Restaurants and bars have had to navigate extremely rocky terrain throughout the pandemic. One of the bright spots? The rise of take-out cocktails. In April 2020 amidst the first shutdown, Gov. David Ige signed an executive order that allowed restaurants to sell unopened alcoholic beverages with food. This development has been the rare win-win situation for both restaurant patrons and businesses. Drinking top-notch bartender-made cocktails in the comfort of your own home has never been easier with just the simple click on your online takeout dinner order—and restaurants gained an opportunity to take advantage of another revenue stream during a seriously challenging time.

“The food and beverage industry has been so significantly affected by the pandemic, especially here in Hawai‘i where the dire decline in tourism has been felt acutely,” says Katherine Nomura of Senia restaurant. “From an operational perspective, I would imagine that most in our industry are sitting on an inventory of wine, beer and spirits. Anything that helps move some of that inventory, generates some revenue and mitigates the effects of this pandemic economy is helpful.”

For takeout at Senia, Nomura says they have found success by rotating through their most popular specialty cocktails, including the The Freddie (Bulleit bourbon, chestnut, blood orange and smoke), The 007 (Hendrick’s gin, cucumber, chili, elderflower) and The Kaji (a spiced hard plantation tea) alongside their sommelier’s wine pick, which changes weekly. For those who don’t drink alcohol, the menu carries a few rotating mocktail choices as well.

Other restaurants around town have jumped in on the game too, such as Buzz’s Original Steak House. You’ll still need to dine in-person to toast with their iconic Mai Tai, but their takeout menu offers two excellent options for imbibing at home: the Freshy (a hand-squeezed margarita) and the BFRD (what they bill as a more “gentle” version of their Mai Tai, made tall with pineapple juice).

Chinatown-fave Fête’s to-go drinks menu leans heavily on the classics, with Negronis, Old Fashioneds and a Manhattan on tap. But if you’re planning a celebration for your quarantine bubble, there’s an option for the Fête 75 Kit for 5, which comes with gin, elderflower liqueur, cucumber and a bottle of prosecco to top off the drink.

Pig & the Lady also favors large format cocktails—many of their original creations serve three, including the tropical-tinged Vitamin T Triple (reposado tequila, Fino sherry, Bitter Bianco, macadamia nut orgeat and lemon juice) and the refreshing Rumaway (Kō Hana rum, grapefruit, lime and calamansi).

Award-winning Bar Leather Apron, which has been shut for in-person service, has an extensive menu available for curbside pick-up, including familiar favorites such as the B.L.A. Old Fashioned and the Yuzu Mule. While nothing will beat sitting at their bar, you can semi-recreate the mixology experience at home with the simple instructions that come with each drink. The Pepper Tonic, for instance, calls for you to shake the bottled cocktail, pour over ice, top with Fever Tree tonic water and garnish with a bergamot sea salt compressed lime wheel. Purists can even order a 2x2-inch clear cocktail ice cube.

As the pandemic wanes and restaurants begin to open back up fully for in person dining, the big question is, will this convenience become a permanent fixture? Nomura, of Senia, hopes so. “We are definitely considering continuing our takeaway program once we reopen for dine-in service,” she says. “If we do—and the liquor laws still allow it—we would continue offering to-go cocktails, too.”

Restaurants and bars aren’t the only place you can pick up a to-go cocktail— canned versions have been slowly filling liquor and supermarket shelves for some time (though so far, it’s more common on the mainland). But are they any good? The best rule of thumb: keep it simple and bubbly. The highball and spritz formulas tend to work best in this format. And don’t forget to check the alcohol level! Drinking a 5% ABV spritz is an entirely different ballgame than a 37% ABV spirit-forward cocktail. But the easy can format makes these a no-brainer for backyard barbecues. Here are some of our favorite picks you can find on-island:

KUPU SPIRITS

Go local with this new line of canned cocktails from Maui Brewing’s distillery offshoot Kupu. Offerings include a Gin & Tonic, Whiskey Ginger and a Whiskey Cola.

KŌLOA RUM

The Kaua‘i distillery offers three ready-to-drink cocktail blends—Hawai‘i Pineapple Passion Rum Cocktail, Hawaiian Mai Tai and Hawaiian Rum Punch—all made using juices and purees, never premixes or canned products, to deliver authentic, quality flavors.

10 BARREL BREWING CO.

Hailing from Oregon, these refreshing picks include a Moscow Mule, Margarita, and Vodka Soda.