Tropical cocktails are taking Toronto by storm
Recipe ideas, bar recommendations and canned favourites to quench your hot-weather tiki cravings
Tiki cocktails—the super-potent, too-sweet, neon-coloured concoctions originally inspired (somewhat problematically) by the Pacific Islands—are experiencing a revival in Toronto. “Since the pandemic, there’s been a desire to get away,” says Hannah Egan-Lee of Lulu Bar, the new mid-century cocktail lounge inside the Well. “Tropical drinks let people escape their daily lives without actually leaving the city.”
Related: Over-the-top cocktails are sweeping the city
It takes more than just a paper umbrella to make a tiki cocktail. The island-inspired classics (painkillers, mai tais, zombies) are high-octane rum-based tipples made with saccharine juices and syrups. The new generation riffs on these kitschy cocktails, but with quality ingredients, balanced flavours and, in some cases, no booze. Traditionally, a mai tai—a blend of dark and white rums with orgeat and orange curaçao—doesn’t incorporate any fresh fruit (unless you count a squeeze of lime or a lime-wheel garnish). However, Lulu Bar’s mai tai incorporates slow-roasted pineapple, which adds depth to the drink. And to dovetail with the mocktail movement, Lulu offers a line of zero-proof options. The Hawaiian Honeycreeper, a spin on the jungle bird with alcohol-free rum and a zero-proof sparkling “aperitivo,” delivers all the beachy bliss without the buzz (or the jet lag).
Three ready-to-drink rum-based cocktails
Cutwater Rum Mai Tai Ringing in at 12.5 per cent ABV, this small can packs a punch—both literally and figuratively. Enjoy it straight or poured over ice and garnished with a hunk of fresh pineapple. $3.95, lcbo.com
Coco Rum Original Rum is combined with coconut water in this electrolyte-spiked refresher. Sparkling water adds a bubbly finish for a satisfying summer sipper. $3.30, lcbo.com
Turtle Bay Rum Swizzle Made with tropical juices and citrus bitters, this canned riff on Bermuda’s national drink is as carefree as an all-inclusive resort. The one-two punch of white and dark rums doesn’t hurt. $3.50, lcbo.com
More places to tropic like it’s hot
Doc’s Green Door Lounge: The rum punch for two at this Junction café and bar combines a trio of rums with house-made pineapple malic acid. A flaming shot of rum is an optional add-on.
Paradise Grotto: At this Entertainment District bar, mezcal and tequila are combined with Campari, coconut, watermelon, strawberry and lime to make the Majin Buu, a one-way ticket to the tropics.
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Jessica Huras is a freelance writer and editor with over a decade of experience creating food, travel and lifestyle content. She’s a content editor for the LCBO’s Food & Drink magazine, and her work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, Chatelaine, Toronto Life and Elle Canada, among other publications.
