Patio weather has finally arrived! As we head into summer, get ahead of the heat and humidity with a lineup of the local Memphis spots where you can get refreshing frozen cocktails. From spiked milkshakes to rainbow margaritas, you are guaranteed to find a boozy treat that suits you on this list.
Slider Inn: Jameson Slushie
Neighborhood: Midtown and Downtown • More Info: thesliderinn.com
This Memphis joint specializes in sliders, but their famous frozen drink sets them apart this time of year. The Jameson Slushie is a must-try. Slider Inn blends Jameson Irish Whiskey with house-squeezed lemonade, ginger beer, and bitters for a delicious summer cocktail you’ll wait for all year. Topped with a cherry and lemon wedge, it’s picture-perfect and tastes as good as it looks.
Slider Inn‘s Jameson Slushie is a local favorite for warm weather. Image: Instagram
Loflin Yard: Frosé
Neighborhood: Downtown • More Info: loflinyard.com
In the heart of downtown Memphis, Loflin Yard does food, drinks, and outdoor dining well. The expansive outdoor space is the perfect spot to relax and have a drink, and they offer a seasonal rotation of frozen drinks. (Stay updated through their social media!) Currently, they are offering frosé and their Electric Lemonade, a frozen blueberry vodka cocktail. If you can’t decide, opt for the Unicorn — it’s a swirl of both.
If you like your frozen drinks with a kick, order an extra shot in your frozen cocktail at Loflin Yard. Image: Loflin Yard
Babalu: Frozen Juke Joint Juice
Neighborhood: East Memphis and Overton Square • More Info: eatbabalu.com
In true Memphis fashion, Babalu offers a Blue Note Juke Joint Bourbon drink that is perfect for the season. This Latin-inspired eatery pairs the Memphis award-winning bourbon with homemade lemonade, citrus syrup, Smirnoff Peach Vodka, and peach purée — frozen and blended to perfection. You can even add a bourbon or prosecco floater to take it up a notch. The libation is guaranteed to cool you off, but it packs quite a punch!
This frozen sip from Babalu features Memphis’s Blue Note Juke Joint Bourbon. Image: Babalu
Cameo Cocktail Bar: Seasonal Rotations
Neighborhood: Midtown • More Info: cameomemphis.com
Cameo is cocktail-driven, with a menu of nibbles supporting the carefully curated drink menu instead of the other way around. Their motto is “Fancy Drinks Party Time,” and they certainly live up to the tagline. Offering a seasonal rotation of frozen cocktails, the current menu includes the Ramos Gin Freeze (gin, citrus, orange flower water, and cream) and Battle Cries at Starbucks (brandy, coffee liqueur, Vice & Virtue cold brew, and Irish cream). Hard to go wrong.
At Cameo, you can expect the same presentation and carefully curated flavors that you’ll see on their regular cocktail menu — but with a frozen twist. Image: Cameo
Agavos Cocina & Tequila: Margarita Sampler
Neighborhood: East Memphis • More Info: agavosmemphis.com
You’ve heard of beer and wine flights, but have you tried a margarita flight? Agavos Cocina & Tequila in Memphis offers flights of their frozen margaritas that allow you to taste the rainbow. Their Happy Margarita Sampler includes six flavors: strawberry, peach, blueberry, raspberry, kiwi, and mango. Not only is the sampler delicious, but it’s also an affordable (and perfectly responsible) way to try several flavors in one sitting. What’s not to love?
The “Happy” flight at Agavos Cocina & Tequila is a steal at $10. Image: Facebook
STIX Express Downtown: Sake Slushie
Neighborhood: Downtown • More Info: stixonline.com
Looking to branch out? Try the Sake Slushie from STIX Express in downtown Memphis. This Asian-fusion restaurant combines frozen lemonade and sake for an unexpected — and incredibly refreshing — frozen combo. You can also add a flavor to your slushie, choosing from options like watermelon, green apple, and peach.
Frozen lemonade with sake? Sounds like a vacation unto itself. Image: STIX Express
Hopdoddy Burger Bar: The Roadie
Neighborhood: East Memphis • More Info: hopdoddy.com
Originating in Austin, TX, Hopdoddy Burger Bar is a fast-casual burger chain with locations all over the country. While folks usually show up for the burgers, their boozy drinks are equally loved. If you lean toward sweeter drinks, you’ll love one of the boozy milkshakes, but we’re partial to the tangy frozen margaritas, available in a big-batch format known as ‘The Roadie’ — ideal for warm-weather gatherings.
Ask about ‘The Roadie’ the next time you’re at Hopdoddy. They offer a big-batch version of their frozen cocktails, perfect for cookouts and pool parties. Image: Instagram
Celtic Crossing Irish Pub: Frozen Irish Coffee
Neighborhood: Cooper-Young • More Info: celticcrossingirishpub.com
Offering a healthy dose of booze and caffeine, the Frozen Irish Coffee from Celtic Crossing Irish Pub checks off all the right boxes. Enjoy this on Celtic Crossing’s patio with some classic Irish fare. Check out their website for updates on events and live music performances. There’s a reason they’ve been touted by many as the best patio in Memphis in the heart of Midtown!
The frozen Irish coffee is Celtic Crossing’s newest drink, perfect for summer. Image: Celtic Crossing Irish Pub
The Arcade Restaurant: Spiked Shakes
Neighborhood: Downtown • More Info: arcaderestaurant.com
Arcade Restaurant serves up nostalgia with every order. The oldest restaurant in Memphis, Arcade has been a local staple since the ’50s. This iconic joint offers diner-style breakfast, sandwiches, sides, and, of course, milkshakes. But you’ll find more than just milkshakes for the kiddos — head over to Arcade for one of their spiked shakes in flavors like salted caramel, Almond Joy, chocoholic, strawboozy, apple pie, and mint chocolate. Their ‘Shake It Like the King’ milkshake pays homage to Elvis and features Irish cream, Blue Chair Bay Banana Rum, vanilla ice cream, and peanut butter.
The spiked milkshakes at Arcade come with a little MORE than a cherry on top! Image: Arcade Restaurant
Wet Willie’s: Frozen Daiquiris
Neighborhood: Downtown-Beale Street • More Info: wetwillies.com
In a roundup of frozen cocktails, we’d be remiss not to mention Wet Willie’s on Beale Street — the sheer number of frozen daiquiris on their menu is staggering. Choose from 15 signature flavor combinations or create your own, blending your favorite flavors from a list of 15 house mixes. Be sure to soak them up with a pile of nachos, a burger, or an order of mozzarella bites!
Wet Willie’s offers endless frozen flavor combinations. Good luck deciding on your drink order. Image: Facebook
Here’s to beating the heat (with a little extra kick)!
**********
Looking for more great places to eat in Memphis? Follow along with our New Memphis Restaurants series, updated monthly.
