Margit's Great Places for Margaritas and More!
By Margit Bisztray, Food Critic

Hello everyone. I’m writing this from Myrtle Beach, where I keep being surprised by special little restaurants we’re discovering I’ve never known were there, tucked into shopping centers next to say, a furniture store. It’s been fun!

One of the places I’ve discovered, Sun City Café, is an artsy-looking (think hand-painted, mix-and-match-decorated like a restaurant in a college town), fun place where they play reggae music and mix up margaritas surrounded by multi-colored lights. So that gave me the idea to tell you about some great places for margaritas in our Tourist Network web, and what to eat with them! It’s something I’ve done a wee bit of research on (I confess). Oh, at Sun City, the guacamole or the shrimp-chipotle dip to balance out those margaritas!

When you’re in Key West, Pepe’s on Caroline makes delectable cocktails because they use freshly squeezed juices and because as the oldest restaurant in Key West, they’ve had some practice! With those, hey have a blackened fish sandwich: you’re in Key West! For a real island specialty, Mangoes restaurant’s “mango-rita” is a special treat, and you have to try the mushroom “martini” appetizer (yes, that’s food, not another cocktail!)

Brace yourself for Crystal’s margaritas at Atkin’s Park––the oldest continually running tavern in Atlanta (see, experience is working on our side, here). Crystal only works days, but she’s got great, sharp wit, and whenever our company has had a long day and it’s happy hour, she puts us in good spirits for the rest of the evening. I recommend Pozole’s margaritas was well….they have a HUGE selection of tequilas to choose from, and you can try some extremely high-end varieties there…probably too “good” to be in a margarita, but what a difference. Try the lobster taco with that, and you’ll be a happy person, I promise you. Last but not least, try Sala: beautiful, modern white interior, superb Mexican food, and margaritas so good I can’t stop. The Key West and Longhorn margaritas are made with Key lime sour….so, personal favorites. Try a selection of the small plates, like their ceviches or the special dish Elote from Mexico City that has fire roasted corn, spicy majo and anejo cheese.

New in Destin is Cantina Laredo–––part of the wave of high-end Mexican restaurants that have seen a revival lately, and tend to be wonderful, as this is. The interior is modern, clean, natural (not the old fashioned kind of Mexican restaurant with sombreros all over…not that kind). The salsa, including roasted tomato or warm, green tomatilla, are simply delicious, as well as the guacamole made tableside. And of course…margaritas that are smooth and tart. Enjoy!

Last but not least…New Orleans! After a long, hot, righteous run through the French Quarter last time I was there, me and other Tourist Network staff kept the balance by cooling off with margaritas (and food, we do food, too!) at El Gato Negro near the French Market. What’s important to mention about the margaritas here is that all the juice is hand-squeezed fresh, fresh, fresh. What a difference that makes, and would you expect anything less in New Orleans? The fish tacos are also great I will tell you. And, I’m not just saying this because Key West is home, but Margaritaville in New Orleans does justice to its name: great margaritas! What do you eat with that? Ummm…I forget. I’ve had too many margaritas.

NOTE: Margit Bisztray has been reviewing restaurants and writing about food for ten years. She has published three editions of The Complete Key West Dining Guide, and her work has appeared in such publications as Vogue, Gourmet, Islands and Metropolitan Home. To read more restaurant reviews, log your own personal opinions, rate your favorite restaurants and watch streaming video archives of these shows and other reviews, visit Margit's Top 5.