Sidecar vs margarita: what's the difference?
They're built the same way, spirit plus orange liqueur plus citrus, but a sidecar uses cognac and lemon for a rich, warm drink, while a margarita uses tequila and lime.
Sidecar
EasyBoozy
TartSweet
Not bitterBracing
Warm cognac, orange and lemon, often with a sugared rim.
What does Sidecar taste like?Margarita
EasyBoozy
TartSweet
Not bitterBracing
Bright, tart and limey, with a salt rim.
What does Margarita taste like?The real difference
Both are sours with orange liqueur. Cognac, a French grape brandy, gives the sidecar dried fruit, oak and warmth, and lemon keeps it bright. Tequila gives the margarita a peppery, green agave taste, and lime makes it sharper. Sidecars get sugar on the rim; margaritas get salt.
Side by side
SidecarMargarita
SpiritCognac or brandyTequila
CitrusLemonLime
RimSugar, oftenSalt, often
TastesWarm, fruity, richBright, tart, peppery
Which to order
- Order a sidecar if you want a richer, wintry sour with old-school charm.
- Order a margarita if you want bright, salty and tart.
Quick questions
- Is a sidecar sweet?
- Balanced, usually. Many come with a sugared rim, which makes the first sips sweeter. Ask for no sugar rim if you like it tart.
- Is the margarita related to the sidecar?
- They share a template: spirit, orange liqueur and citrus. Many drink historians link them, but the margarita's exact origin is disputed.