6 Best Easy cocktails for weeknight dinners

Updated Apr 17, 2026 · 2 min read

Dinner preparation has a wonderfully restorative quality after a long day. It also has a more relaxing effect to make dinner while drinking after a long day. Do not drink the marti.

The addition of a drinkable, easy cocktail elevates weeknight meals from a chore to an occasion. These cocktails were designed to be versatile, and because of their straightforward ingredients, they can be easily paired with a wide range of foods. Lighter foods are generally thought to pair better with lighter spirits, though there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to this. Proteins like fish and chicken are good choices for gin and vodka. Red meats that complement Bourbon include beef and lamb. These are the top drinks to have while cooking a weeknight supper.

The main ingredient in this Paloma cocktail, which was served at the old Jimmy's in Aspen, Colorado, is fresh grapefruit juice.

This traditional, low-alcohol cocktail is made with three ingredients that work in a bittersweet way.

This contemporary take on the classic low-lift shandy combines tart, flowery Japanese yuzu juice with freshly squeezed lemon juice to produce a more complex citrus flavor combination.

Look for Negroni Insorti, a bottled, less-alcoholic version of the Cappelletti family's cocktail, for a surprisingly sessionable Negroni.

Svol Swdish, a dill-infused aquavit that gives the drink a delightfully herbaceous, almost peppery scent, fino sherry, dry Riesling, and dry vermouth are the ingredients for this comparatively easy home-made cocktail.

The Pamplemousse is a great brunch cocktail because it is "bright, refreshing, and low in alcohol—a great pick-me-up," according to mixologist Ryan Fitzgerald.