15 Traditional Greek Cocktails to Make at Home

Opa, cocktail fans, it’s time to take a deep dive into the wonderful world of Greek cocktails! We love an island vibe, and the blue-and-white fantasy of a lingering stay on a Greek isle always has us craving dolmades, spanakopita, a smattering of sand on our toes, and something cool and delicious to clink as the sun goes down. Care to join?  

1. Greek Salad Bloody Mary

If you love a Bloody Mary, and inventive spin-offs of the classic brunchtime sipper (like the Kimchi Bloody Mary), you’ve got to try the Greek Salad Bloody Mary! The twist lies in dressing up your tomato juice with a touch of kalamata olive brine and using feta-stuffed olives as garnish. You can also float a touch of extra-virgin olive oil on top of the cocktail before serving if you prefer. 

FEELING INVENTIVE? Try using Bulldog Gin as the liquor base for this drink to make a Greek-inspired Red Snapper. The botanicals in gin also complement tomato juice and spices, yielding a very tasty twist on the classic.

2. Ouzo Lemonade

Greek-inspired cocktails do not come any more refreshing than the Ouzo Lemonade. Ouzo is a traditional Greek anise-flavored spirit, typically clear and diluted with water, turning it milky white. It carries a distinct licorice-like flavor and is a popular aperitif.  

To make Ouzo Lemonade, pour 2 oz room-temperature ouzo into a glass. Add 1.5 oz lemon juice and 3 mint leaves, and muddle to release the flavors from the mint leaves. Add 1 teaspoon of honey syrup and mix until it dissolves. Pour 3 oz ice water into the glass and mix. If preferred, add more water to dilute the ouzo taste. Garnish with a slice of lemon and enjoy. 

When life gives you lemons: The Best Spiked Lemonades Using Flavored Vodka  

3. Greek Goddess Mastiha Margarita

Greek cocktails without ouzo? Sure thing! While ouzo is typically the first drink that comes to mind when Greek food is on the menu, the country’s foodies are also partial to mastiha, a semi-sweet, piquant and uniquely invigorating liqueur. Though anise-free, mastiha is sometimes described as having a flavor that combines fennel, anise and mint.    

By now, you know we love a riff on the classic Margarita, and this resin spirit makes a great base for this classy clinker. To make one, add 1.5 oz blanco tequila, 1.5 oz mastiha liquor, a teaspoon of pomegranate simple syrup, and 1 oz lime juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until frosty, and strain into a serving glass over fresh ice. Garnish with some fresh lime and serve. 

4. Greek Style Mulled Wine (Krasomelo)

Greek cocktail recipes are typically quite summery, but this Greek twist on the classic Mulled Wine recipe is everything you want to be sipping when the clouds gather over the Mediterranean, and it’s time to serve up comfort food like fasolada and crusty bread. 

To make a batch of krasomelo, add a bottle of semi-sweet red wine to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. As soon as it goes frothy, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, and add 5 tablespoons of honey syrup, 2 cinnamon sticks, 5 whole cloves, and the peel of one orange. Let it simmer for 10 minutes, remove from the heat, and let it cool a little before serving in heat-proof mugs or shot glasses.  

Multicultural yum: Indian Cocktails | German Cocktails | Mexican Cocktails | Italian Cocktails | British Cocktails 

5. Greek Mojito (Ouzito)

The minty kiss of a Mojito is always a treat when looking out over azure waves, and we adore this Greek spin on it as well. To make this traditional Greek cocktail, muddle 3-4 fresh mint leaves with a teaspoon of brown sugar and 1.5 oz of fresh lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add 2 oz of amber brandy, 1 oz lemon juice, and ice. Shake well and strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with a splash of club soda and serve. 

6. Raspberry Ouzo Slush

Raspberry cocktails always come to the party with a hint of sophisticated flair. To make a batch of Raspberry Ouzo Slush cocktails, combine half a cup of granulated sugar and half a cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in a quarter cup of lemon juice. Let it cool, then stir in half a cup of ouzo.

To serve, place a single scoop of raspberry sorbet into 4 serving glasses, top with a quarter cup of the ouzo mixture each, and top off with some club soda. Garnish with fresh berries and mint and serve. 

6. Greek Mimosa

Sparkly Greek vibes? Yes, please! To make a Greek Mimosa, add 1 oz of chilled Greek tsipouro, 1 oz of chilled cinnamon-flavored simple syrup, and 0.5 oz of fresh lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour into a Champagne flute and add 4-5 oz chilled sparkling rosé wine. 

