Summer is here and while an ice-cold beer can be the way to go on a hot afternoon, there is a better way to cool off with a classic drink.
Created in Mexico, the michelada is a refreshing, citrusy drink usually made with a Clamato sauce, beer (although you can have a virgin michelada made with soda water), lime juice, chili-based sauces and other ingredients such as horseradish, Tajín or Worcestershire sauce. It is served in a chilled, salt-rimmed glass.
Some beer companies even make canned versions of the drink, but forget that nonsense — there is nothing better than a fresh, handmade michelada.
And with that in mind here are our pics for the top five micheladas in the Los Angeles area.
Kalaveras
Various locations; kalaveras.com
When you first see the Tamarindo Michelada at Kalaveras it may seem like a regular michelada. It’s nothing fancy, just Tajin around the brim and michelada in a pint glass. But this drink is a sleeping monster that attacks you with the first sip, but in a very delicious way. The michelada is spicy on its own but then the Tamarindo hits with its sweet, powerful tart flavor and adds to the heat but also to the taste of this drink. It’s not a beginner’s michella, so sip carefully.
La Chuperia
1145 N. Mission Road, Los Angeles; lachuperia.com
You can’t have a serious discussion about micheladas without talking about La Chuperia. This very popular Lincoln Heights restaurant opened in 1985 and, using old family recipes that have been passed down for generations, has become michelada royalty. And the king of the castle is The Chuper Michelada. This house specialty is a whopper of a drink and comes in a goblet filled with the family’s secret blend, which is heavy on Clamato mix. It’s topped with shrimp, cucumbers, celery, a tamarind stick and of course chamoy. But wait, there’s more! For the truly daring, there’s the Chuper Ballena Michelada. It’s about twice the size of the original Chuper so yes, it’s a whale of a drink. Other versions include bacon, or mango or watermelon as toppings.
ALSO SEE: Here are 6 very good micheladas in Orange County
Michelada Los Plebes
Pop-up throughout Los Angeles and Riverside counties; On Instagram at instagram.com/micheladaslosplebes
This popular pop-up is a well-known michelada spot that regularly takes part in competitions. This year it took first place at the Michi Showdown Competition, which is organized by Native Son, a bar and restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles. So that means you can’t go wrong with any options here but one of the best is the shrimp and cucumber michelada. It’s simple and simply refreshing since it feels like a shrimp cocktail with a bite. The pop-up announces its stops on Instagram but if you can’t get to the location, Michelada Los Plebes also delivers.
Micheladas Gael
148th Street and Central Avenue, Compton; On Instagram at instagram.com/micheladasgael
This Compton-based Michela stand was started by Oscar Medina and his wife Kimberly Perales. They don’t have a permanent spot but instead they sell their micheladas out of a white Jeep parked in the corner of 148th Street and Central Avenue in Compton. They combined old family recipes to create a Sinaloa-style michelada menu, which means a lot of seafood-driven drinks. The star of the show is the Tosticehive. It’s made with their original michela mix, then topped with Doritos or Mexican chips that are arranged sort of like a basket to hold the mound of homemade ceviche that tops the entire thing. It’s a seafood lovers dream, since the thick citrus and salty mix plus the fresh perfectly bitter tarty ceviche will make you feel like you’re on a sandy beach in a tropical paradise.
ALSO SEE: 5 places to find spicy micheladas in the Inland Empire
Micheladas Mex Grill
9725 Reseda Blvd., Northridge; micheladasmex.com
If you’re looking for something original, head over to Micheladas Mex Grill. It’s a bit hidden in a corner of a shopping plaza and it has a secret weapon when it comes to micheladas. Forget about the traditional red-michelada mix, when you’re here try the mango michelada. It’s made with a thick mango mix that gives it the consistency of a slushie. And you may think you’re drinking a slushie until the house-blend michelada mix hits your taste buds and then you’re reminded that this isn’t a kid’s drink. It’s topped with chamoy, an orange slice instead of lime (although there is a slice of lime in the drink) plus a Tamarindo stick.