Everyone talks about being a foodie but where’s the love for beverages?! You’ll want to try these popular drinks from around the world during your travels.
Nothing connects you to a country better than discovering what the locals love to drink. Like food, countries use their local produce to whip up delicious beverages so you get to taste their culture. So you don’t miss out on any of these local favorites, here are 20 popular drinks to try whilst you’re on the road.
Mango Lassi, India
Hailing from Punjab, there are many variations of this traditional Indian drink. It’s a yogurt-based beverage that is blended with water, sugar, fruits, spices, and nuts. You can choose a refreshing mango lassi on a hot day or a sweet lassi to cool down after a fiery curry.
Bubble Tea, Taiwan
You can tell Bubble Tea from a mile away. A collection of black marble-sized balls sit at the bottom of a clear cup and you slurp up the tea in a chunky straw. Bubble drinks are sometimes made with fresh fruits, milk, and crushed ice to create a healthy milkshake.
The tapioca balls make this drink distinctive and its consistency is between jelly and chewing gum. They’re also known as “boba” in the bubble tea drink.
Ceaser Cocktail, Canada
To explain a Ceaser’s cocktail, you must unlearn the typical fruit blends you find in warmer climates. Caesers are vodka blended with hot sauce, celery, lime and clam juice. What adds to their quirkiness are the garnishes. Many bars add bacon, grilled cheese sandwiches and even fried chicken. It’s one to add to your world drink recipes!
Sangria, Spain
No trip to Spain is complete without one (or a few!) sangrias. Sangria is a wine punch loaded with fresh fruit and each bar offers its own concoction. You can even add a splash of brandy for an extra spicy kick.
Mojito, Cuba
Mojitos are one of the most famous drinks from around the world. This Cuban drink is a mixture of white rum, sugar, lime, soda water, and fresh mint. It’s perfect for those who prefer light and zesty cocktails. Once you find that perfect blend of sweetness, citrus, and mint, you have the ultimate summer drink.
Bia Hơi, Vietnam
Unlike many draught beers, Bia Hơi stays true to its roots and remains a local street beer. The brewery makes Bia Hơi every night in Hanoi and delivers kegs to a few drinking establishments dotted around the old town.
Bia Hơi has no preservatives, so it has to be consumed within 24 hours, making it the freshest beer in the world! Enjoy the special Hanoi beverage as you watch people and a flurry of scooters pass by.
Campari, Italy
A Campari is one of Italy’s most popular drinks. This cocktail has a strong bitter orange taste and can take getting used to. You can drink it straight or mix it with orange juice to soften the bitterness. It’s the base of many famous Italian cocktails such as a Negroni or a Campari and soda, or the3 infamous aperol spritz which you can have after a beautiful day skiing in the dolomites.
Caipirinha, Brazil
Cool off with Brazilian’s national drink. To make a Caipirinha, lime juice and sugar is mixed for a beautiful blend of sweet and tart and is complete with a splash of cahaça. It’s the perfect way to party like the locals!
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee, Ethiopia
Calling all coffee lovers! Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee is often rated the highest quality Arabica coffees in the world as it offers a spicy and fragrant flavor. This fine coffee has an intense, clean taste and perfect for those who love floral notes in the aroma. When you’re in Ethiopia, this is one of the local beverages you must try.
Pisco Sour, Peru
Indulge in a Pisco Sour to combat the sweltering heat. A Pisco Sour is a tantalizing cocktail with a base liquor of pisco, egg white, bitters, and lime juice. But don’t let the egg whites throw you!
Egg whites are a key ingredient of the Pisco Sour as it adds texture to the cocktail, so it becomes silky smooth. It’s a one-of-a-kind cocktail so you must try it when you’re in Peru after a hike through the magical Machu Picchu ruins.
Absinthe, France
For more adventurous drinkers, why not try Absinthe? Otherwise known as the Green Fairy, this French liquor is one of the most alcoholic drink in the world, at around 80% ABV. Some argue that it’s mind-altering and was even banned in some countries.
Hot Chocolate, Mexico
This delicious beverage dates back to the Aztecs and the Mayans. The popular drink has cacao, sugar, and Ceylon cinnamon where cups are drunk every day for breakfast or as a snack. Hot chocolate also consumed during religious holidays like Christmas, Three Kings Day and Day of the Dead. It’s arguably the best drink in the world!
Maghreb Mint Tea, Morocco
Tea has great significance in Morocco as serving tea represents a warm welcome and great hospitality. This tea has a minty and refreshing taste to create a cool sensation in the mouth and respiratory tract. It also has many health benefits as it has many antioxidants and vitamin-rich properties.
Arkhi, Mongolia
Arkhi is Mongolia’s milk vodka. This drink is distilled with fermented cow milk yogurt and the more acidic the yogurt, the higher the alcohol content. Arkhi can reach 15% to 20% ABV. This drink is popular in the summer but it’s drunk all year long and is best straight after distillation when it’s hot.
Mate, Argentina
Mate is a herb tea, and is one of Argentina’s popular beverages. You pack the tea into a calabash gourd and top it up with boiling water. After a few minutes, take a slow and steady sip from the silver straw and pass it to your friend
Maotai, China
Maotai’s is China’s most famous liquor. It’s made from a grain called red sorghum and its flavor is difficult to pinpoint. It’s not like other spirits, as this world beverage is classified as a “sauce” fragrance which includes thick fragrance, light fragrance, and honey fragrance.
Brandy Sour, Cyprus
The national cocktail of the island is the famous Brandy Sour. The cocktail is made with Cypriot brandy which is milder than a Cognac, lemons, Angostura bitters, soda water, and ice. One of the many perfect drinks of the world.
Ginjihna, Portugal
Ginjiha is a Portuguese liquor that’s made from combining Aguardente and ginja berries. Head to a Ginjiha bar where they’ll offer you a small glass of the liquor to enjoy outside in the sun.
Hawaiin Sea Breeze, Hawaii
Enjoy tropical life with a Hawaiian Sea Breeze. It’s a blend between vodka, cranberry juice and pineapple juice to offer a fruity, refreshing drink. This is one of Hawaii’s famous drinks and it’s perfect after a day at the beach
Kava, Fiji
Unlike the other drinks listed, Kava has a deep cultural significance in Fiji culture. It’s drunk in a formal setting known as a Kava Ceremony which is held in a local Fijian village. The local villagers prepare the kava and pass a cup to the first guest. It’s said to have a pleasant, mind-clearing effect. After one cup, your lips and tongue tingle and you can enjoy a few, as there are supposedly no hangovers.
Ready to Try These Popular Drinks?
There are so many popular drinks from all corners of the globe to try. Whether it’s non-alcoholic to a refreshing cocktail on the beach, there is a local beverage perfect for everyone.
What a cool concept for a travel article! I’d love to hear a little more backstory on how these drinks became so popular in their respective countries. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing this. This is just definitely what I needed. What a delectable collection of food pictures you have in this post! Anyways, great post!