Say “salud” as you clink your cocktails to Mexican American liberty this coming May 5.
Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday commemorating the Mexican army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.
But it’s a holiday celebrated more by U.S. Latinos than by Mexicans, because for Latinos in California, the victory at Puebla represented “a shared, broadly American struggle for democracy and liberty — one that could even help raise morale in the Union fight against the Confederacy,” according to scholar David Hayes-Bautista in The Washington Post. “If a downtrodden Mexico could defeat an imperial army, then there was hope for the Union to throw off the tyrannical rule of slavery in the South.”
So, let’s celebrate with some of these well-crafted cocktails at the many delicious, lively Mexican or Mexican-influenced eateries and bars we have in Westchester.
The Tortilla Project
80 US Rte 6, Baldwin Place; 914.205.3152
Opened earlier this year in the far northernmost parts of Westchester bordering Putnam County, The Tortilla Project has happy hour, regular live music, and a bar with carefully crafted drinks. The bar menu has Campo Bravo tequila-based margaritas, including classic, spicy, coconut, spicy pickle, Key lime pie, smoked strawberry, and spiced pear. Then there are the “Not Margaritas”: mojito, paloma, morning dove, Trinidad sour, Grown-Up Lemonade, The One With Pineapple, Mezcal Negroni, Espresso Martini, and Añejo Old Fashioned. The weekend brunch drinks are also worth a try.
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Iron Vine
922 Main St, Peekskill; 914.930.8507
A hop and a skip southwest of Baldwin lies this Peekskill gem known for creative cocktails and delicious tapas served amid antique decor in a circa-1863 building. The weekend brunch offers bottomless margaritas and mimosas. Bartenders don’t use sour mix here; it’s all fresh-squeezed lime, and you can taste the difference. Don’t skip out on a stop here for Cinco de Mayo cocktails.
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Hermosa
36 E Main St, Mount Kisco; 914.218.8660
A bit southeast of Peekskill, Mount Kisco-raised siblings Chris and Angela Jimenez run Hermosa (in the former Little Drunken Chef space), which has a DJ booth upstairs to really amp up the party vibes at night. The full bar kicks into high gear, too. As for what to order, consider the Flor de Caña cocktail, which features reposado tequila, pineapple, Ancho Reyes Chile liqueur, and lime. There are also drinks named for notable places and people in “The Biggest Little Village,” such as The Brookside (gin, artichoke liqueur Cynar, Chartreuse, honey syrup, lemon, and a dash of smoked cinnamon) and Martia (mezcal, Angostura bitters, honey syrup, lime, and tequila).
Yuka’s Latin Fusion
2011 Albany Post Rd, Croton-on-Hudson; 914.862.4449
West of Mount Kisco near the Hudson, Yuka’s in Croton-on-Hudson has some cocktail talent worth trying, especially around Cinco de Mayo. All margaritas on the menu here are served with 100-percent agave tequila, fresh lime, and organic agave nectar. Choose among the classic, spicy avocado, basil and strawberry, hibiscus and ginger, and guava on fire varieties. Other signature cocktails to try are The Botanic with Botanist gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, lime juice, rose petal essence, muddled mint, and cucumber. To stick to more Mexican-themed liquor, try the rosemary paloma made with Blanco tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, rosemary essence, and honey.
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La Casa Bronxville
7 Pondfield Rd, Bronxville; 914.222.9016
While there are many options in White Plains and other central-county spots, let’s take you about 25 miles south of Croton-on-Hudson to La Casa Bronxville, which houses bartenders who create artisanal cocktails to accompany the elevated Mexican cuisine. Expect plenty of margarita options, from cilantro and hibiscus to mango and virgin. Or, get an Agua Ranchero with tequila, lime juice, and seltzer for something less fruity, or the clarified milk punch, which consists of three rums blended and clarified, with pineapple juice. You can’t go wrong with a mojito, Moscow or Oaxaca mule, piña colada on the rocks, or a lychee martini.
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Related: The Paella at These Westchester Restaurants Is Top-Notch