One-week warning! Whatcha drinking?
BUT FIRST: Where to make a res if you want to dine out on Christmas Day.
Top 3: Where to dine on Christmas day, by vibe
Spending Christmas Day in Saratoga Springs and planning to dine out? A few local restaurants will be open, though hours are adjusted—so reservations are strongly recommended.
Morrissey’s Lounge & Bistro, located inside the gorgeous Adelphi Hotel, will be open and serving a special prix fixe Christmas menu. The setting is classic and festive, and the restaurant is open to all guests.
The Regent Restaurant & Bar will also be open on Christmas Day, offering a comfortable, approachable dining experience in the heart of downtown.
For a more casual option, T.G. Clancy’s Tavern & Bar will welcome guests with familiar pub fare in a lively, laid-back atmosphere.
All three restaurants will be operating with holiday hours. If you’re planning to dine out on Christmas Day, make your reservation now and plan ahead.
Get out the Grinch with these pre-Xmas tipples
If the holidays threaten to provide more hives than happy in your three-sizes-too-small heart, you’re not alone.
Despite what the songs proclaim — “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” — the holidays can also feel like a pressure cooker. About 9 in 10 adults (89%) report that missing loved ones and anticipating family conflicts cause stress during the holidays.
Which is where the Grinch-quashing pre-gaming comes amid widespread festooning, wrapping, food preparing and human wrangling in the lead-up to the big day. We tapped local drinks pros for their holiday pre-gaming tips.
Kristy McCormack, events manager at Thirsty Owl Saratoga, says their Dry Riesling, with its bright fruit aromas and notes of orchard fruit and citrus, is intended to be paired with mild cheeses such as fresh goat or Havarti. Not a bad idea, and great for the appetizer run of the show, but I also find it pairs well with the perennial project of hastily wrapping stocking stuffers in a sea of chaos while barricaded in a room to prevent curious onlookers.
Rich Wilson — director of food, beverage and taproom operations at Common Roots Brewing Company — opts for the German-style Helles Lager with charcuterie spreads, or the casual raw seafood tower. The easy-drinking, crisp beer is indeed delicious when sipped with Prosciutto, bresaola or tuna, but we also love reliving our college years by sipping it in the shower, approximately 30 minutes before the guests are scheduled to arrive.
Rachel McDermott, founder of the field-to-glass Dancing Grain Farm Brewery, recommends pairing their Crop Circles Barnside Breeze with ginger-sesame meatballs. Can’t disagree that the homegrown hazy-juicy IPA, packed with notes of mango and citrus zest, pairs well with meatballs, but I tend to pair it with the emergency mopping session (donning wet hair + a robe) I love to kick off 10 minutes before guests are due to arrive.
Need some help with dinner pairings? Stay tuned!
ICYMI…
Pizza time! The history is in the dough at Rustic, our Christmas palate cleanser
Dispatch exclusive: wine tasting room opening tomorrow! And ‘An Elemental Christmas’
Rob Reiner remembered by a Saratogian who knew him
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