There are bright sunny days ahead for the weekend, but the nights are still going to be very cold! Take the last chance this winter to wind down with a mulled wine. Maeve Bannister investigates the best places to enjoy this warming treat.

Mulled drinks are often associated with the snow and it’s not hard to understand why. Infused with spices and served warm, enjoying a mulled drink is the ideal end to a long day on the slopes.

While it doesn’t snow here is Canberra (although sometimes it feels likely to), there are a few bars around town which have taken the trend from the Snowy Mountains and included it on their own menus as part of their ‘winter warmers’ range.

With a week until the ‘official’ end of winter Canberra still has plenty of chilly surprises in store,. Here are some places that you’ll be able to find yourself a mulled drink to sip on as the last of these cold nights make their appearance.

Polit Bar
Located in Manuka Village, the aim of Polit Bar is to be the ‘thinking person’s cocktail lounge’. It’s a great place to eat, drink, and most importantly, relax.

Being a hot chocolate fan, I’d go for the ‘Spiked Hot Chocolate’, but there are plenty of other warm drinks to choose from on the menu, such as a ‘Hot Toddy’ and a ‘Ginger and Honey Winter Warmer’.

Knightsbridge Penthouse
Knightsbridge Penthouse is owned and run by the same team who look after The Elk and Pea Eating House (in Braddon) and the Parlour Wine Room (in NewActon). Located in Braddon, Knightsbridge has a very fun and casual atmosphere, making it a great place to meet up with friends and start off your night on the right foot.

According to the Knightsbridge menu, they regularly serve mulled cider or wine, but with a twist. On that mysterious note, I’ll leave it up to you to try Knightsbridge for yourself this weekend!

Honkytonks
From Public Servants to Uni students, Honkytonks has definitely become a favourite since its grand (and much-needed) opening in late 2011. The thing I love about Honkytonks is the big glass windows which open out onto a cosy beer garden, making the outside and inside almost indistinguishable.

While the Honkytonks menu only has two ‘winter’ drinks (mulled wine and apple cider) available, it’s definitely a place not to be missed purely for the undeniably hip feeling you get when you walk in.

Enjoy!