Ask the average person to name a tequila cocktail, and they’re likely to blurt out “Margarita.” That’s fine. Margaritas are delicious, refreshing, and ingrained in our collective consciousness. It’s really difficult to feel anything but good vibes with a well-made Margarita in hand.
Ask a bartender the same question, however, and they may give you a different answer. It’s not that they don’t like Margaritas. It’s just that the drink’s popularity and ubiquitousness tend to come at the expense of other delicious tequila drinks that aren’t ordered as much as they’d like to see. To find out what those other beverages are, we asked 17 bartenders what tequila cocktail deserves a little more love from their guests.
The tequila cocktails people should order more, according to bartenders: Oaxaca Old Fashioned Siesta Toro Bravo 21st Century Silver Monk Tequila Old Fashioned Paloma Vicious Virgin #2 Avion de Papel Mexican Martini Infante Tommy’s #2 El Diablo Mexican Firing Squad
“Definitely the Oaxaca Old Fashioned. It’s much less sweet than a traditional Old Fashioned because of the vegetal notes from the tequila, especially since this is such a spirit-forward cocktail. I also think it’s a great introduction cocktail to mezcal with just a hint of smokiness.” —Fionna Gemzon, bar manager, None of The Above, St. Louis
“The Siesta! It’s a Katie Stipe cocktail, and Katie is one of the most prolific cocktail makers I have ever met. This cocktail was created when she and I worked together at Julie Reiner’s
