20 Delicious Cocktails To Enjoy On National Tequila Day

There’s nothing like a spicy margarita or a refreshing Paloma on a sunny afternoon. But as much as we love our tried-and-true mainstays, National Tequila Day (observed this year on July 24), is a perfect opportunity to try a new cocktail.

You may just discover a new favorite!

Unity Park Beer-Ga-Rita

At Southernside Brewing Co. in Greenville, South Carolina, if you can’t decide if you want a beer or a cocktail? No worries. This smooth summer sipper is made with Southernside Brewing Co.’s house-brewed Unity Park ale, Lunazul tequila, lime, orange juice, Cointreau, and simple syrup. “The Unity Park Beer-ga-rita is named after the beautiful, long-awaited park that just opened right next to our location in downtown Greenville. We wanted to create a drink that was crisp and refreshing to compliment the Cream Ale that it is topped with. This light, delicious drink is perfect for cooling down after a bike ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, playing with your family in the huge fields of the park, or sipping in our expansive outdoor space with friends & family (including your dogs!)” said Anne Hester, bar manager at Southernside Brewing Co.

Tequila Par-Tee

At Birdsong Social at Towhee Club in Spring Hill, Tennessee, this cocktail is made with Casamigos Tequila, peach puree, peach schnapps, pineapple, topped with lemonade. “The only thing more southern than peaches in the summer is peaches pureed with tequila. Our Tequila Par-Tee combines both ingredients with light notes of pineapple and a slightly sour hint of fresh lemonade. Perfect for sipping on a hot day,” said Brian Gordon, General Manager.

Strange Messenger

At Apotheke NoMad in New York City, this botanical and herbaceous drink is made with lemongrass-infused tequila, cantaloupe, red bell pepper, lime, agave nectar, housemade habanero tincture, APO Illuminate bitters, housemade eucalyptus and bael foam, and blue cornflower. “Named for Patti Smith, Apotheke’s Strange Messenger delivers a progression of flavors, activating all the taste buds while providing beneficial antioxidants. Bright fresh cantaloupe blends with earthy bell pepper while the house-made habanero tincture gives a spicy kick at the end. The house-made eucalyptus and bael fruit foam applied to the top of the cocktail provides a cool botanical counterpoint to the bold blend of tequila, fruit, and spice swirling beneath,” said Nicolas O’Connor, Apotheke’s Director of Mixology and Culinary Arts.

The Buck

At Butchertown Hall in Nashville, this cocktail is made with Tequila Plata, ginger beer, pineapple, fresh serrano, and fresh-pressed lemon. “There’s a reason this is one of the top-selling and longest running cocktails on our menu. The sweetness of pineapple is contrasted by the multi-dimensional spiciness of ginger beer and serrano – topped with a hint of sour from fresh-pressed lemons. All mixed together with a smooth tequila plata for a dynamic and delicious tequila cocktail,” said Tara Stassin, general manager.

Richard’s Ranch Water

At Haywire in Plano and Dallas, Texas, this cocktail is a refreshing combination of Mi Campo Blanco Tequila and Richard’s Sparkling Rainwater with a splash of lime juice and agave. “Ranch waters have unofficially replaced the marg as the official drink of Texas summers. At Haywire, we’re making Ranch Waters even more fun by building them IN the Richard’s Rainwater bottle. It’s a whole vibe and we sell hundreds a day!” said Rae Phillips Luther.

Puerto Vallarta Smash

This cocktail at Tall Boy Taco in Chicago features Tanteo Habanero Tequila, peach puree, agave nectar, lime juice, basil leaves and half a jalapeño with seeds removed. “I love the play on sweet and spicy with peaches and habanero. The basil and jalapeno add a freshness that screams ‘drink me on a long summer day overlooking the beach!” said Daniel Kurtzman, general manager at Tall Boy Taco.

i’ll sleep when I’M DEAD

At ND StreetBAR (locations in Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins and Eastbridge, Colorado), this cocktail is made with Cazadores reposado, lime, agave, grenadine, mint, jalapeño. “Inspired by a classic margarita, with a softer and smokier backbone from the reposado. Our house-made grenadine adds bright red fruit and the fresh mint and jalapeño keep the cocktail light on its feet with freshness and spice,” said Matty Carroll, beverage director at The Kitchen Restaurant Group.

Jorge’s Revenge

At Maple & Ash in Chicago, this cocktail is made with Don Julio Blanco, Amaro Nonino, rhubarb, blood orange, habañero, lemon. From Beverage Director Mario Flores: “This cocktail was created by one of our head bartenders named Jorge — he loves agave-focused drinks with a hint of spice, so we thought it would be fun to name our favorite one after him. His focus was to create a somewhat spicy cocktail with more depth that could be loved by everyone who enjoys a spicy margarita. The flavor profile is light and refreshing, with herbal notes and a hint of spice. The blood orange and rhubarb play really well with the habañero, it mellows out some of the heat and balances the cocktail.”

La Mariposa

At Los Charros Cantina in Connecticut, La Mariposa is a butterfly pea-infused Blanco tequila cocktail made with thyme simple syrup and lemon and garnished with thyme and lemon peel. “La Mariposa is an interesting cocktail because in its simplicity, it’s beautiful and delectable, and yet with butterfly pea powder in the base, this simple cocktail delights with visual excitement before even tasting. An added bonus is that the cocktail changes color from purple to pink with the addition of acid (lemon),” said executive chef and owner, Colt Taylor.

