barbarella xmas pop up '24

Y’all know we love barbarella. And not just for the decor.

But man oh man, my favorite decor is at christmas time. The lights, the trees, the homey feel. It’s not over blown as some christmas pop-ups are, but instead feels like a warm hug surrounding you.

That feeling, coupled with yummy food, makes for the perfect local holiday experience.

alpine duet: ipa

santa’s special: rose vodka, apple sour, elderflower liquor, lemon juice

I love that there is always a rotating cocktail special on the menu - always something new and fun to try. And I’ve yet to be disappointed.

And this one, with it’s caramel rim dipped in graham cracker crumbles was perfect for the holiday season.

chop salad: avocado, roasted beets, celery, feta, toasted almonds, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, avocado lime dressing

We were in the mood to split a pizza and salad… because if you’ve learning nothing from me, you just need to know that pizza and salad always belong together.

This chop salad is a fav. We keep swearing we are done, and then we keep eating more. (And I like topping my pizza with it). Only complaint is that we love the toppings together so much, that by trying to get a little bit of everything in each bite, we are often left with just lettuce at the end - so we could use some more of the toppings.

Considering how good the dressing is tho - it doesn’t stop us from picking at the lettuce leaves.

pizza americana: grilled chicken, red onion, mozzarella cheese, barbecue glaze, cilantro

We love the pizza at barbarella - the crust is some of the best in the city, and that’s from your girl who’s very picky about what, if any, pizza she’ll eat. And this version of a bbq chicken pizza is a definitely a fav.

feliz navidad: tequila blanco, cramberry, pomegranate, lime

Pretty much your classic pom margarita, but with a cranberry kick. And who doesn’t feel the holiday spirit when drinking pomegranate and cranberries?

oh christmas tree shooter: amarula liqueur, creme de menthe

I am obsessed with the holiday shooters. I love how cute the containers they come in are, and they are a really good flavor combo, without feeling too alcohol heavy, or too sweet.

barbarella burger: grilled hamburger or beyond burger, bib lettuce, heirloom tomato, marinated grilled red onions— add cheese, avocado, bacon or lettuce wrap

One thing barbarella has always done right for us, is nail the beef cooking temp. You want medium, you get medium - not medium well, not medium rare. You want medium well, you’ll get that.

Pro tip: at the minimum add cheese and avocado to the burger. Oh, and a side of ranch for your fries. You won’t regret either choice.

Fries are nice and crispy on the outside and soft, yet fully cooked on the inside.

milk tart

The milk tart might be our favorite dessert from barbarella yet. It reminded us of my pumpkin custard pie, without the pumpkin flavor. Perfectly decadent.

All in all a great way to celebrate the holiday season.