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Recipe Collections

25 Patio Cocktail Recipes For Summer

Kick back and relax on the patio this season with both classic and creative summer cocktail recipes.
Watermelon recipes: Tequila watermelon cocktail

Spicy pineapple margarita. (Recipes by: Diala Canelo; produced by: Chantal Braganza and Sun Ngo; Photography by Carmen Cheung; food styling by Sage Dakota; prop styling by Christine Hanlon; hair and makeup by Wendy Rorong; clothing courtesy of horsesatelier.com)

Spicy Pineapple Margarita

This delicious cocktail is the perfect accompaniment to a summer taco feast—our editors made it at our editor-in-chief's house and everyone *loved* it. Get our spicy pineapple margarita recipe.

Paloma

It’s time for the simple, ultra-easy-to-make tequila-grapefruit drink the paloma to finally step out from the long shadow of the margarita and take its rightful place as one of the all-time best tequila cocktails. Get our paloma recipe.

A paloma cocktail in a salt-rimmed glass adorned with rosemary and lime beside a lime on a juicer and in front of a cocktail shaker for a piece on the best paloma recipes(Photo: iStock)

Limoncello Spritz

This three-ingredient light lemon cocktail works well at any time of year but is particularly refreshing on a hot day. Get our limoncello spritz recipe.

A woman in a red suit with red nails holds a limoncello prosecco cocktail with a lemon garnish, she is dropping game chips onto a table laden with cards and parmesan and parma ham chips, it has a green tablecloth(Recipes by Irene Ngo, Produced by Sun Ngo, Photography by Erik Putz, Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari, Food Styling by Michelle Rabin)

Blue Barachois Modern Blue Lagoon Cocktail

It’s time to bring back the Blue Lagoon, a guilty-pleasure drink that was invented half a century ago in Paris at the iconic Harry’s New York Bar. This version has a significantly more complex flavour than the classic, thanks to the addition of ginger juice, coconut milk and Italian lemonade. We’ve also given it a Canadian nod: “Les barachois” is a term for the coastal lagoons of Atlantic Canada and Quebec. Get our Blue Barachois Cocktail Modern Blue Lagoon recipe here.

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Two blue barachois cocktails on a blue serving tray for a modern blue lagoon recipeProduced by Sun Ngo, Photo by Christie Vuong, Food Styling by Sage Dakota, Prop Styling by Nicole Billark.

Gin Con Tomate Cocktail

Wish you could distill late summer into a glass? Although basil, pink peppercorns and balsamic vinegar are slightly unusual-sounding cocktail ingredients, when mixed with gin and tomato water, everything comes together. Get our gin and tomato cocktail recipe.

Gin con Tomate cocktail sits in front of red backdrop, there is a basil garnish popping out of the top of the glass for gin and tomato cocktail recipe

Lager And Lime Blender Slushie

We gave Mexican lager the slushie treatment—and we think you’ll agree it’s fantastic. Get our lager and lime blender slushie recipe.

Lager And Lime Blender Slushie, made with Corona or light lager beer, lime, sugar and ice, frozen then blended into a cocktail recipe(Photo: Roberto Caruso)

Gin, Basil, Citrus, Ginger And Elderflower Cocktail

Repurposed potato scraps cut this vibrant cocktail’s carbon footprint down to size. Made with Loop gin, a zero-waste spirit that’s distilled from “rescued” scraps from a potato chip factory in Quebec, this cocktail is a fresh and bright mix of basil, citrus, ginger and elderflower. Get our gin, basil, citrus, ginger and elderflower cocktail recipe.

A Rescue Op cocktail served in a glass with a sprig of basil, lime peel, and chili.(Photo: Erik Putz. Food styling: Ryan Barclay. Prop styling: Madeleine Johari)

Frozen Bellini

We’ve turned this classic sparkling peach beverage into a slushy, perfect for hot summer days. Get this frozen Bellini slushy recipe.

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Three slushy frozen peach bellini drinksPhoto, Erik Putz.

Spiced Rum And Ginger Beer Cocktail

This spiced rum and ginger beer cocktail works well served with rice paper chips, and can also be turned into a mocktail. Get our spiced rum and ginger beer cocktail recipe.

A table with mahjong tiles on a red tablecloth, you can see a woman's hands, she is eating from a bowl of rice paper chips with peanut dipping sauce, there are two spiced rum and ginger beer cocktails

Pink Rhubarb-Lemon Syrup

Make a delicious, fresh pop with this syrup and soda water. (Or add some gin!) Plus, variations for homemade ginger ale; lemon-mint; and cream soda syrups. Get our pink rhubarb-lemon syrup recipe.

A bottle of pink soda made with rhubarb-lemon syrup with a red and white striped straw on a blue table with other bottles of soda in the back

Classic Aperol Spritz

The formula is simple and easy to remember—three parts Prosecco, two parts Aperol and one part soda. Then kick back with a good book and channel the Amalfi coast. Get our classic Aperol spritz recipe.

Aperol spritz topped with orange wedges for a piece on the recipePhoto, Ashley Capp.

Watermelon Tequila Cocktail

It's summer, you've worked hard and you deserve a drink. Kick back with our tequila watermelon cocktail, and enjoy the lazy-hazy days of the season. Get our watermelon tequila cocktail recipe.

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Watermelon recipes: Tequila watermelon cocktailPhoto, Erik Putz.

Classic Mojito

Mix up this traditional cocktail and say cheers to summer. Get our classic mojito recipe (and even more mojito recipes).

A mojito in a tall clear glass with mint leaves, lime slices and ice cubes on a white surface with a sprig of mint and a whole lime and two slices against a blue wall

Strawberry Sangria

A sparkling summer sipper to enjoy out on the patio with friends. Get our strawberry sangria recipe. (And get more of our best sangria recipes.)

A large mason jar filled with strawberry sangria with fresh strawberries floating in it, next to it is a vintage serving ladle and two stemless wine glasses filled with ice and sangria; all are on a pale blue table next to baby's breath and a checked linen tea towel

Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita Mocktail

This margarita mocktail recipe has the zesty zip to start morning brunch off right. Get our cucumber jalapeño margarita cocktail recipe.

Cucumber jalapeno margarita mocktail recipePhoto, Erik Putz.

Ryan Reynold's Ceasar Recipe

This take on the quintessential Canadian cocktail was created by Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds for the 2022 book Caesar Country. “It’s the quintessential Canadian cocktail and one of the first drinks I ever had," he says. "We lived on Crescent Drive, hence the name.” Get Ryan Reynold's Caesar cocktail recipe.

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A peach-coloured cocktail with an orange peel and olive on a skewer.

Mango-Ginger Gin Sling

A refreshing cocktail that can easily be made boozy or not is perfect for gatherings with kids and those who prefer non-alcoholic drinks. Get our mango-ginger gin sling recipe.

A mango-ginger gin sling cocktail served with a lime wedge and a sprig of mint

Strawberry Grapefruit Smash

This sweet-and-tart gin cocktail is the perfect toast to fresh, peak-season strawberries. Get our strawberry grapefruit smash cocktail recipe.

Strawberry grapefruit cocktail in a glass, wth mint leaves. In front of a beige background.

The Perfect Gin & Tonic

Two parts tonic to one part gin is a classic formula that’s easy to follow, easy to remember and will never let you down. Get our classic gin and tonic recipe.

Alcoholic drink gin tonic cocktail with lemon, rosemary and ice on rustic wooden table(Photo: iStock)

Thyme And Ginger Sour Cocktail Recipe

Mixologist Nishan Nepulangoda from Toronto’s Blowfish Restaurant shakes up this star-worthy cocktail. Get our thyme and ginger sour cocktail recipe. 

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Thyme and ginger sour cocktail in a stemless wine glass with sprigs of fresh flowering thyme resting in the yellowish cloudy liquid(Photo: Roberto Caruso)

Maple Collins

This summer-ready twist on the classic sweet-tart Tom Collins adds maple flavour and a ripe red hue from the berries—perfect for patio parties! Get our Maple Collins recipe.

A maple collins cocktail in a tall glass with fresh raspberries and a lemon slice floating in soda water, gin and maple syrup

Mint Julep

This iconic drink is frosty, refreshing Southern sipper, and perfect for hot summer afternoons. Get our mint julep recipe.

Three mint juleps made with sugar and bourbon and garnished with fresh mint in stainless steel cocktail cups on a silver tray with fresh mints and a sugar spoon next to a bottle of Bulleit bourbon on an ikat napkin for a post on the best easy mint julep patio cocktail recipe(Photo: Roberto Caruso)

Spiked Iced Tea

Better make a few pitchers if you're hosting a barbecue–this spiked bevvie goes quick.
Get our spiked iced tea recipe.

Spiked ice tea made with Long Island Iced tea mix, black tea, oranges and lemons

Rhubarb Sour

Delight your taste buds with a recipe that makes rhubarb the star of the show. That’s right, its sweet-tart kick extends way beyond pie! Get our rhubarb sour recipe.

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Two rhubarb sour cocktails on a tray with swizzle sticks beside a bowl of cocktail cherries

Sangria Spritzer

Add a little extra sparkle to your cocktail glasses tonight, with a fizzy port spritzer.
Get our sangria spritzer recipe.

A rocks glass of red sangria spritzer, made with port and tonic water, garnished with fresh mint and sliced oranges on a linen yellow cocktail napkin next to a bowl of salted almonds

Rosemary Lemon Drop Martini

Gordon Bailey, head chef and owner of Charlottetown's Lot 30 Restaurant, shakes up the perfect lemon drop martini recipe.

A pale yellow rosemary lemon-drop martini rimmed with granulated sugar and topped with a sprig of fresh rosemary in a martini glass for a post on the best rosemary lemon-drop martini recipe

Tequila And Lime Cola

It just takes five minutes to make this splashy riff on the Batanga, a popular Mexican cocktail. Get our tequila and lime cola recipe.

Tequila and lime cola in a short glass next to sliced limes and a bottle of Coca Cola and a bottle of tequila for an easy Tequila and lime cola coke cocktail recipe(Photo: Angus Fergusson)

Watch: Strawberry Margarita 

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