tldr: the picante is a spicy tequila cocktail. tequila + lime + agave + fresh coriander + green chilli, shaken or stirred hard, served over ice. it’s a tidied-up spicy margarita, and the chilli is the whole point. use a reposado if you have one, indian green chilli instead of jalapeño, and start with less heat than you think you want.
the picante has quietly become the drink to order at decent bars in india. ask why and the honest answer is that it suits how we actually eat and drink here. we like heat. a cocktail with green chilli in it was always going to land.
if you already like tequila, you’ll probably like this. if you’ve only had tequila as a salt-and-lime shot at someone’s birthday, this is a much better way to drink it. for the basics on picking a bottle, see our tequila buying guide and how to choose a tequila.
what “picante” actually means
picante is spanish for spicy. in spanish kitchens it also refers to a spicy salsa. so the name is doing exactly what it says.
the drink’s full name is the picante de la casa. it was made by a bartender at soho house in west hollywood, and the club rolled it out across its bars around 2012. the reason it exists is boring but useful: their spicy margarita tasted slightly different every time, depending on who made it. fixing the recipe and giving it a name made it consistent everywhere. that’s it. that’s the origin story.
so when someone tells you the picante is a “completely different” drink from a spicy margarita, they’re overselling it. it’s a spicy margarita with a fixed recipe and a coriander upgrade.
what you need
| ingredient | amount | notes |
|---|---|---|
| tequila (reposado or blanco) | 50 ml | reposado adds depth, blanco is cheaper and fine |
| fresh lime juice | 25 ml | squeezed, not bottled |
| agave syrup | 15 ml | honey or sugar syrup works in a pinch |
| green chilli | 2-4 thin slices | indian green chilli is hot, adjust down |
| fresh coriander | small handful | leaves and a bit of stem |
| ice | plenty |
agave is sold in most metros now and online everywhere. if you can’t find it, sugar syrup does the job, you just lose a little of that earthy sweetness that pairs with tequila.
how to make it
drop the chilli slices and most of the coriander into your shaker or glass. press them with a spoon or muddler. light pressure for gentle heat, harder if you want it to bite. the chilli releases more heat the more you bruise it, so this step is where you decide how brave you’re feeling.
add the tequila, lime juice and agave. fill with ice. shake hard for about ten seconds, or if you don’t have a shaker, stir it aggressively until the outside of the glass frosts up.
strain into a fresh glass over a big piece of ice. float a coriander leaf and a thin slice of chilli on top so people know what they’re in for.
taste it. too hot, add a splash more agave and lime. too flat, it needs more lime, not more tequila.
getting it right in india
a few things that matter when you make this here rather than in a la cocktail bar.
chilli. the original uses jalapeño, which is mild by our standards. indian green chilli is hotter and sharper, so use fewer slices and deseed them if you want the flavour without the full burn. one badly judged chilli can take over the whole drink.
tequila. you don’t need an expensive bottle. a reposado gives a rounder, slightly oaky base that handles the heat well, but a plain blanco is honestly fine and keeps the cost down. save your good sipping tequila for sipping. camino real reposado or sauza are sensible picks that won’t hurt.
lime. use real limes. bottled lime juice tastes flat and slightly bitter and there’s nowhere for it to hide in a drink this simple.
variations worth trying
swap the coriander for mint if coriander isn’t your thing. some people genuinely hate it, no point forcing it.
add a few cubes of cucumber to the muddle for a cooler, fresher version that takes the edge off the heat.
want it longer and easier to drink across an evening? top the strained cocktail with a splash of soda. it’s no longer a true picante at that point, but it’s a great hot-weather drink. more ideas in our summer cocktails guide and desi cocktails.
is it worth the hype?
yes, with one caveat. the picante is a genuinely good cocktail and it suits indian palates better than most western drinks on a menu. the caveat is that bars charge premium prices for what is four cheap ingredients and a chilli. learn to make it at home and you’ll never pay rs 600 for one again.
for more drinks you can build without bar tools, see no-shaker cocktails and best cocktails to make at home.
drink responsibly. must be of legal drinking age in your state.
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frequently asked questions
what is a picante cocktail?
a spicy tequila cocktail made with tequila, lime juice, agave syrup, fresh coriander and green chilli. picante means spicy in spanish. it's basically a spicy margarita that got cleaned up into a fixed recipe.
what's the difference between a picante and a spicy margarita?
almost nothing. the picante (full name picante de la casa) was created at soho house to make their spicy margarita consistent from bar to bar. same idea, tighter recipe, coriander added.
which tequila is best for a picante?
a reposado gives it more depth, but a decent blanco works fine and is cheaper. in india, camino real reposado or sauza work without wrecking your budget. don't waste a sipping tequila on this.
how spicy is a picante cocktail?
you control it. two thin slices of green chilli give a gentle warmth, four or five make it properly hot. muddle the chilli lightly if you want subtle heat, harder if you want it to bite.
can i make a picante without a cocktail shaker?
yes. stir it hard with plenty of ice in any tall glass, then strain into a fresh glass over ice. a shaker gives a better texture but the drink survives without one.
what chilli should i use in a picante?
indian green chilli works great and is hotter than the jalapeño the original uses, so use less. deseed it first if you want flavour without too much burn.
is the picante cocktail strong?
it's tequila-forward, so yes, it drinks stronger than a sweet cocktail. there's no mixer diluting it down. one or two is plenty.
what food goes with a picante cocktail?
tacos, grilled chicken, paneer tikka, anything off a grill. the acid and heat cut through rich, charred food really well.
where did the picante cocktail come from?
it was created by a bartender at soho house in west hollywood and rolled out across their bars around 2012 as a standardised version of their spicy margarita.
can i make a non-alcoholic picante?
yes. swap the tequila for a splash of soda and extra lime, keep the chilli, coriander and agave. it becomes a sharp, spicy limeade. not the same kick, still good.