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A cloudy yellow cocktail in a daiquiri glass against a very black room.
The Poet’s Muse cocktail at Roosevelt Room.
The Roosevelt Room

The 15 Most Iconic Drinks in Austin

The beverages that define the Texas city

by Elizabeth Leader Smith and Nadia Chaudhury Updated
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The Poet’s Muse cocktail at Roosevelt Room.
| The Roosevelt Room
by Elizabeth Leader Smith and Nadia Chaudhury Updated

A good meal always requires a satisfying beverage as a complement, but Austin does goes one step beyond that. There are so many classic drinks in the city, such as afternoon cocktails, late-night liquor and beer deals, must-have coffee, refreshing aguas frescas, and brunchy options.

This group of iconic Austin drinks represents a range of prices and helps define the world of sipping and glugging in this town. Disagreement is inevitable, but in our view, Austin wouldn’t be Austin without the drinks on this list. There are staples that have been around for years (Lone Stars, Mexican martinis, and the Mattie’s milk punch that dates back from the 1960s, we’re looking at you), to comparatively newer cocktails like the Roosevelt Room’s Poet's Muse and Nickel City’s frozen Irish coffee.

If you’re looking for a beverage bucket list around town, consider this your guide. The map will take you around town from quintessential dive bars like Barfly’s to Live Oak Brewery’s taproom to a bunch of Austin standbys like Curra’s Grill and Texas Chili Parlor. All of these drinks are worth trying at least once.

For defining Austin eats, check out the city's most iconic dishes, classic restaurants, plus best barbecue, burgers, and pizzerias.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Purple Margaritas at Baby Acapulco

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Okay, so the actually named Famous Purple Ritas are dangerous and iconic because it’s made with extremely boozy Everclear, so much so that there’s a limit of two frozen cocktails per person. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services at both locations, including the other on Barton Springs.

9505 Stonelake Boulevard, TX 78759
(512) 795-9000
(512) 795-9000

Lone Star at the Silver Medal

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The duo brings together two important local symbols — the ever-popular Texas beer that also hasn’t lost its luster and the fantastic Coronado Hills dive bar. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

7100 E Highway 290, Austin, TX 78723
(512) 786-3634
(512) 786-3634

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Happy Meal at Barfly’s

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This is the perfect epitome of dive bars complete with cheap drinks, no frills, no outside light, pool tables, a jukebox, and more. It should be no surprise then that the North Loop bar’s Happy Meal is comprised of a can of Lone Star and a shot of Jagermeister. There are indoor dine-in areas.

5420 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX
(512) 452-6455
(512) 452-6455

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Agua Fresca at La Fruta Feliz

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The Cherrywood taco restaurant serves up an array of classic aguas frescas, like pineapple. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in areas.

3124 Manor Rd (Airport), Austin, TX 78723
(512) 473-0037
(512) 473-0037

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Mad Dog Margarita at Texas Chili Parlor

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Guy Clark memorialized the funky downtown restaurant and dive bar and this drink when he sang, “I wish I was in Austin at the Chili Parlor Bar, drinking Mad Dog Margaritas and not caring where you are” in the song “Dublin Blues.” The drink swaps out tequila for mezcal. There are indoor dine-in areas.

1409 Lavaca St, Austin, TX
(512) 472-2828
(512) 472-2828

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Frozen Irish Coffee at Nickel City

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The creamy frozen Irish coffee from the Central East Austin bar is made with a special cream blend that makes the drink more like boozy ice cream. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

1133 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78702
(512) 987-4294
(512) 987-4294

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Poet's Muse at The Roosevelt Room

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Co-owner Justin Lavenue and the downtown bar received national attention in 2015 after securing the title of Most Imaginative Bartender at a cocktail-crafting throw-down held by Bombay Sapphire Gin. The winning drink, found on the bar’s menu still, is dubbed Poet’s Muse, made with gin, poet’s cordial (pistachio milk sweetened with wildflower honey, cinnamon, star anise, vanilla bean, and matcha), a fresh citrus blend, and an umami tincture. It’s served in a chilled coupe and garnished with lime peel. There are indoor dine-in services.

