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It’s one of the paradoxes of summer that when the temperatures go up, people crave spicy food. Our bodies know that sweating is the OG AC. If you don’t believe me, tuck into a big plate of southern Thai ground pork at Hat Yai (widely considered Portland’s spiciest dish that isn’t a sauce on a chicken wing). Fight the urge to gulp water to put out the fire. You’d be better off with the coconut mango horchata. Cool, milky sweet drinks are more calming than plain water.
But maybe you’re trying to start up your body’s internal fan. Consider drinks flavored with spices like ginger, cayenne pepper and chile peppers. You can take the experience further by drinking a hot tea in hot weather. Getting hot in all senses of the word can release endorphins, leading to feelings of pleasure that are welcome any time of the year.
We don’t need to tell you that Portland is swimming in fantastic beverage options. But we’ve rounded up a few select summer drinks that are hot and cold, spicy and creamy. Cheers!
Girls’ night out
La Patroncita (2832 SE Belmont St., lapatroncitapdx.com) serves a play on the Moscow mule, the Brindo de Tamarindo, that hits that spicy sweet spot with tamarind and Mexican chile-infused vodka, ginger beer, tart lime, and a tangy Tajín rim. The colorful Mexican restaurant also offers a pink marg that screams summer.
Expanding your mind
Tucked in an alley off Mississippi next to SheBop, another hot destination, Fly Awake Tea (909 N Beech St., flyawakepdx.com) serves steamy brews with names like Drunken Concubine, Elephant Takes to Water, and Near Birth Experience. Reading all the wild descriptions will distract you no matter how much you’re sweating. Tell the servers how you want to feel (inspired, relaxed, energized, etc.) and they’ll suggest the ideal concoction. I like A Light in the Attic; it promises “a genius-level download.”
Something cool and sweet
Tipsy Scoop (3987 N Mississippi Ave., tipsyscoop.com) opened its first West Coast outpost May 2, and we’re not surprised it chose Portland as a place where customers can appreciate ice cream cocktails. Try anything made with the marionberry vodka ice cream (it’s exclusive to the Rose City), crafted with Wild Roots marionberry vodka. Learn to make your own at the weekly ice cream cocktail mixology classes.
Keeping up with Gen Z
You have to drink bubble tea. Check out Bubble N Tea (3496 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, bubblenteas.com) or Boba Cat Tea House (1924 SW Broadway, bobacat.square.site). There are endless variations of matcha milk tea. Boba Cat’s recent Sakura Matcha Latte fused cherry and matcha for a perfectly preppy-looking concoction.
Gen X with benefits
According to The New York Times, Gen X women are having the best sex. Maybe that’s because they’ve learned how to sip slowly and responsibly. In the flattering low light of the patio at Nostrana (1401 SE Morrison St., nostrana.com), try the zero-proof Crowd Pleaser, a lime and grapefruit soda laced with aromatic cinnamon and ginger, to get the blood rushing.
Take it to go
You’ll feel a lot cooler with canned cocktails in your go-bag. Straightaway (901 SE Hawthorne Blvd., straightawaycocktails.com) makes a slightly spicy margarita with PDX twists, including mango and habanero syrup (from local maker Portland Syrups) and Oregon sea salt (Jacobsen Salt Co.).
Drinks in front of the fire
Bring back downtown! Try happy hour at The Hotel Zags’ PLS on 6th (505 SW Clay St., thehotelzags.com) to take advantage of a fantastic, newly redone outdoor patio complete with plentiful fire pits and kids’ play area. The Electric G&T has a jalapeño kick. Cool your jets with a sophisticated milkshake.
Fruit forward
From 10 members in 2010 to 199 today, the Northwest cider industry is blooming. For a grown-up field trip, embark on a Hood River Valley cider tour. Start at Draper Girls Country Farm (6200 Highway 35, Parkdale, drapergirlsfarm.com) for a hard cider flight with a view of Mount Hood and friendly goats. For your prettiest picnic, sample the new-in-cans, 100% organic blends from Finnriver Farm & Cidery (finnriver.com). Bloom adds blueberries to the apples for a purplish hue. Blush skews pink with black currants adding color and tartness.
This story is part of Oregon Summer Magazine, Willamette Week’s annual guide to the summer months, this year focused on making the most of and beating the heat. It is free and can be found all over Portland beginning Sunday, June 29, 2025. Find a copy at one of the locations noted on this map before they all get picked up! Read more from Oregon Summer magazine online here.
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