From Popsicle to Pour: The Rise of Creamsicle Cocktails
Creamy, citrusy, nostalgic—and suddenly everywhere.
Few flavor duos summon childhood nostalgia as instantly as orange and vanilla. While desserts and treats inspired by the classic combo are nothing new, the creamsicle has quietly slipped into the cocktail shaker this summer, with bartenders remixing it into everything from Negroni variations to clarified concoctions.
What makes it especially ripe for the moment: The combo is surprisingly versatile—a canvas for creativity that can lean bright and juicy with satsuma mandarins, floral with orange blossom, silky with the addition of milk or whey, or even avant-garde with foams, panna cotta, and gold leaf.
Check out a few of our favorite creamsicle-inspired drinks from bars and restaurants across the country.
INSIGHT-OUT: Classic flavor combos are more than comfort—they’re creative springboards. Lean into nostalgia as a hook, then experiment with fresh formats, ingredients, and presentations to keep guests surprised, posting, and coming back for more.
Sip & Guzzle (New York, NY) - At this bi-level cocktail destination, the influence of its Tokyo sister bar comes through in a deft use of Asian ingredients in their Satsuma Creamsicle made with “the SG Shochu IMO,” satsuma mandarin, whey eau de vie, Amish milk and vanilla, creating a striking two-tone (and two texture) effect.
Sho Pizza Bar (Nashville, TN) Sho Pizza Bar is legendary Southern chef and James Beard Award winner Sean Brock’s tribute to Tokyo-style “neo-Neapolitan” pizza that opened this spring. The cocktail list features an aptly named Orange Creamsicle made with vodka, orange blossom, and vanilla. It’s a creamy, citrusy, balanced, and refreshing complement to the menu of wood-fired pizzas and small plates.
Little Fino (Brooklyn, NY) - The latest from famed restaurateur Andrew Carmellini’s NoHo Hospitality, Little Fino is an all-day café and bar that opened in Brooklyn’s The William Vale hotel this spring. Inspired by Italian aperitivo and soda culture, drinks include a Root Beer Negroni, and a playful Campari Creamsicle made with grapefruit, orgeat, and vanilla‑bean panna cotta, topped with a mini bottle of Campari.
Bask Steakhouse (Roswell, GA) is a modern Southern steakhouse that features a menu of both classic prohibition-era cocktails, as well as unique signature creations. Their Clockwork Orange is a spin on a White Negroni made with Sweet Gwendoline Gin, Italicus Bergamotto, Lillet Blanc, and a touch of bitter citrus. It’s topped with a house-made blood orange creamsicle foam for a velvety, retro-inspired finish.
The Valley Club (San Francisco, CA) - A vibey new bar inside Hotel G in San Francisco, The Valley Club’s Midas Touch is a spirit-forward take on a creamsicle-esque cocktail, with bourbon, Galliano, vanilla, orange, lemon, and egg white—and a touch of gold leaf for its namesake.
The ArBARetum (Napa, CA) is a lush, art‑deco cocktail lounge with a botanical, arboretum-inspired vibe that sets the stage for its creative drinks, like The Dreamsicle, created by Bartender Jeremy Good. The smoky/sweet cocktail includes scotch, Bauchant, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, and orange bitters, and is topped with a creamy vanilla/orange “air” made by combining simple syrup, water, orange juice, soy lecithin, vanilla extract, and xanthan gum in a blender, then foaming it in an ISI canister with an oxygen stone.