On a hot, humid day or even in the dead of winter, you can find a Dallasite reaching for a margarita.
The classic cocktail can be found on most menus throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and everyone has their own take.
But there is a reason that the drink is so popular in North Texas.
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On May 11, 1971, Mariano Martinez shook up the margarita game with the first frozen margarita from a machine.
Martinez opened Mariano's Hacienda restaurant in East Dallas and 52 years later the business is thriving.
People loved the restaurant, but they especially loved the frozen margaritas made from a recipe his dad had. The only issue was the bartenders struggled to keep up with order, they even burned through three blenders according to Martinez.
While getting a coffee from 7-Eleven the next day, Martinez got an idea after seeing the Slurpee machine. A car mechanic, his father's recipe and an entrepreneurial spirit later, the frozen margarita machine was born.
Dallas' claim to fame is now a staple in Tex-Mex restaurants everywhere.
The drink remains popular, so much so that there is a "Margarita Mile" throughout the city.
The "mile" is a 26-stop, self-guided tour that takes several days to complete.
"This was an opportunity to pay homage essentially to our roots with that beverage, but also celebrate in a fun way just some of the best and brightest margaritas that the city has to offer," said Jennifer Walker, CMO for VisitDallas.
Margarita Mile is only open in the spring and summer, but you can view the restaurants and bars that made last year's list. Walker said the 2024 Margarita Mile is expected to open on May 1 to coincide with Cinco de Mayo.
As for who has the best marg, we'll leave it up to you to decide.
Cheers to celebrating National Margarita Day the Dallas way!
Whether you like your margarita salted or sugared, classic or flavored, or on the rocks or frozen, here is where you can celebrate National Margarita Day in North Texas.
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