Negroni

Rivea Italian: Head to The Patio at Pacific Fair to try new Italian eatery Rivea’s traditional negroni with gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. Shopping and negroni? Now that, dear friends, is always a good idea.

Mamasan Kitchen + Bar: This Broadbeach Asian-inspired eatery puts a unique spin on its cocktail list, and there’s a killer plum wine negroni to boot, with Tanqueray gin, Campari and Choya Umeshu plum wine.

The Cambus Wallace: It’s a classic negroni that has been bottle-aged, pre-batched and decanted to allow the flavours to fully blend together over time – this is a real smooth drop. Though, when the drinks list has a friendly disclaimer that some cocktails contain at least two standard drinks and that you shouldn’t ‘navigate your vessel after a tipple’, then you know it’s going to pack a punch.

Can Tho Kitchen: Known for its banging food and cocktail list to match, the Runaway Bay Vietnamese eatery and bar does negroni like this: Tanqueray Gin, Campari, Dry Vermouth plus a hint of orange to smooth it all out.

Gemelli Italian: The Gemelli team do classic Italian really, really well – and its traditional Italian negroni is no exception – perfectly prepared with gin, Campari and red vermouth. Pizza in one hand, negroni in the other – and you’re life is well and truly complete.

Espresso Martini

Finders Keepers: With its new French-inspired look and feel, the newly re-launched Finders Keepers has put together a pretty spectacular series of cocktails – and we can’t go past its chilled espresso martini with Ketel One vodka, Frangelico, dark chocolate liqueur and fresh espresso. Just so you know, this Burleigh gem now opens for breakfast and lunch on weekends – because cocktails by day taste way better.

Stingray Bar: Well known for its killer cocktail list, the talented Stingray Bar mixologists bang-up a pretty awesome espresso martini – it’s a rich and super indulgent mix of fresh-poured espresso, coffee liqueur and vodka, shaken and served ice-cold. It’s coffee, so it’s totally acceptable at any time of day.

Edgewater Dining: This is the ultimate espresso martini list – not one, but eight (yes, eight) different combinations for you to add your double shot espresso to. There’s everything from Joe’s Spicy Coconuts with American Honey, dark chocolate and chilli flakes to The Blonde Moment, with vodka, Kahlua, white chocolate liqueur and marshmallows.

Fu Manchu Oriental Kitchen: Known for its top-notch Asian eats, Fu Manchu puts a rad oriental spin on the traditional espresso martini – the Orient Expresso will have you up all night (in a good way), with Patron XO, ginger liqueur, salted caramel vodka and a Silipo ‘dragon fire’ coffee shot. Wowser.

Crafted Coffee Co.: Coffee by day, espresso martini bar by night – hit up the all-new Crafted Coffee Co. at The Kitchens for a pretty impressive espresso martini line-up – the bar team shake its own espresso with Ketel One vodka, white chocolate liqueur and Kahlua, then add a sprinkle of cinnamon dust to create its signature espresso martini, or tryit cold-drip style with cold drip coffee, vodka, Mozart dry white chocolate liqueur, rapadura sugar, a pinch of salt plus orange oils and a vanilla mist. So fancy.

Margarita

Miss Margarita: The name does say it all – there are a swag of margarita variations here, like the smoked pineapple margarita and the chipotle chilli and lime. If you’re up for it, try the Illegal Margarita … and then you should probably book an Uber.

Bonita Bonita: We dig the Bonita Bonita vibe, and take our advice when we say the tacos, quesadillas and tostadas are best consumed with a Bonita Margarita (or three) on the side. The Bonita Bonita team do it with Jose Cuervo with agave, candied jalapenos and fresh cucumber juice with a chilli salt rim – this is just one big mouth-bang.

Etsu Izakaya: A fancy Japanese spin on the Mexican favourite goes a little something like this – the Mr Miyagi Margarita, with Illegal joven mezcal, house-made tequila umeshu, fresh lime and matcha salt topped with a yuzu foam.

Koi Dining & Lounge Bar: Koi do a sweet and saucy take with its frozen chocolate margarita, with Patron Cafe XO, Cointreau, house-made chocolate sauce and double cream – deliciously rich and icy.

Sparrow Eating House: This rad Nobby Beach dining space has one impressive cocktail line-up, and they serve up a ‘his and hers’ margarita combo – ladies can have the Love Bird, which is a 100% agave coconut tequila margarita, and for the gents there’s The Rising Phoenix, which blends handmade artisan mezcal with fresh mandarin juice and a hint of coconut.

Justin Lane: Nab a spot on Justin’s rooftop in the sunshine and enjoy a bianco spritz by the glass or in a carafe (you must share) with martini bianco, Prosecco, mint and lime topped with soda.

SpoonFull: The Palm Beach tapas gem does a sweet but fresh strawberry moscato spritz with pink moscato, lemonade, strawberries and a nip of vodka for a little extra kick.

Pier Marina Mirage: It’s a classic that we totally dig when it’s done well (and they do it well here) – Aperol, Prosecco, and soda. A simple one, but so damn good with a woodfired pizza overlooking Marina Mirage … take me, take me now.

Shared Cocktails

El Patio De Cuba: This cocktail list is to die for – if you haven’t checked out this Cuban gem yet, go there – now. If there’s a bunch of you, get your hands on a Gold Coast Punch to share, with vanilla vodka, citron vodka, strawberry and lime cider, peach bitters topped with lemonade. It’s pretty much summer in a jug. Get on this.

Cabana Bar & Lounge: You’ll find a swag of shared cocktails and fancy jugs here – we’re digging the Singapore Mule for a bit of zing, with vodka, ginger liqueur, ginger beer, fresh lime, lemongrass and ginger or try a strawberry colada with vodka, Malibu, Bacardi, fresh strawberries, pineapple and cranberry juice – best enjoyed in a private open-air cabana.

Tanqueray Gin Bar: Jupiters Hotel & Casino’s new poolside gin bar is open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays, serving up ‘gin and juice’ by the jug, with concoctions like Tanqueray gin with fresh pressed apple and cucumber juice, watermelon and mint leaves, and mandarin and ginger – because nothing says summer like gin and juice, ‘yo.

Lester & Earl: The shared bowl cocktails here are 1.5 litres of pure goodness. Try the Sharknado cocktail bowl – it’s gigantic, bright blue and serves four – think blue lagoon and banana colada blended into one. Best consumed on the balcony in the sun.