Few drinks have such a liquid sunshine feel as the margarita. Bright citrus and maybe a little spice make this a favorite for lounging on patios, sharing a pitcher with friends to celebrate waning summer days, or a delicious pairing for a variety of foods (we like one on Taco Tuesdays).
Alcohol-free margaritas are a mainstay on restaurant NA menus for their customizability and are easy to make at home. While the classic margarita recipe is very simple, there are many ways to switch it up if you’re feeling adventurous.
Check out these favorites from our Non-Alcoholic Beverage Guide to help you create the margarita of your dreams.
Tequila and Agave Spirits
While sometimes omitted from NA margarita recipes that find their brightness from lime and other flavors, NA tequila and mezcal spirits add authenticity and depth to your margarita. Here are a few we enjoyed in our cocktails:
This tequila alternative ranks high in testing and is a 1-to-1 replacement for classic tequila in margaritas:
Ritual Tequila Alternative
Looking for something on the smoky side? Try this mezcal. It’s the closest we’ve tried so far to the real thing. Substitute for tequila for a mezcal margarita:
Cut Above Mezcal
Spice, anyone? This mezcal has a nice spicy bite—and less smoke—with all the right flavor notes to fit perfectly into a margarita:
Monday Mezcal
Add Some Orange
For a classic margarita recipe a hint of orange is a must. Check out these stellar NA options.
We’re big fans of All the Bitter’s concentrated, elegant flavors. You can use their orange bitters to add some depth and sweetness to your margarita:
All The Bitter Orange Bitters
With such a large catalog, Lyre’s is of course the place to look for an NA triple sec. This one is light-bodied and on the subtle side. You might want to play around until you have the balance of flavor where you want it:
Lyre's Orange Sec
This NA Orange Liqueur from Dhos is almost a perfect dupe for triple sec. We found it easy to use 1-to-1, in recipes:
Dhōs Orange
Don’t Feel Like Mixing?
Try this tropical, vacation-in-a-can from Parch. It’s a little smoky, a little spicy, and utterly satisfying: