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The classic margarita is, no doubt, a perfect mixture of tequila, lime, and a splash of orange liqueur. But it’s margarita season, and that means that now’s the time to take a hint from the spiny agave plant that blesses us with tequila and branch out. From sweet to spicy and everything in between, here’s where you’ll find the best margaritas in Denver and beyond.
Best Overall: Alma Fonda Fina
The question “If I were going to drink guacamole, how would I go about making that?” guided chef Johnny Curiel to develop the avocado margarita recipe for Alma Fonda Fina. The eight-month-old LoHi restaurant rotates its menu frequently, but the avocado margarita is such a fan favorite that it’s earned a permanent position in the drink lineup. For the base, Curiel and team make a purée with avocados, jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, and salt to give the margarita some viscosity. It all comes down to the details, including an in-house, seven-ingredient Tajín-y mix for the rim. The avocado masterpiece joins a corn margarita on the cocktail menu at Curiel’s latest restaurant, Cozobi Fonda Fina, which opened in Boulder this summer. 2556 15th St.; 909 Walnut St., Suite 100, Boulder (Cozobi Fonda Fina)
Best Classic: Lady Jane
If you’re a traditionalist who prefers the classic margarita (respect), you’ll never be disappointed at Lady Jane. There, the bar’s general manager Stuart Weaver—who is from Blanco, Texas (fate)—delivers a Texas-size pour of tequila in the neighborhood bar’s house margarita. “I think when it comes to margaritas, you can’t hide behind anything because it’s so simple,” Weaver says. The recipe calls for two ounces of tequila, which is a little higher than a standard pour, in addition to Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and just a touch of simple syrup. 2021 W. 32nd Ave.
Most Famous: Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant
Fort Collins–born Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant’s margarita recipe is so top secret that the mix is made off-site, and staff members don’t even know what’s in it (read: You won’t be able to get them to slip you the recipe!). Here’s what margarita sleuths do know: The Rio’s outposts go through 3,000 limes per week, each marg has three ounces of booze (hence the limit of three drinks), and the restaurant is the largest purveyor of Jose Cuervo in the nation. The Classic Rio marg is the top seller, but, in total, the Rio slings more than one million margs a year across its five locations. Multiple locations
Best Spicy: La Loma
La Loma—a Denver institution—is a hot spot for green chile and margaritas. Snag a seat on the gardenlike patio at the restaurant’s downtown location and you’re in pepper paradise: Pair your crispy, mini chile rellenos doused in the signature stew with the El Diablo. The spicy marg is made with Herradura Silver, orange liqueur, La Loma’s house mix, and jalapeño and serrano peppers and served with a plump pepper garnish. 1801 Broadway, Unit 116
Best Selection: Blue Agave Grill
Margaritas dominate the menu at Blue Agave Grill, with options ranging from classic to spicy to fruit margaritas like one made with pineapple-infused tequila. A standout is the floral-forward Bloomin’ Margarita that’s made with an organic lavender syrup. Find your favorite with the margarita flight, which includes the house Blue Agave Margarita, the Muy Macho concocted with a jalapeño-infused tequila and fresh cucumber, the hybrid Sangria Swirl, and the Presidente made with an aged añejo tequila. Construction is finished on the first section of the 16th Street Mall so you can enjoy your margs al fresco on Blue Agave’s spacious patio. 1201 16th Street Mall, Suite 104
Best Garden in a Glass: Water Grill
The margarita verde at this nearly 18-month-old seafood destination is crisp, bright, and strikes a lovely balance with slight accents of heat. Mixed with a cucumber purée that’s made with hothouse cucumbers, basil leaves, and jalapeño peppers, it’s the perfect companion for anything from the LoDo restaurant’s expansive raw bar or the splurge-worthy shellfish platters. 1691 Market St.
Best Pitcher: La Pasadita Inn
Nineteen bucks gets you and your friends a generously sized carafe of margaritas at La Pasadita Inn, a traditional Mexican restaurant in Curtis Park where you can pour your refills of the easy sipper into kitschy-cute cactus stemware. Housed in a skinny triangular building on its own concrete island at Park Avenue and East 20th Avenue, La Pasadita Inn has a cozy, living-room-size dining area, but tequila tipplers should try to snag one of the half dozen tables on the patio. 1959 Park Ave.
Best Sweet and Spicy: Comida
The spicy margs at Comida in Stanley Marketplace are diplomatic. You’ll feel the heat creep up in both the watermelon-jalapeño and the pineapple-habanero margs—but the sweetness of the fruit tames the fire, making for a drink that’s enjoyable to sip and won’t leave your lips burning. 2501 Dallas St., Unit 140, Aurora
Booziest: Los Arcos
In a sprawling Mission Revival–style building in south Westminster, Los Arcos slings some surprisingly strong margs. (This could be due to a splash of Everclear that purportedly makes its way into the drinks, according to lore ruminating from the 10-seat bar that anchors the restaurant.) The creamy, frozen margs come in every flavor imaginable, from strawberry to banana to papaya. Worth mentioning: On “Margarita Wednesday” you can get a free marg with dinner. 4991 W. 80th Ave., Westminster
Best Prickly Pear: Necio Mexican Kitchen
If your cocktail preferences lean more sweet than sour, then the prickly pear marg is for you, and you’ll find a bright pink one at Necio Mexican Kitchen. For the uninitiated, prickly pear is a cactus flower delicacy that almost tastes like watermelon bubblegum. The Flor de Nopal Prickly Pear marg is served over crushed ice and garnished with a torched lime wheel and flower petals. 4001 Tejon St.
Best Tropical Margs: Mister Oso
At Mister Oso—a Latin spot that’s known for fresh ceviche, playful menu items like a riff on the Cheesy Gordita Crunch, and a patio that’s like a secret garden in the middle of RiNo—you can customize the house marg to your liking. For a $1 upcharge, you can add a tropical twist. The featured fruits rotate, but expect flavors like tangerine or guava to put an “always summer” spin on a classic. 3163 Larimer St.
Best Frozen: Chakas Mexican Restaurant
Prepare for brain freeze and flavor overload: The frozen margs at Chakas Mexican Restaurant, a strip mall gem in south Denver, are the best in town. You’ve got options that range from guava to cucumber-jalapeño. The frozen mangonada is a house fave, and you can get it with a tangy tamarind candy straw. 6265 E. Evans Ave.