307 W 5th St, Austin, TX
(512) 494-4094
(512) 494-4094

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Coffee at Figure 8

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The East Austin cafe and coffee roaster is the golden standard for well-made espresso drinks and perfect roasted beans. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

1111 Chicon Street, Austin, Texas 78702
(512) 953-1061
(512) 953-1061

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The Mexican Martini at Cedar Door

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The potent Mexican martini is more of a variation of a margarita that a martini (and it’s certainly not Mexican). And it was invented at this downtown bar in the 1980s. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

201 Brazos St (at 2nd St), Austin, TX 78701
+1 512-473-3712
+1 512-473-3712

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Tito’s Vodka and Rambler at Hotel Vegas

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Sometimes, simple is nice, and nothing beats vodka drinks. Topo Chico — which had been one of Austin’s go-to sparkling water for years — fell out of vogue when Coca-Cola bought it in 2017, but thankfully, there’s been so many new local sparkling water businesses that have popped up since then. The new and improved go-to classic is a Tito’s Vodka and Rambler, especially at this East Austin music venue-slash-bar. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

1502 East 6th Street, Austin, Texas 78702

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Mezcal at Mezcalería Tobalá

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This intimate Oaxacan-style mezcalería upstairs from Whisler’s offers a broad selection of mezcals including some rare finds. Order a half-pour (3/4 of an ounce) in a clay copita or a full pour in a traditional veladora glass. There are indoor dine-in services.

1816 E 6th St (Chicon St), Austin, TX 78702
(512) 480-0781
(512) 480-0781

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Bloody Mary at Yellow Jacket Social Club

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A good bloody mary is hard to find without all of the unnecessary nonsenses. But, luckily, there is a beautiful rendition of the drinkable breakfast of champions at this East Austin bar. The tomato-meets-salt and citrus cocktail is capped off with pickled okra, olives, and a lime wedge. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

1700 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 480-9572
(512) 480-9572

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Milk Punch at Mattie's at Green Pastures

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Green Pastures’s reimagined the longtime Bouldin Creek restaurant and also brought back its delectable 1965 Milk Punch, which is comprised of house-made sweet vanilla cream, aged bourbon from Kentucky, VSOP cognac, and aged rum and topped with a dash of nutmeg. It's available as a single serving or in a carafe. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

811 W Live Oak St, Austin, TX
(512) 444-1888
(512) 444-1888

Also featured in:

Avocado Margarita at Curra's Grill

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The Travis Heights restaurant proudly boasts that it is the “home of the original avocado margarita in Austin,” to which purists may shudder — until they give it a try. The novelty frozen beverage with its refreshing/boozy/cold/creamy combination has been making believers out of locals and tourists alike for years. It’s truly a pinnacle of Tex-Mex achievement in Austin. There’s a second location up in Hyde Park. Takeout orders can be placed online. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

614 E Oltorf St, Austin, TX
(512) 444-0012
(512) 444-0012

Also featured in:

Hefeweizen at Live Oak Brewery

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Founded in 1997, Live Oak Brewing Company is pegged as Austin’s original craft brewery. Its European-style microbrewery in Del Valle offers a taproom and biergarten with tours, special tappings, food trucks, and other events. Drop by and pick from the several all-year beers, plus seasonal and limited offerings. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

1615 Crozier Lane, Austin, TX
(512) 385-2299
(512) 385-2299

Also featured in:

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Purple Margaritas at Baby Acapulco

9505 Stonelake Boulevard, TX 78759

Okay, so the actually named Famous Purple Ritas are dangerous and iconic because it’s made with extremely boozy Everclear, so much so that there’s a limit of two frozen cocktails per person. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services at both locations, including the other on Barton Springs.

9505 Stonelake Boulevard, TX 78759
(512) 795-9000
(512) 795-9000

Lone Star at the Silver Medal

7100 E Highway 290, Austin, TX 78723

The duo brings together two important local symbols — the ever-popular Texas beer that also hasn’t lost its luster and the fantastic Coronado Hills dive bar. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

7100 E Highway 290, Austin, TX 78723
(512) 786-3634
(512) 786-3634

Happy Meal at Barfly’s

5420 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX

This is the perfect epitome of dive bars complete with cheap drinks, no frills, no outside light, pool tables, a jukebox, and more. It should be no surprise then that the North Loop bar’s Happy Meal is comprised of a can of Lone Star and a shot of Jagermeister. There are indoor dine-in areas.

5420 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX
(512) 452-6455
(512) 452-6455

Agua Fresca at La Fruta Feliz

3124 Manor Rd (Airport), Austin, TX 78723

The Cherrywood taco restaurant serves up an array of classic aguas frescas, like pineapple. Takeout and delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in areas.

3124 Manor Rd (Airport), Austin, TX 78723
(512) 473-0037
(512) 473-0037

Mad Dog Margarita at Texas Chili Parlor

1409 Lavaca St, Austin, TX

Guy Clark memorialized the funky downtown restaurant and dive bar and this drink when he sang, “I wish I was in Austin at the Chili Parlor Bar, drinking Mad Dog Margaritas and not caring where you are” in the song “Dublin Blues.” The drink swaps out tequila for mezcal. There are indoor dine-in areas.

