
Whether you’re throwing your first cocktail party, or looking to make a few changes in your routine, we hope you can find inspiration on The Kitchn.
- Party Tip: Keep a House Cocktail Journal
Cocktails for Beginners: 9 Cocktail Party Themes to Get You Started
- Set the Mood with a Cocktail Party Playlist
- Tips from the Cocktail Snob to Help You Become Your Own Mixologist
- What’s the Best Way to Eat the Fruit from a Cocktail?
- Why the Sterling Silver Iced Tea Spoon is Good for So Much More Than Tea
- 6 Must-Have Cocktail Books
- 10 Essentials from West Elm for a Swanky Cocktail Soiree
- A Winter Glam Cocktail Party
Are you ready? When’s your next cocktail party?