Lido House Executive Chef-Partner Riley Huddleston wanted to serve an iconic champagne at his Mayor’s Table restaurant in Newport Beach, so he went to France – specifically the Piper Heidsieck winery – and crafted a special Champagne cuvée created exclusively by Huddleston for the property.
Now, Huddleston has shifted his focus to tequila. Last month, he introduced a one-of-a-kind Código Tequila blanco rested in Sauvignon Blanc barrels, hand-selected by Huddleston during a recent journey to Tequila, Mexico.
This bespoke spirit, crafted in collaboration with Código, is now featured throughout Lido House’s culinary outlets and as part of an elevated in-room cocktail amenity for hotel guests.
According to information from Lido House, the distinctive barrel-resting process imparts subtle notes of citrus and minerality, resulting in a tequila that feels bright, refined, and perfectly suited to the coastal palate of Newport Beach.
At The Mayor’s Table, guests can look forward to signature cocktails showcasing this custom Código expression. At Topside Roof Deck, Newport Beach’s only rooftop bar, the tequila makes its debut in the Lido Libido, pairing the blanco’s elegant complexity with grapefruit, lime, agave, and VTL’s libido elixir for a playful yet elevated sip. Guests of the hotel can also enjoy this rare spirit as part of a curated in-room cocktail amenity.
“Selecting this tequila in Mexico with the Código team was an incredible opportunity to create something that reflects both craftsmanship and place,” said Chef Huddleston. “Resting the blanco in Sauvignon Blanc barrels gives it a crispness and layered complexity that resonates with the Newport Beach lifestyle—light, vibrant, and endlessly sophisticated. It’s a tequila meant to be savored here.”
According to Huddleston, everybody’s doing tequila but not everybody’s doing this tequila.
“I was approached to select go down and do my own barrel program,” said Huddleston. “They do some weird barrels every year, and they’re really experimental in their barrels. There’s a Sauvignon Blanc barrel that makes it very smooth and elegant, but at the same time, it adds this character. Sauvignon Blanc in general, in Orange County, right? And then you put that with tequila and it’s game over—the highest selling wine mixed with the highest selling spirit.”
The Lido House is offering an in-room package that has the resort’s custom cocktail shaker, the proprietary Lido House tequila, and a mixer made in house.
Huddleston said that his approach to all things food and beverage at Lido House is ingrained in the culture of the team.
When asked if whisky might be the next spirits to tackle, Huddleston was evasive but did hint that were “new and exciting things” to come.
“Topside has really caught on with the locals, especially now that we’re out of the summer season from tourists,” said Huddleston. “Locals have known about this place. Every time I’ve been here, it’s been busy, which is good. We’re talking about how people are saying that the younger generation isn’t drinking as much, and liquor sales are down, but I don’t think it’s anything to do with that. They just want the quality, and they want to know what they’re drinking and what they’re putting in their body. All our spirits are non-additive, or organic or biodynamic. The wines are generally farmed or biodynamic or organic, all of the things that we want to put in our body. That’s where the younger generation is really gravitating towards. We’ve actually gotten busier, and it’s really with the younger crowd, which is quite fascinating.”
For more information on Lido House, visit https://www.lidohousehotel.com.