1409 Lavaca St, Austin, TX
(512) 472-2828
(512) 472-2828

Frozen Irish Coffee at Nickel City

1133 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78702

The creamy frozen Irish coffee from the Central East Austin bar is made with a special cream blend that makes the drink more like boozy ice cream. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

1133 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78702
(512) 987-4294
(512) 987-4294

Poet's Muse at The Roosevelt Room

307 W 5th St, Austin, TX

Co-owner Justin Lavenue and the downtown bar received national attention in 2015 after securing the title of Most Imaginative Bartender at a cocktail-crafting throw-down held by Bombay Sapphire Gin. The winning drink, found on the bar’s menu still, is dubbed Poet’s Muse, made with gin, poet’s cordial (pistachio milk sweetened with wildflower honey, cinnamon, star anise, vanilla bean, and matcha), a fresh citrus blend, and an umami tincture. It’s served in a chilled coupe and garnished with lime peel. There are indoor dine-in services.

307 W 5th St, Austin, TX
(512) 494-4094
(512) 494-4094

Coffee at Figure 8

1111 Chicon Street, Austin, Texas 78702

The East Austin cafe and coffee roaster is the golden standard for well-made espresso drinks and perfect roasted beans. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

1111 Chicon Street, Austin, Texas 78702
(512) 953-1061
(512) 953-1061

The Mexican Martini at Cedar Door

201 Brazos St (at 2nd St), Austin, TX 78701

The potent Mexican martini is more of a variation of a margarita that a martini (and it’s certainly not Mexican). And it was invented at this downtown bar in the 1980s. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

201 Brazos St (at 2nd St), Austin, TX 78701
+1 512-473-3712
+1 512-473-3712

Tito’s Vodka and Rambler at Hotel Vegas

1502 East 6th Street, Austin, Texas 78702

Sometimes, simple is nice, and nothing beats vodka drinks. Topo Chico — which had been one of Austin’s go-to sparkling water for years — fell out of vogue when Coca-Cola bought it in 2017, but thankfully, there’s been so many new local sparkling water businesses that have popped up since then. The new and improved go-to classic is a Tito’s Vodka and Rambler, especially at this East Austin music venue-slash-bar. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

1502 East 6th Street, Austin, Texas 78702

Mezcal at Mezcalería Tobalá

1816 E 6th St (Chicon St), Austin, TX 78702

This intimate Oaxacan-style mezcalería upstairs from Whisler’s offers a broad selection of mezcals including some rare finds. Order a half-pour (3/4 of an ounce) in a clay copita or a full pour in a traditional veladora glass. There are indoor dine-in services.

1816 E 6th St (Chicon St), Austin, TX 78702
(512) 480-0781
(512) 480-0781

Bloody Mary at Yellow Jacket Social Club

1700 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78702

A good bloody mary is hard to find without all of the unnecessary nonsenses. But, luckily, there is a beautiful rendition of the drinkable breakfast of champions at this East Austin bar. The tomato-meets-salt and citrus cocktail is capped off with pickled okra, olives, and a lime wedge. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

1700 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 480-9572
(512) 480-9572

Milk Punch at Mattie's at Green Pastures

811 W Live Oak St, Austin, TX

Green Pastures’s reimagined the longtime Bouldin Creek restaurant and also brought back its delectable 1965 Milk Punch, which is comprised of house-made sweet vanilla cream, aged bourbon from Kentucky, VSOP cognac, and aged rum and topped with a dash of nutmeg. It's available as a single serving or in a carafe. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

811 W Live Oak St, Austin, TX
(512) 444-1888
(512) 444-1888

Avocado Margarita at Curra's Grill

614 E Oltorf St, Austin, TX

The Travis Heights restaurant proudly boasts that it is the “home of the original avocado margarita in Austin,” to which purists may shudder — until they give it a try. The novelty frozen beverage with its refreshing/boozy/cold/creamy combination has been making believers out of locals and tourists alike for years. It’s truly a pinnacle of Tex-Mex achievement in Austin. There’s a second location up in Hyde Park. Takeout orders can be placed online. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

614 E Oltorf St, Austin, TX
(512) 444-0012
(512) 444-0012

Hefeweizen at Live Oak Brewery

1615 Crozier Lane, Austin, TX

Founded in 1997, Live Oak Brewing Company is pegged as Austin’s original craft brewery. Its European-style microbrewery in Del Valle offers a taproom and biergarten with tours, special tappings, food trucks, and other events. Drop by and pick from the several all-year beers, plus seasonal and limited offerings. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas.

1615 Crozier Lane, Austin, TX
(512) 385-2299
(512) 385-2299

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