Boston's Best Places For Sangria

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Sangria may not be as popular a bar beverage as wine or beer, but this fruit-based cocktail of brandy, sweetener, seltzer and wine is slowly but surely gaining ground amongst those who are searching for a little something different to drink. Sangria is often served alongside Mexican food, but is not delegated solely to Mexican culture, as the drink holds origins from Spain and Portugal, with plenty of homes right here in Boston. There are a bevy of options for great sangria here in the city; here are just a few!

Tapas plates are small, savory appetizer dishes designed for sharing at a table full of friends and family; a dining option that goes together perfectly with a sizable pitcher of sangria. Tapeo Restaurant and Tapas Bar combines both of these elements to serve its customers at the Newbury Street location. Traditional tapas dishes, such as chorizo, empanadas and a delicious goat cheese and tomato plate, are just some of the tasty dishes serves here at Tapeo, while the strong but flavorful sangria flows well into the night.

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To say that tapas cuisine and savory sangria go together just perfectly is one heck of an understatement; one that the Back Bay's BarLola understands just fine. This Commonwealth Avenue spot offers pitchers of its sangria at an affordable enough price so that hungry patrons can be sure to order enough small tapas plates to share and whet their appetites. This, combined with a friendly staff and excellent patio seating, makes BarLola a recommended stop on Newbury Street.

Heading to Southie for our next sangria spot, we hit up Orinoco Kitchen, a Shawmut Ave. joint located in between Cumston Pl. and Deblos St which offers its delicious sangria to loyal customers clear into the brisk autumn months of September and October, striking a nice balance between the fruity flavors of summer and the earthly tones of Halloween and Thanksgiving. The sangria here at Orinoco also goes great with their striking and adventurous menu of Latin American and Caribbean comfort good classics.

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One of the beauties of sangria is how unique and versatile the drinks can be when laid in the hands of skilled mixologists. There's almost no end to the subtle twists and turns to the traditional method of making sangria, with many bars and restaurants choosing to include varying sweeteners and flavor profiles of their own when making a batch. Zocalo Mexican Bistro and Tequila Bar is open minded when it comes to its sangria, choosing not only to serve the most traditional of wine and brandy-based batches, but also augmenting its sangria with varying fruit profiles. The results of these experiments make this Back Bay spot a unique place to visit every time.

East Boston holds our final sangria destination, a Lexington Street spot known by the name of Angela's Cafe, where traditional Mexican fare – think pork carnitas, tamales and homemade mole sauce – meets up with some of the tastiest sangria on the east side of the city. Prices are reasonable and the staff knowledgeable and friendly here at Angela's Cafe, making a visit here feel like an intimate stop at a small, out-of-the-way Mexican cantina. Angela's Cafe is definitely a memorable destination.