Hibiscus Paloma

At Gatsby’s Cocktail Lounge, located at Resorts World Las Vegas, the Hibiscus Paloma is a unique cocktail made with blanco tequila, hibiscus syrup, Fever Tree grapefruit soda and fresh lime juice, garnished with a hibiscus salt and sugar rim, a half-wheel of grapefruit and a hibiscus flower. John Pettei, partner of Gatbsy’s Cocktail Lounge, noted, “This cocktail is a riff on the classic Paloma. The hibiscus syrup adds some sweetness and floral freshness to a drink that already has tartness. It’s very well balanced. We use Fever Tree grapefruit soda because it is the best product in the market. It’s a beautiful, tasty sipper that has become our most popular cocktail on the menu.”

Pineapple Picante

At Ocean Prime Restaurants, the Pineapple Picante is an extraordinary tequila-based cocktail that combines pineapple-infused Don Julio Blanco with a hand-crafted picante infusion, fresh-squeezed lemon, & a dash of orange bitters. Spirit forward with a touch of heat & acid – guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser! “Our house made picante infusion- made with roasted serrano peppers and raw sugar – steals the show in the Pineapple Picante. Meanwhile, the fresh lemon elevates the delicate flavors of the fresh pineapple notes in the tequila infusion. The Pineapple Picante is refreshing, bright, and thirst-quenching,” said Nick Ansara, Senior Beverage Operations Manager, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants.

Tequila on My Mind

At Citrus & Salt in Boston, this is a large-format cocktail made with Jose Cuervo tequila cristalino, St. Germaine, butterfly pea tea, white cranberry, lime, agave and adorned with faux butterflies and real flowers. “The Tequila on My Mind is not just a delicious drink but a mantra of Citrus & Salt- tequila is always on our mind here! Inspiring the drink’s name, the skull glass we serve the drink in is super playful and eye-catching, even more so with the addition of the fun purple color and butterflies that appear to be spilling out of the top of it. The drink is light and floral tasting while still packing a strong punch- a perfect sipper for the whole table to enjoy!,” said Chef/Owner Jason Santos.

Something Spicy with Tequila

At Sweet Liberty Drinks & Company in Miami Beach, this Frozen Spicy Mango Margarita made with tequila blanco, mezcal, lime, agave nectar, mango puree and chili tincture. “It is a Frozen Spicy Mango Margarita, a fruity take on the classic cocktail. It’s not crazy boozy, but strikes a nice balance between the vegetal notes of the tequila and the soft smoky notes of the mezcal. The spice level is subtle; more of a background note, but we can kick it up if the guest wants,” said Naren Young, Creative Beverage Director, Sweet Liberty Drinks & Company.

ER-MAH-GERD

At Loews Vanderbilt Hotel’s Mason Bar, the ER-MAH-GERD is made with Patron Silver tequila mixed with fresh cucumber, lime and cucumber juice, agave and a Tajin rim. Director of Food & Beverage Jereme Pozin says, “A fun name for ordering with a flavor packed punch, the ER-MAH-GERD is a refreshing balance of lime, cucumber and agave with a smoky touch from the Tajin rim. Ask for it spicy for extra kick!”

Serenity Bay Cocktail

At Discovery Cove in Orlando, the Serenity Bay Cocktail is infused with Milagro Silver tequila, Blue Curacao, and Sweet n Sour. “The Serenity Bay cocktail is a guest favorite after a day of swimming with dolphins, snorkeling with tropical fish and floating along Wind-Away River,” said Crystal O’Hea, Vice President, Marketing for Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida. “This classic cocktail packs a punch of fresh flavor with a balance of smooth tequila, sour citrus and sweet juices.”

The Writer’s Block

The Blue Bar at the Algonquin in New York City has a beautiful cocktail that looks simple but has a surprising degree of complexity. “The Writer’s Block is conceptually a play on a muddled cucumber cup. The flavor of the cucumber is echoed and enhanced by the Aloe liqueur providing sharp relief to the pure Agave flavor of the Partida Tequila,” said Alana Carl.

Paloma Rosa

Available on Morton’s seasonal cocktail menu, this drink is fresh and light at just 120 calories. Crafted with Calirosa blanco tequila, Monin strawberry rose syrup, fresh lime juice and Q Sparkling Grapefruit. “The Paloma Rosa is certainly a crowd favorite amongst our seasonal cocktail selection,” said Tylor Field, Divisional Vice President of Wine and Spirits. “The refreshing fusion of strawberry rose syrup, fresh lime juice and Q Sparkling Grapefruit is the perfect mix with our Calirosa Blanco Tequila, garnished with a flavorful slice of grapefruit.”

Downtown Heat

Available at ATRIO Wine Bar & Restaurant at Conrad New York Downtown in New York City, this cocktail is made with habanero-Infused tequila, Aperol, passionfruit purée, lime, and agave. “The Downtown Heat is aggressively spicy yet well-balanced thanks to the passionfruit purée, which adds a tart and sweet element,” said Joseph Neis, who is the senior food and beverage manager.

Pineapple Express

At bartaco, the Pineapple Express is a blend of fresh pineapple juice, housemade pineapple syrup, agave, Libélula Joven tequila, a dash of yellow chartreuse and fresh squeezed lime that is garnished with a pineapple chip. “It’s no coincidence that National Tequila Day falls in July and our Pineapple Express is meant to transport you to a tropical beach in South America. The Pineapple Express is one of our guest favorites because of the fragrant, ripe fresh pineapple, which is complemented by our very own Libélula Joven tequila and a touch of herbaceous yellow chartreuse and fresh squeezed lime. If you’re craving the relaxing feeling that comes with a vacation, this beachy margarita is ideal for National Tequila Day,” said Anthony Valletta, president of bartaco.