37 Patio Cocktail Recipes For Summer
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Frozen Aperol Spritz Float
Our extra-cold take on the Aperol spritz, this is an easy, trendy cocktail you'll be making all summer long. Get our frozen Aperol spritz float recipe.
Frozen Bellini
We’ve turned this classic sparkling peach beverage into a slushy, perfect for hot summer days. Get this frozen Bellini slushy recipe.
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.
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.
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.
Dark And Stormy Mojito
We combined two classics, the dark and stormy and the mojito, to create this delicious concoction, and used ginger syrup to give it just the right amount of heat. Get our dark and stormy mojito recipe.
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.
Classic Mojito
Mix up this traditional cocktail and say cheers to summer. Get our classic mojito recipe (and even more mojito recipes).
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mint Julep
This iconic drink is frosty, refreshing Southern sipper, and perfect for hot summer afternoons. Get our mint julep recipe.
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.
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.
Sangria Spritzer
Add a little extra sparkle to your cocktail glasses tonight, with a fizzy port spritzer.
Get our sangria spritzer recipe.
Rosemary Lemon Drop Martini
Gordon Bailey, head chef and owner of Charlottetown's Lot 30 Restaurant, shakes up the perfect 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.
Lychee Slushy
The delicate and fragrant flavour of lychee (with its nuances of banana and cherry) is blended into a slushy, easy-to-drink treat. It can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer, just stir before serving and enjoy! Get our lychee slushy recipe.
Chardonnay-Lemon Cocktail
Instead of mimosas, add a bit of zip to brunch with chardonnay and limoncello cocktails. Get this chardonnay-lemon cocktail recipe.
Strawberry Margarita
A cool and fruity drink that will never go out of style. Make it with fresh in-season strawberries for premium-quality results. Get this frozen strawberry margarita recipe.
Lageritas
We've combined two summer favourites (a refreshing lager and a citrusy margarita) into this a play on the corrido prohibido, a Mexican beer cocktail. Get our beer margarita (lagerita) recipe.
Tangerine Margarita
And if a classic margarita leaves you uninspired, why not try this lime-tangerine version?
Mango Sunrise Cocktail
Tropical and refreshing, this ultra-easy summer cocktail is made for patios. Get our mango sunrise cocktail recipe.
Strawberry Pop Rocks Martini
Planning a party? Shake up this martini recipe and watch things get popping! Get our strawberry pop rocks martini recipe.
Rum And Coke Sour Cocktail
Five o’clocktail: This twisted classic was created by Trevor Burnett of former Toronto bar Ritz Carlton Deq Lounge. Get our rum and coke sour cocktail recipe.
Tom Collins
Some gin, some sweet, some sour and some bubbles—it doesn't get simpler or more classic than this. Get our Tom Collins recipe.
Get our super-easy simple syrup recipe.
Daiquiri
Another sweet-tart classic cocktail. Get our daiquiri recipe.
Watch: Strawberry Margarita
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