Mexico is a country with a rich and diverse drinking culture. Beyond the well-known offerings of tequila, beer, and margaritas, Mexico has a wide range of traditional beverages that reflect the nation's culinary creativity.
If you're looking to present some authentic Mexican drinks to your guests this season, here are 15 such options.
Michelada is a popular Mexican beer cocktail that has grown in popularity worldwide in recent years. It typically consists of beer mixed with lime juice, salt, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. The lime juice adds a refreshing tartness that cuts through the richness of the beer, while the salt, hot sauce, and Worcestershire enhance the savory flavors.
A rimmed glass is often used, with the rim coated in a chili-salt mixture. Micheladas are most commonly made with Mexican lager beers like Corona, Pacifico, or Modelo, but they can also be made with darker beers.
The Paloma is another refreshing Mexican cocktail. Its name means "dove" in Spanish. The key ingredients in a Paloma are grapefruit soda, tequila, and lime juice. It's made by combining tequila and lime juice in a glass over ice, then topping with grapefruit soda like Squirt, Jarritos, or Fresca.
The sweet grapefruit flavor balances out the kick of the tequila. The Paloma is sometimes served in a salt-rimmed glass and often garnished with a grapefruit wedge. It's tangy, citrusy, and easy-drinking - a classic Mexican refresher.
Agua de Jamaica, also called hibiscus water or agua de flor de Jamaica, is a non-alcoholic beverage made from the dried hibiscus flower. The deep red hibiscus flowers are boiled to extract their tart flavor, aroma, and vivid red color. The resulting agua de Jamaica is sweetened with sugar and served chilled.
Traditional agua de Jamaica has a deep crimson color and a flavor reminiscent of cranberry juice, but with a slightly acidic, tart kick. It is sometimes flavored with lime juice or cinnamon as well.
Agua de Jamaica is a very popular drink in Mexico and Central America, frequently served with meals or as a refreshing juice alongside sweet bread. It highlights the flavors of tropical fruits and flowers used in traditional Latin American cuisine.
The Bloody Maria is Mexico's take on Bloody Mary, using tequila rather than vodka. It consists of tomato juice, tequila, lime juice, hot sauce or chili peppers, and spices like cayenne, coriander, oregano, and celery salt. The mixture is served over ice in a glass with a salted rim, garnished with lime and cilantro.
Horchata is a creamy, cinnamon-laced rice milk drink that provides sweet relief from Mexico's heat. To make it, long grain rice is soaked, ground with water and strained to extract the starchy milk. This is then flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, sweetened with sugar and served over ice. Other spices like nutmeg or allspice are sometimes added as well.
Horchata has a milky appearance and the consistency of a milkshake. It is served in Mexican restaurants as an accompaniment to spicy dishesas it soothes the palate after bites of hot chili peppers.
Pulque is an ancient Mexican alcoholic drink made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant, a type of agave. The sap is extracted from the plant's heart, fermented with natural yeasts and drunk fresh due to its short shelf life.
This drink has a viscous, foamy consistency and creamy white appearance. It contains about 4-7% alcohol. The flavor is tart yet mildly sweet, reminiscent of kombucha. Pulque was traditionally consumed for special occasions like festivals but fell out of favor when beer arrived with European immigrants.
Ponche is a hot fruit punch that is a beloved Mexican holiday drink, especially at Christmas. It contains dried and fresh fruit that is simmered in sugar syrup with spices like cinnamon, cloves and guava seeds. Common fruits include apples, guava, hibiscus flowers, prunes, and sugarcane.
The sweet-tart punch is lightened up with the addition of rum or tequila. Ponche is served warm, sometimes from decorated clay mugs, and sipped during cool December nights. The sweet spice notes and fruity flavors make it the perfect accompaniment to seasonal baked goods like buñuelos.
Carajillo is a Mexican coffee drink with a kick. It combines strong espresso with a shot of rum or brandy, resulting in the perfect pick-me-up. Carajillo translates to "little glass" referring to the small cup it is served in.
To make it, a shot of rum or brandy is added to freshly brewed black espresso and then the mixed drink is poured into the carajillo glass. Sometimes sugar, cinnamon or lime zest is added to sweeten and enhance the flavors.
