The Paloma recipe
for your table
If desired, rub the rim of the glass with lime and dip it in salt.
Fill the glass with ice and add the tequila, lime juice and pinch of salt.
Top up with grapefruit soft drink and stir briefly.
Garnish with a grapefruit or lime wedge.
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The story
Romantic stories surround the origin of the Paloma ('dove' in Spanish) - named after a folk song, or created by the legendary Don Javier Delgado Corona in his cantina La Capilla in Tequila itself. What is certain is that the drink became popular with the rise of grapefruit soft drinks such as Squirt in 1950s Mexico. Simple, affordable and perfect for beating the heat: the Paloma became Mexico's national drink and is now conquering the rest of the world through cocktail bars.
The right glass
The Paloma is thirst-quenching, so it belongs in a tall glass with plenty of ice. A long drink glass holding 33 to 47 cl does exactly what it should: preserve the bubbles, retain the chill and let that soft pink grapefruit colour shine. For the full cantina feel, choose a glass with a textured finish that feels satisfyingly sturdy. If you serve it with a salted rim, the models from our margarita glasses collection also work.
Onis Icon Highball Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Arcoroc Islande Highball Glass 33 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets - together € 51,90.
The right tools
For a Paloma, besides the glass, you use a bar spoon for stirring, a jigger for precise measuring, a citrus juicer, and glass straws. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools - together € 89,75.
Variations & twists
Mezcal gives the Paloma smoke and depth - by now, the trendier order in Mexico City. Fresh grapefruit juice with soda instead of soda makes it drier and more grown-up. A chili-salt rim (Tajín) is the finishing touch that transports the patio to Guadalajara. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
That pinch of salt in the cocktail itself is the secret: it tones down the grapefruit's bitterness and makes the tequila rounder. Fresh grapefruit juice with soda makes for a drier, more grown-up Paloma.
Grapefruit soda or fresh juice
In Mexico, Squirt or Jarritos is typically used: a sweetened grapefruit soda; 10 cl of it makes the Paloma sweet, light, and very easy to drink. Replace it with 6 cl freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and 4 cl soda water, and it becomes drier, more bitter, and more grown-up, with the tequila coming through much more clearly. The fresh version often calls for half a bar spoon of simple syrup to tame the bitterness, especially with white grapefruit. Pink grapefruit is sweeter and can be used without it. Both versions are correct, but it is a genuine choice.
The sea salt or Tajin rim
Rub a lime wedge over the outside of the glass rim, not the inside, then roll it through coarse sea salt on a flat plate. This keeps salt out of the cocktail itself and lets you decide with each sip how much to take with you. Rim only half the circumference so every guest can choose. Tajin, the Mexican blend of chili, lime, and salt, gives the rim a spicy kick that pairs excellently with grapefruit. Do this before filling the glass with ice; otherwise, the salt will not stick.
Paloma or Margarita
Both are tequila and citrus drinks, but their construction differs fundamentally. The Margarita is a shaken sour made with 5 cl of tequila, 2 cl of triple sec, and 2 cl of lime juice, short and concentrated in a small glass. The Paloma is a long drink: the same 5 cl of tequila with 1.5 cl of lime juice, topped with 10 cl of grapefruit over plenty of ice in a tall glass. As a result, the Paloma is around 10 percent alcohol, while the Margarita is around 25 percent. In Mexico, the Paloma is the everyday order, while the Margarita is mainly for tourists.
Paloma from a pitcher for a group
For six glasses, mix 30 cl of tequila with 9 cl of fresh lime juice and half a teaspoon of fine salt in a pitcher, then chill for an hour. Add the 60 cl of grapefruit soda only when serving; otherwise, the fizz will be gone before the first guest pours a glass. Fill the glasses with ice first, pour until they are two-thirds full, and top up each glass. Allow about 17 cl per person and keep an extra bottle of soda on hand, because this pitcher disappears faster than you think.
The meaning of Paloma and the name on the menu
Paloma means dove in Spanish, so the name says little about what ends up in the glass. On a menu, you’ll find it listed as Paloma or as a Paloma cocktail; both refer to the same tequila and grapefruit drink. In Mexico, this Paloma drink is nothing special but simply what you order on a hot afternoon, with tequila and a bottle of grapefruit soda side by side on the bar. That down-to-earth background explains why the recipe is so short: five ingredients built directly in the glass.
Paloma cocktail recipe with mezcal
If you want smoke in the glass, replace only the tequila with mezcal in a mezcal Paloma; the rest of the recipe stays the same. Start with half mezcal and half tequila if you don't want the smoke to take center stage immediately, because mezcal has a pronounced flavor and overwhelms grapefruit faster than you expect. Pink grapefruit tempers the smoke somewhat, and an extra lime wheel keeps the whole thing fresh. Taste as you go, because you can always add another splash of mezcal, but you can't take it out.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a Paloma cocktail?
A Paloma consists of 5 cl 100 percent agave tequila, 1.5 cl fresh lime juice, a pinch of salt and 10 cl grapefruit soda, served with plenty of ice and a grapefruit wedge. That pinch of salt in the drink itself tones down the grapefruit's bitterness.
How do you make a Mexican Paloma?
If desired, rub the rim of the glass with lime and salt, fill the glass with ice and add the tequila, lime juice and a pinch of salt. Top up with grapefruit soda and stir briefly. In Mexico, they usually use Squirt or a similar grapefruit soda.
What does a Paloma taste like?
Dry, bittersweet and refreshing: the grapefruit adds a slight bitterness, the lime acidity and the salt rounds out the tequila. It is less sweet than a Margarita and therefore goes down more easily on a hot day. Fresh grapefruit juice makes it even drier.
Which glass do you use for a Paloma?
A highball glass of 33 to 47 cl with plenty of ice: tall enough to hold the bubbles and wide enough for a grapefruit wedge. A textured glass creates a cantina feel; see our highball glasses. Chill the glass beforehand.
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