11/16/2025
Is the margarita the perfect drink? It can be. It is no doubt a first-ballot hall-of-famer. The Earth and the ocean in a glass. The taste of plants, a hint of salt. It arrives nearly naked, proud. Trustworthy, like a good dog or a sharp knife. Agave, grown for years before harvest; limes fresh from the tree; a touch of orange booze. The pleasant sting of citrus, the medicinal wallop of tequila.
In San Diego, the margarita is part ritual, part rebellion—a cultural point of pride. At the link in our bio, we bring you 10 you can hang your hat on. Here’s a preview.
🍋🟩Cantina Mayahuel
Purasangre Blanco Tequila Margarita, $12 ($7 on happy hour)
SD’s gold standard margarita. A balanced, salty elixir of life, it’s the grading key against which all other local margs are judged. Solid tequila, fresh lime, orange liquor, and rich agave syrup imported from Mexico.
🍋🟩Tahona Bar
House Margarita, $14
The house margarita at Tahona is a straightforward blend of good tequila, housemade triple sec, and fresh lime, and it holds its own with any marg in the city. A bartender’s margarita, in which the agave shines.
🍋🟩Black Radish
Clarified Margarita, $19
Quality tequila, serranos, cilantro, lime, and agave all get fat-washed, clarified, and pre-batched. A marg in name but something wholly different in practice, it’s a slow-sipper.
🍋🟩Polite Provisions
Traditional Margarita, $13
It’s certainly a choice to come to a cocktail haven like Polite Provisions and order a margarita, but trust you will not be disappointed. The traditional marg here is made with agave and curacao and served extra-dry for the classic lovers in the crowd.
🍋🟩Valle
Maggie Clarified Margarita, $20
At Valle, quality tequila, Cointreau, and tiny (more bitter) limes get milk-washed and served in a cut-glass tumbler on a single cube with a daisy garnish. This one is worthy of its Michelin-starred origins.
See all 10 with the link in our bio.
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