The combination of deep, bitter espresso with the warmth of rum or brandy makes the Carajillo an intensely satisfying sip. It's popular as an after-dinner digestif.
Tepache is a fermented Mexican drink made from pineapple skins, rinds and cores - essentially the pineapple leftovers! The pineapple scraps are combined with piloncillo sugar, water and spices and left to ferment for a few days. The resulting tepache has a slightly effervescent, beer-like foamy texture with sweet and sour flavors.
It provides a tart refreshment, especially when chilled and served over ice. Due to its low alcohol content, tepache can be enjoyed any time of day. It's a tasty way to reduce food waste while quenching your thirst!
Agua fresca is fresh fruit water made from pureed fruits, rice, flowers or seeds that are blended with sugar and water. They provide natural flavor and sweetness without artificial additives. Popular versions include horchata, made with rice and cinnamon, or jamaica, brewed from dried hibiscus flowers. Fruity agua frescas feature ingredients like melons, mangoes, strawberries and lemons. They are served chilled, turning the blended fruits into refreshing slushy drinks.
What drink comes to mind when thinking of Mexico? The margarita, of course! This iconic cocktail blends tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice served in a salt-rimmed glass. It's a tangy, tart refreshment with a nice balance between sweet and sour flavors.
The margarita is a classic party drink, providing fiesta vibes and a touch of fun. It was created in 1938 and took off after being featured at a restaurant in Acapulco. The original is made simply with tequila, Cointreau and lime, but variations include fruit flavors like mango, strawberry and pomegranate.
Frozen margaritas topped with crushed ice provide a slushy, textured version. However you prefer it, the margarita's bright citrus pop makes it the perfect accompaniment to Mexican food.
Ranch Water is a simple combination of tequila, lime juice and sparkling water served over ice. The lime adds a tartness that pairs perfectly with tequila's herbal, earthy tones. The soda water provides bubbly effervescence and dilution for an ideal summer sipper.
Ranch Water was inspired by the "agua de tomate con limon" combination of tomato juice, lime, and hot sauce that Mexican ranchers would drink. The current blend with sparkling water offers a lighter, fizzier take.
Champurrado is a warm, thick chocolate drink that provides comfort and richness. It consists of masa harina (cornmeal) whisked into water or milk then flavored with chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar. The drink often contains star anise for additional depth.
Champurrado has a silky, porridge-like texture and sweet, chocolatey taste. It’s commonly served with churros for dunking or pan dulce sweet bread. It is a popular breakfast drink and also works well as a satisfying evening snack. Its cozy flavors make it perfect for cooler weather.
The mangonada is an icy, savory-sweet frozen drink made with mango, chili powder, and lime. It starts with a base of mango sorbet or mangoes blended with lime juice and chili powder. Chamoy and tajín seasoning are swirled in for more savory-spicy notes.
These are served in cups with sticks for dunking pieces of fresh mango. They offer refreshing fruitiness complemented by heat from the chilis and tartness from lime. The savory seasonings add extra intrigue. It’s an ideal balance of sweet, sour, salty and spicy in frozen form.
Tamarindo is a popular Mexican agua fresca made from the pulp of tamarind pods. Tamarind is a tropical tree that bears long seed pods with edible tart flesh. The pulp, seeds, and leaves are boiled to extract the signature sour flavor.
Tamarindo drinks are sweetened with sugar or piloncillo to balance the inherent tartness. They have a rich brown color and mildly syrupy texture. Intense tamarind is the star, but spices like cinnamon and cloves add more layers.
Chilled tamarindo refreshes on a hot day with a fruity zing. It works well with salty snacks like peanuts or chips too.
Author
Editor
Deepa Pudasaini
Deepa Pudasaini is a food and beverage writer with a curious palate and a love for all things flavorful. She’s just as excited about discovering a new local brew as she is about telling the story behind a family-run kitchen. With a background in hospitality and a down-to-earth voice, Deepa writes about what we eat and drink in a way that’s relatable, thoughtful, and always a little bit adventurous.
For her, it’s not just about taste—it’s about the people, the craft, and the joy that good food and drink bring to our lives.
