Fruity And Fabulous
Two words, healthy cocktail. Was there ever a sweeter pairing of words in the English language? Except for maybe free burgers, but we digress. Keep your #cleaneating goals on track with a cold-pressed juice cocktail from Harvest Moon in Burleigh Heads. Since you’re already in the area, make a pit-stop at Justin Lane Establishment for a Justin’s Colada, a refreshing new take on a pina colada. Instead of coconut cream, the ingenious mixologists use coconut water so you’re getting tipsy and hydrating at the same time, brilliant!

If you find yourself in Surfers Paradise with a hankering for a little something fruity, pop in to Cocoon Ultralounge Bar Dining for a jam jar cocktail, it’s like summer in a cup. Known for its mighty fine selection of tequila, Stingray Lounge shakes up a deliciously refreshing watermelon and cucumber caipirinha and if you believe in sharing the love, Brooklyn Depot offers some seriously saucy cocktails to share. The orange elderflower and rosemary teapot filled with Kettle One vodka, Cointreau, St Germain elderflower liqueur, rosemary, lemon juice, sugar and iced tea is always a good idea.

Decadent And Delicious
If you enjoy beverages that blur the boundaries between dessert and drink, K Bar & Meze offers a lovely range of flavoured espresso martinis but it’s impossible to go past Sparrow Eating House’s ridiculously decadent peanut butter martini. Dialling up the decadence factor a few (hundred) notches, Ze Pickle’s C.R.E.A.M cocktail is a heart-attack-inducing concoction of vodka, chambord, Oreos, liquid Nutella and ice-cream with a milky bar rim. Walrus Social House’s White Shoe Shuffle is smoother than a property salesman in the 1970s and showcasing true American excess, the Toblerone from Tribeca NYC is decadence in a glass with Frangelico, Kahlua and Baileys.

Potent Potions
Miss Margarita in Broadbeach offers a spine-tingling array of margaritas and martinis but if it’s tequila you thirst for, look no further than BonBon bar. With over 100 tequilas lining the shelves, you’re guaranteed to find your flavour. If you can handle a little fire, the Bonita Margarita is for you, Espolon Reposado, Agave nectar, candied jalapeños, fresh cucumber juice and chilli salt rim.

Man-tailes
Who says cocktails can’t be manly? Combining bacon and booze (very manly things), the Pig N Cider from Pigs and Pints and bacon-infused vodka from Lester & Earl will keep your rugged manliness intact. If you could outdrink a pirate when it comes to rum, head to House of Brews for a HOB Stormy Brew; Stolen Gold rum, Stolen White rum, lime juice, ginger syrup topped with Mountain Goat Steam ale, or pull up a stool at The Cambus Wallace for The Maiden Voyage #2; fresh muddled pineapple, Kraken spiced rum, Brinley coconut rum, Angostura white rum, fresh lime juice, simple syrup and tiki bitters. Sip on a snifter of Japanese whisky at Etsu Izakaya, while they’re all delicious, the Hakushu Re-Fashioned is our swill of choice with a new twist on the Old Fashioned. Black Coffee Lyrics and Nineteen Orchid Avenue both throw together some magical Bulleit Rye man-tales and for the perfect blend of sweet and sour, get a taste of the Amaretto Sour from Elston. We promise you won’t want to stop at just one.