The Margarita has inspired countless riffs over the decades. Few bars, however, have built an entire identity around asking just how far the cocktail can be stretched before it stops being a Margarita altogether.
That’s the premise behind Super 44, the latest opening from Sydney-based Mucho Group, where every drink begins with tequila but quickly heads into unfamiliar territory. Some cocktails lean into umami with yuzu kosho and tobiko, others embrace creamy textures through avocado or banana, while several borrow directly from the flavors of Mexican street food. Rather than celebrating the Margarita as a fixed classic, Super 44 treats it as a remarkably flexible template.
Reinventing a Classic Without Losing Its Identity
Classic cocktails survive because their proportions work. Altering them is always a gamble — but it’s also where contemporary bartending continues to evolve.
Gary Regan famously wrote in The Joy of Mixology that once bartenders understand the formula behind the New Orleans Sour family — which includes both the Margarita and the Sidecar — they begin to recognize the same structure elsewhere. The Kamikaze is essentially a vodka Margarita, while the Cosmopolitan follows the same architecture, adding cranberry juice for color and balance.
For Jeremy Blackmore, Creative Director of Mucho Group, that structural flexibility is precisely what makes the Margarita such fertile ground for experimentation. “At Super 44 we wanted to push beyond the conventional definition of a Margarita,” he says. “We’ve explored unexpected combinations of flavour, texture and colour, while making sure every cocktail remains genuinely delicious—not just surprising.” Only two elements remain constant throughout the menu: every drink is finished with hand-shaved ice, while fresh lime juice is squeezed to order whenever the recipe calls for it.
Four Ways to Think About a Margarita
Rather than organising the menu around ingredients, Super 44 divides its Margaritas into four styles: Classic, Spicy, Frozen and Sparkling. The format gives guests an intuitive way to navigate a menu that often defies expectations.
Among the Classics, Sunstroke combines carrot, passion fruit and shiso, while Heartbreak balances the sharp acidity of Davidson plum with watermelon granita. The Spicy section ventures further. Shark Fin layers the citrus heat of yuzu kosho with the saline pop of tobiko, creating a Margarita built around umami rather than acidity. Then there’s Red Hot, inspired by tacos al pastor. Instead of recreating the dish literally, the cocktail captures its aromatic profile through tomatillo, coriander and jalapeño, echoing one of Mexico’s defining street-food traditions.
Texture Takes Center Stage
Some of the menu’s most unexpected drinks rely less on flavour than on texture. Whirlpool, made with avocado and pitaya, delivers remarkable creaminess without sacrificing freshness. Bondi, meanwhile, combines banana, cashew and cinnamon into a frozen Margarita that feels closer to dessert than aperitif.
Only one drink occupies the Sparkling category. Called Three Tone, it pairs kaffir lime leaf soda with Thai basil jelly and watermelon, offering a lighter, more aromatic interpretation of the format. Alongside the permanent menu sits the Special Margarita, a seasonal recipe that changes every month according to fruit availability. The opening edition combines coconut with a touch of sake.
A Room Inspired by Mexico
While the drinks challenge expectations, the design takes a more nostalgic approach. Super 44 draws inspiration from traditional Mexican cantinas and old European taverns. Black-and-white tiled floors, dark timber and deep burgundy accents create a space that feels warm rather than theatrical. Hand-painted signs, vintage magazines and objects collected by the Mucho team during their regular trips to Mexico reinforce the sense that the bar is built around genuine fascination rather than caricature.
One familiar Mucho signature also returns. Guests receive complimentary popcorn on arrival — this time seasoned with lime and chilli, turning even the welcome snack into another playful nod to the Margarita’s unmistakable flavour profile.
Immagini courtesy Mucho Group
