14 of Boston’s Best Margaritas to Drink Right Now (in Moderation, of Course)
Here are Boston's must-try margs from spots like Casa Romero, Lolita Cocina, and even a new Somerville pizza joint.
Photo courtesy of Tico
Nothing cuts spice quite like the citrusy saltiness of a well-made margarita. Whether you’re looking for a classic drink with tequila, triple sec, and fresh juice; a fruity frozen treat; or a spicy, smoky cocktail, Boston bars have margs on lock.
The Automatic: Li Hing Mui Margarita, $12
This Kendall Square spot has retired its popular purple frozen marg for now, but the equally playful Li Hing Mui achieves a satisfying sweet-and-sour balance. Fresh passionfruit juice cuts the tequila’s bite, and the fruity-salt rim is made from a Hawaiian pickled plum powder that gives the drink its name.
50 Hampshire St., Kendall Square, Cambridge, 617-714-5226, theautomaticbar.com.
Cantina la Mexicana: Smoked Cactus, $12
At this 25-year-old Somerville stalwart, one of the many house takes on the agave drink is the Smoked Cactus: a tropical blend of blanco tequila and mezcal, plus prickly pear purée and the requisite citrus. All margaritas are also available by the pitcher here.
247 Washington St., Union Square, Somerville, 617-776-5232, cantinalamexicana.com.
A pair of margaritas from Casa Romero. / Photo via Facebook
Casa Romero: Cucumber Margarita, $13.75
For more than 45 years, this brick-bound hideaway just off Newbury Street has offered a taste of Mexico in the heart of Back Bay. The bar has an array of margaritas, but this version, with Herradura Silver, St. Germain, and house-made cucumber purée, is especially refreshing.
30 Gloucester St., Back Bay, Boston, 617-536-4341, casaromero.com.
Photo by Claudiane Philippe
Citrus & Salt: Tequila Is Cheaper Than Therapy, $13
The name of this coastal Mexican cantina should clue you in on what to expect, but if the vibe still eludes, we direct your attention to this cheeky drink. With jalapeño-spiked mango puree, cucumber, and a chili-lime rim, it’s a spicy, salty riff on a margarita.
142 Berkeley St., Back Bay, Boston, 833-324-8787, citrusandsaltboston.com.
Cósmica Mexican Eatery & Bar: Frozen Mango Margarita, $14
New to the South End in early 2020, this planetary taqueria is pouring a variety of fun libations, such as a customary tequila shot-and-chaser combination known as sangrita. But we’re especially psyched to sip this boozy slushy on the expansive patio—complete with an outdoor bar—set to debut later this year.
The Revolution Hotel, 40 Berkeley St., South End, Boston, 617-313-7878, cosmicaboston.com.
The orange garnish atop the Viva Oaxaca margarita are caramelized in La Brasa’s wood-fired oven. / Photo by Vanessa Yip for La Brasa
La Brasa: Viva Oaxaca, $13
Chef-owner Daniel Bojorquez returned from his most-recent trip to his native Mexico with some sal de gusano: a slightly smoky salt made out of worms—yes, worms. In this mezcal margarita, bar manager Jenna Rehrig uses the savory salt as the perfect foil to habanero honey, lime, and oranges that are caramelized in La Brasa’s wood-fired oven.
124 Broadway, East Somerville, 617-764-1412, labrasasomerville.com.
Photo courtesy of Loco Taqueria
Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar: Coco, $11
It’s always a fiesta at this Southie hotspot, thanks to more than 40 varieties of tequila and mezcal on the menu. Among the half-dozen margarita variations, this creamy coconut drink is a smooth operator, amped up with blanco tequila and house-made triple sec.
412 W. Broadway, South Boston, 617-917-LOCO, locosouthboston.com.
Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar: Lolita Margarita, $12
The signature margarita at both locations of this sultry lounge (which boasts a sweet patio at its Fort Point location) adds a touch of mouth-puckering grapefruit juice to the blend of house Lolita Blanco tequila, orange liqueur, and lime. If you’re looking for something flashier, there are plenty of other options—from the serrano-infused Diablo, to the berry-bolstered Broken Heart, to several flavors of the icy “Frolita.”
