Drink Your Way Through New Mexico On The Margarita Marathon
Tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice. Nothing quite beats the perfectly balanced salty, sour, sweet, and sharp flavors of a classic margarita. Drink it on the rocks, frozen, or as a fantastically unique recipe featuring exotic ingredients.
If you’re looking to taste the best margaritas New Mexico has to offer, you’ll want to check out the official Margarita Trail in Santa Fe. This trail features a whopping 45 margaritas. That might be a bit much to attempt to tackle in a weekend so we’ll start by introducing you to just five.
This award-winning restaurant shows off a long list of signature cocktails, each featuring garden-fresh ingredients. The margarita specialty here is an intriguing smoked sage margarita served on the rocks with a salted, smokey rim.
Address: 210 Don Gaspar Ave., Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: (505) 983-5700
Website: Hotel St. Francis
Looking for an exceptionally unique take on the classic margarita? It doesn't get much more colorful and playful than the cocktail at Meow Wolf's own bar. It incorporates a butterfly pea flower tea and cotton candy.
Address: 1352 Rufina Cir., Santa Fe, NM 87507
Phone: (505) 395-6369
Website: Meow Wolf
Located inside the Hotel Santa Fe, this luxurious restaurant serves some spectacular meals and you'll definitely want to pair any of those with this spicy margarita.
Address: 1501 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: (505) 955-7805
Website: Hotel Santa Fe
If a traditional-style margarita is what best piques your palate, you'll want to try this silver coin marg which comes with Jose Cuervo Silver, Cointreau, and fresh lime juice. It's the perfect accompaniment to tacos.
Address: 133 Water St., Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: (505) 984-1800
Website: Blue Corn Cafe
5. Sandia & Pepino Margarita at Anasazi Restaurant & Bar
Located inside the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, the restaurant and bar here is home to one wonderfully fruity margarita. Flavored with watermelon and cucumber juices, you'll also get a nice kick to your drink since the rim is lined with a Tajin, a lime, and chili-infused salt.
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.