The best Margaritas in Melbourne

Let’s start with the whole enchilada: a classic Margarita in the bustling Mexican cantina that is Tres a Cinco, Movida’s Hosier Lane neighbour. What started as a Covid takeaway business for Mexican chef Sarai Castillo is now a celebration of Central American culture, and there's a full list of Margaritas to choose from. The classic is simply Cazadores Blanco tequila, triple sec and lime, but you can get adventurous with other options using mezcal, chilli or even manzana (apple). If you really want to take things up a notch, go for the Del Sur Margarita (which is really more of a Mezcalita). Along with mezcal, tamarind and lime, the drink contains Alma Tepec. This luxe smoky-spicy addition is the first Mexican ancestral chilli liqueur handmade from smoke-dried Pasilla Mixe chillis, which are grown in the remote mountain region of Oaxaca, Sierra Mixe.

Alejandro Saravia’s rooftop oasis above his Farmer’s Daughters restaurant is built around a greenhouse and offers a changing seasonal cocktail menu. The San Remo Sunset is a sweet-and-spicy riff on a classic Margarita, adding in some mandarin and peppers to kick things up a notch. Enjoy it with the irresistible farm-style soda bread and cultured butter. 

Tall, leggy and just the right balance of sweet and sour, this bright orange drink capped with a hat of white foam is as sexy as Margs come. Served from a tap, the Pornstar-inspired cocktail is a blend of Rooster Rojo's 100% blue agave fine tequila, Cointreau (but of course), agave nectar, habanero, plus pasilla chilli and lime. For Arbory Afloat’s eighth season, the party boat is channelling Mexico with tacos, cold drinks and even a swanky AF pool club, soundtracked by in-house DJs. We know where we're spending our next happy hour sesh.

Just about any drink put down on the marble bar of this Fitzroy institution is likely to make a ‘best of’ list due to the skill and care of the Everleigh bartenders. Use the bartender’s choice option to explain that you like a Margarita but with a little something extra, and depending on what you're into they'll whip up something special. Then lean back in your ottoman in the clubby surroundings and savour the result. 

This buzzy Mexican eatery in St Kilda has their own separate tequila menu, so you know they're not faffing about when it comes to their Margs. For the classic, the bar staff keep it simple with El Jimador Reposado, Cointreau, a smidgeon of simple syrup, and a squirt of lemon and lime juice cold-pressed in house near-daily. We love to turn up the heat on a summers day in St Kilda with a super-spicy Margarita Picosa out on the parklet. 

Mesa Verde is a vibrant Mexican dining experience on the sixth floor of Curtin House that offers traditional fare such as achiote chicken tacos with avocado-tomatillo salsa or an ox tongue taco with salsa, onion and coriander. The house Margarita uses Cazcabel Blanco tequila, curaçao, lime, lemon and agave syrup, but there are plenty of tequila- and mezcal-based concoctions to try. Staff are passionate about what is one of the largest collections of Mexican spirits going around, and the mezcal of the month is often both obscure and delicious. Get your drink with grasshopper salt for something different.

The tropical rooftop party atmosphere at Good Heavens, with drinkers bathed in a rainbow neon hue, might be what makes the Margaritas here taste just that little bit better. However, it is more likely the use of rich Reposado tequila and Cointreau with fresh lime, treating this classic drink with the respect it deserves. Have one as a precursor to dinner at Fancy Hank’s barbecue joint downstairs for a great night out. 

Famous for their astonishingly good (and authentic) tacos, the folks at CDMX also happen to play a mean drinks game. From a rainbow of Jarritos sodas and its refreshing take on a Michelada (which you can read about in this review) to a range of premium bottles of mezcal lining the bar, there's certainly a lot more than Margaritas to explore. But if you're after one of those, try theirs frozen. Expertly mixed with Tequila Blanco, Cointreau, citrus, agave and sea salt and blended into an icy slush, it's summer you can suck through a straw. Brain freeze? Worth it.

One could argue whether this winning cocktail is actually a Margarita, but what is not up for debate is that Caretaker’s Cottage is one of the best bars in Melbourne, fully deserving its spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars list. Housed in a gothic cottage on church grounds and with the kind of caring service you are more used to from family than bar staff, the seats at Caretaker's Cottage are coveted for good reason. The Loneliness Remembers with Altos Plata tequila, strawberry, yuzu and salted grapefruit is something to remember, and pair it with the spiced capsicum and walnut dip for the perfect evening of drinking and snacking. Note that cocktails rotate regularly, but it's never hard to find something classic or more adventurous at this bar. 

A smoky Margarita made with mezcal and a chilli salt rim at Los Amantes is perfect with a pull-apart barbacoa (lamb) taco or a seared chorizo and potato taco. This cantina-style diner just near the train line in Brunswick is packed most days and is always loud and lots of fun. The adventurous Margarita fan might even try the Watermelon Margarita. 

Could one of Melbourne's loveliest Margaritas really come from a chain restaurant like Hecho en Mexico? Heck yeah, it could! We're talking about the brand new Guava-Rita, a slurp-worthy concotion of Patrón Silver, Cointreau, fresh lime, agave, guava juice and tajin salt. Served up with floral garnishes and a gorgeously salted rim, lovers of guava (consider this writer one of them) will be down with the fruit in Marg form, but don't just stop there. The 'grammable mango frozen Margarita is a close runner-up, and the perfect accompaniment to a taco feast with friends. A jug for $66 serves four, and best of all, there are 18 Hecho en Mexico locations across Victoria – so all you gotta do is find the one closest to you!

The fit-out at Tokyo Tina is as fun as its Japanese-style street eats: an anime- and gaming-inspired space with a dark, red-lit bar – all gritty industrial styling and unfinished timber – that wouldn’t look out of place in Donkey Kong. So don't expect your classic Marg here (purists should cover their ears) but instead take a walk on the wild side with the Mizuchi Margarita, a perfectly balanced blend of premium Patron Silver tequila, lime, lemongrass and ginger, finished with a peppy togarashi salt rim. Yes, we can confirm it's as tasty as it sounds.