Cheers, babes! Grand Mimosa | Strawberry Mimosa | Cranberry Mimosa | Classic Mimosa 

7. Bold Greek Coffee Cocktail

A coffee cocktail is a great way to round off a meal in a kicky way, and this fennel-laced sipper is something completely unique. Make a fennel-infused simple syrup using our fool-proof method. Then, to make the Bold Greek Coffee Cocktail, fill a stemless wine glass with ice, add 1 oz fennel syrup, 2 oz ouzo, 1 oz coffee liqueur, and 4 oz chilled coffee, then give it a gentle stir. Garnish with an orange slice and serve. 

8. Ramos Greek Fizz

We love a creamy-topped drink, so the Ramos Gin Fizz holds a special place in our hearts. So, obviously, the Ramos Greek Fizz also turned out to be a winner. Add 2 oz tsipouro, 0.5 oz mastiha, 0.5 oz lemon juice, 0.5 oz lime juice, 0.5 oz simple syrup, 1 egg white, and 2 barspoons of Greek yogurt to a cocktail shaker and dry shake.  

Add ice, shake again, and strain into a serving glass, while at the same time pouring in 3 oz of club soda so both liquids go into the glass at once to create the foamy top. Much magic! 

9. Mastiha Cocktail Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice cocktail is probably one of the most iconic Greek cocktails around. To make one, combine 1.5 oz rye whiskey, 1 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.75 oz mastiha, 0.5 oz mezcal, and 0.5 oz simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake and strain into a frosted glass. Garnish with a little conifer tip and a cranberry. 

Read next: 12 Rye Whiskey Cocktails to Make at Home 

10. Santorini Sunrise

Sometimes one just has to sip a bit of sunrise at sunset, amirite? To make this luscious Santorini Sunrise, muddle two fresh grapefruit slices (skins removed) 4 mint leaves and two teaspoons of honey in a highball glass. Fill the glass with ice, add 2 oz SKYY Infusions Blood Orange, 3 oz fresh grapefruit juice, 1 oz Campari, and stir. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit and serve.     

Drink Like an Italian: 8 Campari Cocktails to Try   

11. Greek Doctor Cocktail

Orange juice cocktails always add a bright note to any gathering, and the Greek Doctor is certainly no exception. To make one, add 1 oz ouzo, 1 oz vodka, 0.5 oz lemon juice, and 1 oz orange juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until frosty, and strain into a serving glass over fresh ice. Garnish with an orange slice and enjoy. 

12. Greek Sidecar

Dressing up a classic with a dash of culture-specific flair is a fun way to riff on a time-honored clinker. Case in point: the Greek Sidecar, which replaces Cognac with amber brandy, a singular spirit that combines muscat wines from the island of Samos with flavorful Mediterranean botanicals. 

To make a Greek Sidecar, add 2 oz amber brandy, 1 oz orange liqueur, and 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until combined, strain into a sugar-rimmed serving glass, garnish with a twist of lemon and serve. 

More this way: Vodka Sidecar | Classic Sidecar 

13. Greek Tragedy

Sweet yet deeply complex, the Greek Tragedy is a compelling drink that’s easy to make and satisfying to sip. To make one, add 0.75 oz ouzo, 0.75 sweet vermouth, 0.75 oz raspberry liqueur, and 0.5 oz lime juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until frosty, and fine strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a speared raspberry and lime twist for some extra wow factor. 

Super interesting: Everything You Need to Know About Vermouth   

14. Santorini Sour

Sour cocktails are enjoying a lingering moment in the limelight, and with good reason—they’ve got oodles of retro charm. To make Santorini Sour, add 2 oz whiskey, 0.5 oz lemon juice, 0.5 oz pistachio syrup, 0.25 oz Greek yogurt, and two dashes of bitters to a cocktail shaker without ice. Dry shake to combine, then add ice, shake again to cool it down, and decant into a frosted serving glass. 

15. Ouzo Martini

Martini spin-offs are always intriguing, and the Ouzo Martini certainly does not disappoint. To make an Ouzotini, add 2 oz orange juice, 2 oz pineapple juice, 1 oz ouzo, 1 oz vodka, and 0.5 oz lime juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until frosty, strain into a chilled serving glass, garnish with a twist or slice of lime, and serve.  

Στην υγειά σας! Now all you need to do is choose your favorite, and remember to tag us in your Instagram pictures when you whip it up. If you loved this line-up, we also recommend signing up for our newsletter so we can send some more drinkspiration your way!