Five Delicious Ways To Drink Tequila That Arent Margaritas

Not that we don’t love margaritas, but it’s nice to have other options for imbibing, on a day devoted to tequila drinking.

Cinco de Mayo falls on a Friday this year, as if we needed an extra excuse to drink. And while margaritas, when made properly (forget premade mixes), can be amazingly delicious, they can also start to feel a bit played out…especially by your third one of the evening. Here are five easy and tasty ways to celebrate the agave spirit and keep your taste buds excited from noon ’til night.

Bloody Maria

Put a south-of-the-border spin on the classic brunch drink by swapping in tequila for the usual vodka, while keeping the tomato juice, lime juice, and horseradish, and of course the dashes of Worcestershire and hot sauce. And get as adventurous with your garnishes as you like.
: Bloody Maria : It’s day 3 of the 5 days of Cinco De Mayo! How about a classic brunch drink? Thank you thekitchn.com! #cincodemayo #bloodymaria #tequila #cocktailrecipe : Ingredients 2 ounces tequila 3 dashes Worcestershire 3 dashes hot sauce 1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated horseradish 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice 3 ounces tomato juice Lime wheel, for garnish Celery stalk, for garnish : Directions In a shaker filled with ice, combine all the ingredients except the garnishes, and shake until well chilled. Strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and a celery stalk. Since a Bloody Mary, or Bloody Maria, is almost like an appetizer feel free to serve salt and pepper shakers on the side for guests to season as they see fit.
A post shared by Its Happy Hour Time! (@itshappyhourtime) on May 3, 2017 at 6:09am PDT

Paloma

Light and refreshing, the Paloma is a Mexican favorite and an all-around great warm-weather drink. In its simplest form, you make it by mixing one part tequila with three parts grapefruit soda (think Fresca, Squirt, or Jarritos) and a squeeze of lime juice over ice in a highball glass—although you can certainly substitute freshly squeezed juice and club soda for the grapefruit soda, if you prefer.
Margs are amazing but I prefer a Paloma for #cincodemayo , like these made with @casanobletequila blanco courtesy of @liquordotcom #gardenparty #cocktailparties #suburbia #paloma #tequila #blanco4eva
A post shared by SubourbonSummer (@subourbonsummer) on May 3, 2017 at 10:39am PDT

Tequila Sunrise

Previously banished to cruise ships and cheesy resorts, this sweet and fruity relic of the 1970s is starting to find favor again and is poised for a comeback. For this one, you mix three parts tequila with six parts orange juice and one part grenadine (which will sink to the bottom, creating the “sunrise” effect), and serve, unstirred, in a highball glass. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry for extra flair.
İşte bu haftanın özel kokteyli; tekila, taze sıkılmış portakal suyu ile tadlandırılıp, nar şurubu ile de renklendiriliyor. Tekila Sunrise bu haftaya özel Hezarfen Lounge’da %20 indirimli sunuluyor. … #parkbosphorus #cvkparkbosphorus #enjoythebosphorus #birbogazmasali #besthotelinistanbul #İstanbul #taksim #besthotelintaksim #besthotel #bosphorus #luxury #luxuryhotel #hezarfenlounge #kokteyl #tequilasunrise
A post shared by CVK Park Bosphorus Hotel (@parkbosphorus) on Apr 27, 2017 at 6:38am PDT

Mexican Mule

A take on the classic Moscow Mule, this variation replaces vodka with tequila. Mix two parts spicy ginger beer with one part tequila, and add a squeeze of lime juice. Traditionalists will insist it be served in a copper mug, but a rocks glass is totally fine, too.
Cheers and Happy weekend!! #mexicanmule #franzenresidence #coppermug
A post shared by Cecilia Franzén (@cissifranzen) on Mar 31, 2017 at 6:11pm PDT

Mexican Negroni

Nearly everyone loves the Negroni, a bitter yet refreshing way to start or end a night. This variation replaces the usual gin with tequila, keeping the Campari and sweet red vermouth. Stir equal parts of each together and serve over ice in a rocks glass.
#MexicanNegroni #Tequila #Gin #Campari #Rosso #MixologyStyle
A post shared by Mixology Style&Delights (@mixologystyle) on Feb 6, 2015 at 1:47pm PST

About the author

Kathryn Maier

NYC Food & Drink Editor

Kathryn has eaten her way around the globe, seeking out local delicacies in more than 40 countries and counting. After receiving a Master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, she began writing about travel, food, and drink, and has held editorial roles at luxury publications including Conde Nast Traveler and the Robb Report. When she's in NYC, she can generally be found on a barstool at one of the city's best cocktail bars or at home sipping fine wine with her cat on her lap.