271 Dartmouth St., Back Bay, 617-369-5609; 253 Summer St., Fort Point, Boston, 617-369-0931, lolitamexican.com.
El Diablo margarita at Lone Star Taco Bar. / Photo via Twitter
Lone Star Taco Bar: El Diablo, $11
Rich, spicy, and devilishly strong. Jalapeño and habanero-agave syrup add a kick to Reposado tequila, mezcal, and lime, and it’s all garnished with a spiced salt rim. If you’re thirsting for something cooler (and larger) at either location of this Texas-style taqueria, you can’t beat the 20-ounce “Mug-arita.”
479 Cambridge St., Allston, 617-782-TACO; 635 Cambridge St., Cambridge, 857-285-6179, lonestar-boston.com.
Oak Long Bar’s margarita variation, the Matador, swaps in Aperol for triple sec. / Photo by Jenny+Allie
Oak Long Bar: The Matador, $15
The stately hotel bar inside the Fairmont Copley Plaza might not be top-of-mind as a margarita destination—but it should be. For one, it has a great seasonal patio, perfect for post-work drinks during warmer months. But more importantly, this top-shelf spot has twisted the classic, swapping traditional triple sec and lime for fresh lemon and bitter Aperol.
138 St. James Ave., Copley Square, Boston, 617-585-7222, oaklongbarkitchen.com.
The Painted Burro and Burro Bar: Mezcarita, $12
All of the Alpine Restaurant Group’s cocinas feature lengthy lists of margaritas. This smoky sipper, which mixes Banhez mezcal and Agavero Damiana liqueur with lime, is available at both Painted Burro and its sister bars.
The Painted Burro, 219 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville, 617-776-0005, thepaintedburro.com; Burro Bar, 1665 Beacon St., Washington Square, Brookline, 617-277-0427; 1357 Washington St., South End, Boston, 617-426-9300, burrobarboston.com.
Your new favorite margarita might just be found at a wood-fired pizza joint. / “Bitter Juan” photo courtesy of T & B Pizza
T & B Pizza: Bitter Juan, $12
Chef Tim Wiechmann recently created a low-key, neighborhood cocktail bar in the space next door to Bronwyn, the Union Square sausage haus he co-owns with his wife, its namesake. Wiechmann tapped Backbar’s Jason Kilgore to create the opening list, and Aaron Rushinski now oversees the beverage program. This half-tequila, half-mezcal margarita—bolstered with bitters and nutty orgeat—has become their most popular creation.
251 Washington St., Union Square, Somerville, 617-764-4054, tbpizza.com.
Tico: Blood Orange Margarita, $13
Fresh blood orange purée and a blend of lime and lemon juices are the citrusy backbone to this cocktail, made with tequila blanco and Patrón Citrónge. It’s one of many marg options here, which use many different tequilas—in fact, connoisseurs can also opt for bartender’s-choice flight of agave spirits at this Back Bay bar.
222 Berkeley St., Back Bay, Boston, 617-351-0400, ticoboston.com.
Photo courtesy of Yellow Door Taqueria
Yellow Door Taqueria: Margaritas de la Casa, $11
First opened as a small joint on the southern edge of town, this Cali-Mex destination earned raves not just for cool taco combinations but also tequila-soaked libations, like the lineup of house margaritas made with tequilas infused with fun flavors such as hibiscus, vanilla, and lime leaf and ginger. In early 2020, a reservations-accepting location opened in the South End with a much bigger bar and a seasonal patio. We’ll drink to that!
2297 Dorchester Ave., Lower Mills, 857-267-4201; 354 Harrison Ave., South End, Boston, 857-239-9276, yellowdoortaqueria.com.
