The #1 cocktail in America — tequila, lime, triple sec.
The Margarita is the most-ordered cocktail in the United States. Simple, refreshing, endlessly riffable.
Classic recipe:
- 2 oz blanco tequila (100% agave — Espolón, Casamigos, Patrón)
- 1 oz fresh lime juice (NEVER bottled)
- ¾ oz Cointreau (or ½ oz Cointreau + ¼ oz agave syrup)
- Salt rim (kosher salt, Tajín, or smoked salt)
- Lime wheel garnish
Steps:
1. Run a lime wedge around half the rim of a rocks glass
2. Dip in salt (half-rim, so the customer can choose salty or not)
3. Shake tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau with ice for 15 seconds
4. Strain over fresh ice in the prepared glass
5. Garnish with lime wheel
Glassware: rocks glass (on the rocks) or coupe (up)
Variations your customers ask about:
- Tommy's Margarita — agave syrup replaces Cointreau. Cleaner, lets tequila shine.
- Spicy Margarita — muddle 2-3 jalapeño slices before shaking. Rim with Tajín.
- Mezcal Margarita — sub mezcal for tequila. Smoky twist.
- Frozen — blend with ice. Use less citrus (blending dilutes).
- Skinny — tequila + lime + splash of agave + soda. Fewer calories.
Pro tips:
- Fresh lime juice is non-negotiable — bottled lime tastes flat and chemical
- Cointreau >> cheap triple sec (it's the #1 upgrade)
- Reposado tequila in a Margarita = oak-forward, slightly richer
- Pre-batched Margaritas: scale the recipe, shake individual servings to order
Ingredients for your store to stock: 100% agave blanco tequila, Cointreau, fresh limes, kosher salt, Tajín.