Laissez les Bon Temps Roulez!! Drinking is fun in New Orleans all year long but especially during Mardi Gras. Discover 10 Mardi Gras drinks that will get the party started anywhere and any time you’re ready to ‘let the good times roll.’
Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a party like no other.
Multi-colored necklaces fly from the air as floats roll down the city’s historic streets. Awash in purple, green and gold, the city embraces the party atmosphere with a vengeance. And not just for one day.
For weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday, NOLA locals add king cakes filled with little porcelain babies to their diets filled with po boys and other NOLA food favorites. They also drink a lot of Mardi Gras cocktails.
Don’t feel bad if you can’t celebrate Mardi Gras in person. Instead, cook up a pot of jambalaya in your corner of the world and get the annual party started by crafting a cocktail or ten.
Based on our diligent taste testing in New Orleans and at home, we wholeheartedly recommend the following ten Mardi Gras drinks:
10 Best Mardi Gras Drinks
Sazerac
The Sazerac may be one of the oldest cocktails in America but the classic New Orleans drink is as relevant today as ever. Follow our Sazerac cocktail recipe and craft the sophisticated sipper at home.
Bourbon Milk Punch is a decadent New Orleans cocktail that's ideal to serve with brunch or any time when you want the good times to roll. Follow our easy Bourbon Milk Punch recipe and craft the creamy dreamy cocktail in just five minutes.
Simultaneously boozy and smooth, the Vieux Carré may be our favorite New Orleans cocktail. Follow our easy Vieux Carré recipe and decide if it may be your favorite too.
Are you craving a sophisticated cocktail made with gin and champagne? If so, try our classic French 75 recipe with Cointreau added for balance and an extra punch. You can make it at home with just five ingredients plus ice.
More than just a novelty drink imbibed at Christmas parties and on St. Patrick's Day, the Grasshopper cocktail is a sweet pre-prohibition classic with a history rooted in New Orleans. And, yes, it's green. Very green.
The Pimm's Cup may hail from London but the refreshing tipple is equally popular across the pond in New Orleans. We share the story behind the transcontinental cocktail as well an easy Pimms Cup recipe that you can craft at home in just five minutes.
The Absinthe Frappe, a classic New Orleans cocktail, is timeless. However, the boozy, green, anise-flavored beverage requires a special palate. Follow our easy Absinthe Frappe recipe and see if you're up to the taste challenge.
Popular with both horse racing enthusiasts and cocktail connoisseurs, the classic Mint Julep is inexorably tied to Kentucky's annual derby. You'll love this bourbon smash cocktail even if you don't fit into either category.
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.
Disclosures
Article Updates We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.
Funding We purchased the ingredients and tools used to craft these cocktails.
