Meet the W Philadelphia’s New Beverage Director Isai Xolalpa | Eater Philly
"With summer approaching, the W Philadelphia in Center City has overhauled its cocktail program under new beverage director Isai Xolalpa, who arrived from W Aspen and, after roughly 70 days in Philly, reset the menu so that all 13 drinks are new. Xolalpa—who says “drinks are equal to food” and drew on his upbringing in Mexico City and Texas—split the menu into eight signature cocktails, three classics (margaritas, spritz, and ranch water) and two zero‑proof options such as the I'll Drive (non-alcoholic gin, raspberry syrup, Fever Tree tonic) and the W Faloma (aloe vera, super kumquat, super grapefruit, simple syrup, soda water). More than a third of the cocktails include tequila (Don Julio Blanco, Patron Reposado, Casamigos Blanco, or Hornitos Reposado and Plata), many incorporate “super” citrus (super lime, super lemon, super kumquat) produced via a zero‑waste “super juicing” technique that uses whole fruit plus citric acid to get eight times more juice, and the overall vision—served at the hotel's popular WET Deck rooftop—is low ABV so guests can “get away, but not drunk,” savor several drinks, or choose thoughtful zero‑proof alternatives. Examples range from fruity, bright pours like the Always Sunny (Ketel One Vodka, St. Germain, passionfruit, club soda) and Watermelon Mule (Patron Reposado, watermelon juice, super lime, ginger beer) to experimental creations such as the EspressoTina (Grey Goose vanilla infused, Vigo Amaro, MHL Chocolate liquor, MHL Espresso, coconut liquor, coffee oil) and the Tiki Latte (Bacardi 8, pineapple, super kumquat, simple syrup, espresso oil, orange bitters)." - Ernest Owens
