Make It a Coconut Margarita Kind of Summer

First there was “aperitiki.” Then there was the wave of tiki-like bars ditching the genre’s appropriative aspects for other fantasies and fandoms, like outer space and death metal. Now, it seems, we’ve arrived at another popular mashup: agave + tropical. 

This pairing of spirits and flavors isn’t new; much of Mexico, after all, has a tropical climate. Newcomers like Daisy in Los Angeles and Cantina Rosa in Chicago are exemplifying the move with their exploration of regional Mexican dishes and drinks along with their use of ingredients like tamarind, sorrel and mango. Tropical bars that primarily serve rum- and gin-based cocktails, meanwhile, have added more tequila- and mezcal-based drinks to their menus, a result of those spirits’ explosive popularity. Palomar, a tropical bar in Portland, Oregon, for example, serves a tequila-based take on the Army & Navy.

But the thirst for tropical flavors in agave drinks isn’t limited to bars that specialize in those two genres. El Camino, in New York City, is a small new bar with a condensed menu of the classics. Among the handful of drinks are Martinis, a Manhattan and a G&T, all fairly traditional. The bar’s top seller, though, offers a simple twist in the form of an easy fat wash. 

Owner Will Wyatt attributes his Coconut Margarita’s popularity to its comfort factor—everyone loves a Margarita. And while coconut drinks can be creamy or cloying, guests “are pleasantly surprised when they get [this drink] and the texture is just that of a classic Margarita, since we aren’t using any coconut cream or anything,” he says. “It’s just tropical and refreshing.” If you want to try the agave + tropical combination at your home bar, the Coconut Margarita is a simple, satisfying way to do it.