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From comforting champurrado bowls to the bold kick of a michelada, there’s something for everyone regarding Mexican drinks. Dive into the local traditions with jarritos, aguas frescas, horchata, and tejate.
And take advantage of the authentic flavours of Mexican drinks such as ponche, margarita, Paloma, and Mezcal, each offering a unique taste of Mexico’s rich drink culture.
Table of Contents
If you’ve strolled through a bustling street market in Mexico, you’ve likely spotted food carts offering large plastic containers filled with colourful fruit juices. These satisfying beverages are known as agua fresca.
The term “agua fresca” translates to fresh water, and it’s affordable, readily available, and perfect to cool you down on a hot day.
Locals love aguas frescas, and you’ll notice that many people buy them by the litre! If you’re like me, that’s way too much to handle, but vendors usually have smaller sizes.
Agua fresca is easy to make; it’s simply fresh fruit juices with water, occasionally sweetened with sugar.
This adored Mexican drink boasts an array of flavours, from papaya with lime to quenching watermelon, la tuna del nopal (fruit from the cactus family), and tamarind – plus so many more!
Michelada is one of the Mexican drinks on this list with a kick! It may take a little getting used to, but if you like it spicy, you’ll enjoy a Michelada.
Renowned for its unique flavour combination, it’s a beer-based cocktail, often made with lager, lime juice, assorted sauces (such as hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce), spices, and sometimes tomato juice.
A Michelada is usually served over ice in a salt-rimmed glass, offering a refreshing, tangy, and spicy taste.
Champurrado is a thick and rich chocolate drink that is particularly popular during Christmas and on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
Ingredients include masa harina (corn flour), water, and occasionally milk combined with chocolate, cinnamon, and sugar. The result is a velvety, smooth drink with a consistency similar to hot chocolate but much thicker.
Champurrado is a comforting and indulgent beverage, usually served hot and a favourite breakfast or dessert choice.
This popular Mexican drink comes from one of my favourite places in the country, Oaxaca. Tejate is a traditional pre-Hispanic beverage, often called “the drink of the gods”.
Tejate has deep historical and cultural significance in the region.
Ingredients include roasted maize (corn), fermented cacao beans, pixtle (toasted and ground mamey pits), and the flor de cacao, a flower native to Central America. Ingredients are ground to create a smooth, thick paste, mixed with water, and stirred by hand into a smooth mixture.
Tejate is a frothy, nutritious beverage that may not look appealing, but you must try this refreshing Mexican drink, especially if you’re exploring Oaxaca.
Additionally, don’t miss these 10 Best Foods to Try in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Want an authentic experience in Oaxaca? Take the local bus and visit Tlacolula Sunday Markets
The Paloma is a definitive Mexican cocktail that rates among the most popular drinks in Mexico. It’s a refreshing and citrusy beverage that perfectly complements the country’s warm climate.
Ingredients include tequila, grapefruit soda, fresh lime juice, and a pinch of salt. The cocktail is often served over ice in a salt-rimmed glass, garnished with a slice of lime or grapefruit.
Known for its tangy and slightly bitter flavour profile, its simplicity, combined with the vibrant citrus flavours, has contributed to its widespread popularity, not only in Mexico but also internationally.
Atole is one of the traditional drinks of Mexico; a hot drink made with masa harina (corn flour), water or milk and flavoured with ingredients like cinnamon or chocolate.
It has a thick, porridge-like texture and is often enjoyed during festivals and cold weather, typically served with tamales.
Agua de Jamaica (pronounced ha-my-ka), also known as hibiscus tea, is a popular drink from dried hibiscus flowers in Mexico.
Jamaica Mexican drink is essentially dried petals that are boiled with water and sweetened with sugar to taste, resulting in a deep red, tangy, and refreshing drink. Agua de Jamaica is served cold over ice.
It’s a top choice for locals, especially during the warmer months.
Jamaica flower tea has many health benefits and has been proven to assist in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.
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Tepache is a traditional Mexican fermented drink made from pineapple, water, brown sugar, and spices. The ingredients are combined and left to ferment for several days, allowing natural yeast and bacteria to transform the mixture into a mildly alcoholic and spirited drink.
Tepache has a distinct sweet and tangy flavour, making it one of the popular and refreshing drinks of Mexico to prepare at home, especially during warm weather.
Occasionally, Tepache is served chilled over ice and decorated with fresh fruits or a sprinkle of ground chilli.
Jarritos is a famous brand of Mexican soft drinks known for its wide range of fruity flavours.
These carbonated beverages come in colourful glass bottles and are made with natural fruit flavours and cane sugar, giving them a distinct and authentic taste.
The most popular flavours include tamarind, mandarin, hibiscus, and lime.
Horchata is one of my favourite Mexican drinks and pairs perfectly with a steaming hot tamale or a spicy botana (snack)- traditionally served over ice.
Horchata is a rice-based drink, blending soaked rice, cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar, then straining the mixture to create a smooth, milky beverage.
Some variations also include almonds or tiger nuts, which enrich the flavour. Either way, you need to try Horchata Mexican drink at least once to see what all the fuss is about!
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Mezcal is a traditional Mexican alcoholic drink made from the agave plant.
