The Resy Guide to the Best Summer Cocktails Around Atlanta

A floral, breezy take on the gin and tonic, Eti’s G&T is served with a sprig of rosemary, a slice of lemon, and in an oversized wine glass. Made with rosé gin and rose liquor, Kitty Dare’s G&T puts your tastebuds in a garden of subtle botanicals, where you’ll want to sip and savor all afternoon long. Even for those who don’t typically enjoy a G&T, this drink is unlike any other and one that’s worth your next visit to Kitty Dare.

The perfect summer night is sitting at a café table outside of Vesper, sipping on a refreshing Bonita cocktail, watching the world on Glenwood pass by. Lunazul tequila, prickly pear syrup, lime,  and Fever Tree ginger beer make this sipper a stunner. And if you’re looking for an equally delicious zero proof version, try the Bonito, with zero-proof tequila.

Perhaps not what you’d expect on a summer cocktail menu, the Ghosted is served up with a red wine floater, making it look like … a ghost. A clarified beauty with Four Roses small batch, orange, simple syrup, and Ancient Peaks Renegade red blend, this is the most unique-looking (and tasting) drink you’ll have all season. Pro tip: ask the bartender about the making of this one, as it’s an involved process and completely worth the payoff.

Avocado is so versatile that Fogón and Lions thought they’d go ahead and put it in a margarita. Their avocado margarita is served in a large margarita glass, with either a Tajín or salt rim, and is like the classic cocktail’s suave cousin. The drink is refreshing, decadent, and a must-try any time of the year, but especially summer on the patio of Fogón and Lions, with a few tapas while you scope out the downtown Alpharetta scene.

Are you ready to be transported to a tropical paradise without leaving Buckhead? Galliano, banana, pineapple, vanilla, and citrus make the Drift Away at St. Cecilia a summer favorite. Enjoy your cocktail alongside the chef’s selection of crudo and you might as well be beachside.

Fancy frosé is on the menu at the Battery favorite, C. Ellet’s. Enjoy a 10- or 16-oz summer slushie with rosé wine, vodka, Aperol, and a fresh mint garnish. It’s refreshing, boozy, and just a darn pretty drink. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, try the refreshing Bossa Nova, served on the rocks with cachaça, dry Curaçao, guava, Chinola, and lime.

The pretty peach-hued drink of your dreams, the Slabtown Sling at Ticonderoga Club is made with Murrell’s Row JamJam gin, Bénédictine, lemon lime, hibiscus, and soda, and served on the rocks in a Collins glass. Belly up to the bar at the Club, order this fruity, refreshing cocktail and before you know it, you’ll be ordering yourself another. Not feeling the booze? No problem. Try the refreshing Rosebush, a zero-proof cocktail with pineapple, lemon, apple cider vinegar, and soda.

Take a classic tiki drink, freeze it, and you’ve got a refreshing, rum-forward, tropical slushie. The S.O.S. Tiki Bar has a distinct summer vibe all year long, but they really push it into tropical territory with the frozen Painkilla. S.O.S. bartenders took the mai tai, made with white rum, aged rum, coconut cream, orange, and pineapple, and gave it the frozen drink treatment.  While you can’t really go wrong with anything on the menu (like the Zombie, a personal favorite), a must-have this summer is the frozen Painkilla to take your summer blues away.

It’s not summer without watermelon and arguably the best way to have summer’s favorite fruit is in a cocktail. At Bar Vegan, the My Cousin Ginny is fashioned from gin, watermelon, basil, lime, and St. Germain. This refreshingly light summer cocktail hits sweet notes, without being too sweet. The basil balances the watermelon and St. Germain is always a welcome addition to any drink in our book.

A timeless summer staple, the caipirinha, gets a fruity upgrade at Superica. Everyone’s favorite Atlanta Tex-Mex spot serves up a strawberry caipirinha with Novo Fogo cachaça, lime, fresh strawberries, and sugar. Simple, sweet, and satisfying — you can’t go wrong with a caipirinha in the summer.