According to a 2023 study, the Margarita is the most popular cocktail order in the U.S. Other Mexican classics, like the Paloma and Michelada, are well-known summer staples, too. But beyond these familiar recipes, there’s a vast world of Mexican classics that deserve a turn in the spotlight north of the border. From a citrusy refresher guaranteed to “send you flying” to a bittersweet Gin & Tonic, here are five to know.
You may be familiar with Mexico’s answer to the Cuba Libre, La Batanga, from its bout with virality earlier this year. A simple mix of tequila, Coca-Cola, lime and the occasional salted rim, it’s a refreshing drink, and it’s easy to see why it would take off. Riffs on the drink abound, like the version served at Cicatriz in Mexico City, which introduces Ancho Reyes chile liqueur to the template. Of note, the classic Cuba Libre is also popular in the capital: Order it pintada (“painted” with a splash of soda water), divorciada (“divorced,” or deconstructed) or quemada (“lightly burned,” with the ice slightly melted before serving).
Mexico’s carajillo—adapted from Spain’s—combines espresso and Licor 43 (a vanilla- and fruit-flavored liqueur) over ice. In the early aughts, what started as a Spanish diaspora drink in the country became a popular party-starter for young people, akin to Vodka Red Bull or an Espresso Martini. Today, at Mexican bars and clubs, you can order it puesto (with the espresso and liqueur separate, and on the rocks) or shakeado (with the ingredients shaken together into a frothy mix, served over ice).
A Mexican carajillo is made with three simple ingredients: espresso, Licor 43 and ice.
The Salmoncito is newer to Mexico City’s drinks scene, but, since its creation in 2013, the cocktail has already become a modern classic. Essentially a Gin & Tonic made with the addition of Campari and grapefruit, the bittersweet drink was invented by Khristian de la Torre, who describes it as “easy to make, easy to drink [and] easy to sell.” The name comes from its garnish: a supremed grapefruit wedge that resembles a little salmon swimming against a current.
A staple in Jalisco, the Guadalajara Punch is a large-format crowd-pleaser consisting of a spirit (typically aguardiente blanco or tequila), a mix of citrus fruits, soda and salt. It’s also known as the Cazuela Voladora—”flying casserole”—because of the large clay vessel it’s served in and its easy-drinking ability to “send you flying.”
Like the Paloma, a Cantarito is a grapefruit and tequila cocktail, but is distinguished by its cántaro—a squat clay cup—and the additional ingredients it sometimes includes, like Tajín and various citrus fruits. This version features a chamoy rim. As Richard Betts, founder of Sombra Mezcal, describes the classic, “It’s like a supercharged Paloma and so damn good.”