The mezcal production involves roasting the agave hearts (piñas) in underground pits, giving it a distinctive smoky flavour. After roasting, the piñas get crushed, fermented, and then distilled.
The artisanal methods used in mezcal production, including earthen pits for cooking, contribute to its unique taste and character.
Mezcal is known for its complex flavours, including smoky, earthy, and sometimes fruity notes.
I’m a big fan of Mezcal, and if you’re visiting Oaxaca, the home of Mezcal, I recommend this Hierve el Agua PLUS Mezcal Distillery Tour to learn more about the fascinating productions of this premium spirit.
Mexican drink Ponche is a traditional hot fruit punch enjoyed during Christmas and New Year celebrations.
It contains a variety of fruits simmered with water, spices, and sweeteners.
Served hot, it offers a flavourful and aromatic experience that reminds me of drinking glühwein at Christmas time in many European countries.
Mexican Coke tastes different to the standard Coca-Cola that most of us are (or are not) familiar with.
Mexican Coca-Cola is produced in Mexico, and what makes it distinctive is that it’s often sweetened with cane sugar (sucrose) instead of high fructose corn syrup, the ingredient used in most Coca-Cola products in the United States and some other countries.
Many say that cane sugar gives the soda a slightly different taste and prefer it.
Mexican Coca-Cola is typically sold in glass bottles, which also adds to its appeal for some consumers. If you’re a Coca Cola lover, you need to try it.
Pulque is a traditional Mexican drink made from the fermented sap of the agave plant, primarily the maguey variety.
It has been consumed in Mexico for centuries and holds significant cultural and historical importance. Unlike tequila and mezcal, which are distilled, pulque is a naturally fermented drink with a thick, dense texture and a slightly sour taste.
Often flavoured with fruits or herbs, pulque is a Mexican drink significant to indigenous traditions and culinary heritage in Mexico.
You can probably guess what this Mexican drink is all about from its name. A Cerveza Margarita is a refreshing cocktail that combines elements of a classic Margarita with beer.
It’s perfect if you can’t decide between drinking a cold beer or a cocktail because this drink of Mexico covers both bases.
It typically consists of beer (cerveza) mixed with tequila, lime juice, and occasionally orange liqueur. A cerveza margarita results in a tangy combination, blending the tartness of lime, the bubbles of beer and the warmth of tequila.
It’s served over ice and often garnished with a salted rim and a wedge of lime.
You may be familiar with this Mexican drink, as it’s popular worldwide.
A Margarita is a famous Mexican cocktail made mainly of tequila, triple sec (an orange liqueur), and lime juice. It is typically served in a glass with a salted rim and often garnished with a lime wedge.
A margarita tastes better when consumed in Mexico, so enjoy one during your visit.
Café de olla is a traditional Mexican coffee brewed with spices and made using ground coffee, cinnamon sticks, and sometimes piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar) or brown sugar.
The coffee is brewed in a clay pot (olla), believed to enhance the flavours, and cinnamon gives the beverage a warm and fragrant taste. This is a popular breakfast drink in Oaxaca.
Read more about our 12 favourite breakfast places in Oaxaca!
Sometimes, simplicity wins – and this Mexican drink wins my vote.
Rompope is a Mexican alcoholic drink that is comparable to eggnog.
It is made with milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sometimes cinnamon and often contains rum.
Rompope has a rich and creamy consistency and is typically served chilled. It is a popular drink during Christmas and other festive occasions in Mexico.
They say that Mexico produces and exports more beer than any other country! Now, that’s impressive!
I love Mexican beer too, and I try to taste as many as possible when I have the opportunity to travel in this colourful country.
Some Mexican beers include famous ones such as Corona, Dos Equis, & Sol.
However, keep your eyes peeled for some other great tasting Mexican beers such as Pacifico, Modelo, Tecate, Bohemia (they make a fantastic dark beer too), Victoria, Indio, and Bohemia.
Batidos are creamy drinks in Mexico that compare to what you or I may know as smoothies.
They are typically made by blending fruits (such as mango, banana, papaya, or strawberry) with milk, yoghurt, ice, and sometimes sweeteners like sugar or condensed milk.
Batidos are refreshing and filling and use the many types of fruits available nationwide.
You will appreciate this fantastic Mexican drink if you love coffee like me.
Carajillo is an alcoholic Mexican drink that combines coffee with Licor 43, a sweet, vanilla-flavoured liqueur, and sometimes brandy or rum.
The cocktail is served hot and enjoyed after a meal as a digestif.
A chamoyada is a popular Mexican frozen drink or beverage that combines sweet, spicy, salty, and tangy flavours.
It typically consists of shaved ice, chamoy sauce (pickled fruit, such as apricots or plums, chilli peppers, salt, sugar, and sometimes vinegar), fruit juices, and various toppings.
And that’s it! I hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about the most popular drinks in Mexico. Do you have a favourite drink in Mexico that doesn’t appear on our list? Let us know what it is in the comments below.
If you need more reasons to visit Mexico, here are 10! And if you love to eat, then don’t miss our Top 5 Food Cities in Mexico and our complete Mexican Food Guide.
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