How to host a perfect cocktail evening at home

While date nights with your loved ones are always a great idea, sometimes you want the fun to come to you. What better way to make that possible than a cocktail evening in the comfort of your home?

It’s a more casual, spontaneous and intimate way to create new memories with your family and friends. It’s also a good excuse to show off your hosting prowess and show your loved ones a good time through light meals, delicious DIY cocktails, music and games. 

You don’t need to have a top mixologist status to host a successful cocktail party. All you need is the right tools and ingredients to make it work. Aiming for complicated cocktails may be a recipe for disaster if you’re a beginner, so you’ll also need to keep it simple. Impressive cocktails to make at home are the easy ones you can nail on the first try, such as a mojito or sex on the beach. 

To help you prepare, we’ve put together some tips for the perfect cocktail evening at home, along with a list of department stores in Cape Town to visit to collect all of the tools and ingredients you’ll need to make your cocktails.

@home is one of the leading homeware stores offering quality kitchen appliances that will come in handy for your party. As part of their extensive stock, you’ll find cutters, slicers, knives, and cocktail shakers you’re going to need during the preparation process. Make sure to pass by this store to get these items ahead of your party!

Woolworths, or Woolies as it is affectionately known, is a home for fresh food. What is a party without a variety of foods? Definitely not the kind of party you’d want to host! So, you’re going to need to prepare all types of cold meats, hot meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts and candy. These items are all available to purchase at this Canal Walk store. 

The last thing you want is to have more people than you do glassware! To ensure that this doesn’t happen, you have to double up on a variety of glassware. Remember that you’ll be serving different cocktail drinks, and they each need to be prepared and poured into the correct glasses. Make sure to visit HOME etc. in Canal Walk to choose from their wide selection of glassware.

Your guests will appreciate some sweet treats to nibble on throughout the party, and no one can resist the Lindt chocolate experience created by the Master Chocolatiers. Make sure you offer a variety of Lindt chocolates to give your guests a moment of bliss to savour. Pop by the Lindt store in Canal Walk today!

There’s no cocktail party without the alcohol to make the cocktails! Make sure that you calculate the correct amount of vodka, whiskey, gin, tequila, bourbon, or whatever your cocktail recipe calls for. You might also need a variety of wines and champagne available for guests who are not cocktail fans or to give them a little break from cocktails. Pick n Pay Liquor will give you a hand with this. They have all of these available for purchase anytime you’re ready to pop by the Canal Walk store.

Verimark is a trusted brand known for quality products. From DIY to fitness, cookware to houseware, they have it all. If you need a power peeler and knives that do the job with minimal effort, Verimark is the store to visit. They also have press and pull choppers that make the chopping job efficient and fast. Visit this Canal Walk store today!

Don’t forget to stock up on the mixers, bitters, spices and garnishes at Checkers! You’ll need a variety of mixers if you’re planning on making a selection of cocktails – from tonics, sodas, orange juice, cranberry juice, lemons, limes, mint, rosemary and some for a smooth finish. Make sure to visit this store at your earliest convenience!

As you can see above, you have the opportunity to bring your cocktail party ideas at home to life with a little bit of preparation and effort. If you aren’t sure how to prepare cocktails at home, look up recipes online and follow their guide. The easier, the better! Happy toasting!