The Best Mezcal Bar in Mykonos — A Guide to Pūblico's Mezcaleria

Mykonos has no shortage of bars. Rooftop terraces, beach clubs, sunset cocktail spots — the island does nightlife better than almost anywhere in the Mediterranean. But if you've ever tried to order a proper mezcal in Mykonos — a real one, not a dusty bottle at the back of a beach bar shelf — you'll know how quickly that particular search comes to a dead end.

Until now.

Pūblico Mezcaleria is Mykonos' only dedicated tequila and mezcal cocktail bar, housed within Pūblico Restaurant & Mezcaleria in the heart of Mykonos Town. It's home to one of Greece's finest collections of agave spirits — and the cocktails built around them are unlike anything else you'll find on this island.

What Is a Mezcaleria?

A Mezcaleria is a bar specialising in mezcal and tequila — agave-based spirits from Mexico. Think of it as the agave equivalent of a whisky bar or a craft gin parlour: a curated selection of bottles, a team that knows exactly what's in each one, and a cocktail menu built to showcase them properly.

Mezcal and tequila are both made from agave, but they're distinct in character. Tequila — made exclusively from blue agave — is the one most people know. Mezcal is broader in scope: made from dozens of agave varieties, traditionally slow-roasted over open pits, which gives it a characteristic smokiness that ranges from subtle to gloriously deep. The best mezcals are small-batch, artisanal, and often extraordinary.

Pūblico's Mezcaleria brings both to Mykonos in a way that has never been done before on the island.

What Makes Pūblico's Mezcaleria Different

Most cocktail bars in Mykonos work from a standard international spirits list — the same bottles you'd find in London, Dubai, or New York, assembled without much thought. Pūblico's approach is different.

The Mezcaleria's agave selection is curated, not just stocked. Each mezcal and tequila on the list has been chosen for a reason — for its character, its provenance, its production method. The bar team can talk you through the differences between a highland tequila and a lowland one, between a tobaziche mezcal and an espadín, between sipping something neat and building it into a cocktail.

The cocktail menu itself is designed around the spirit rather than around the garnish. Signature mezcal cocktails. Smoky palomas. Mezcal margaritas with fresh Aegean citrus. House originals that pair naturally with the food coming out of the kitchen next door. These are cocktails with intention — made by people who actually care what's in the glass.

And the setting doesn't hurt. The Mezcaleria sits within Pūblico's terrace restaurant on one of Mykonos Town's most beautiful streets, steps from the old port, beneath a flowering bougainvillea. It's the kind of place where one cocktail becomes three without you quite noticing.

Mezcal Tasting at Pūblico — Where to Start

If you're new to mezcal, Pūblico is the ideal introduction. If you already know what you're looking for, you'll find things here that genuinely surprise you.

A few ways to approach the Mezcaleria:

Start with a signature cocktail. The bar team's house cocktails are the easiest entry point — built to be approachable and delicious while showcasing what agave spirits can do in the right hands. A smoky paloma or a mezcal margarita alongside the ceviche is one of the better combinations you'll find in Mykonos.

Ask for a tasting flight. The bar offers mezcal tasting flights — a guided selection of two or three pours that lets you understand the range of the spirit. Espadín versus tobalá, young versus reposado, subtle smoke versus full campfire. The team will walk you through it.

Pair with food. Mezcal and Mexican seafood are a natural combination — the smokiness of the spirit plays beautifully against the acidity of a ceviche or the heat of a chilli-glazed taco. The Mezcaleria and the kitchen were designed to work together, and it shows.

The Best Mezcal Cocktails in Mykonos

Pūblico's cocktail menu changes seasonally, but the Mezcaleria's signature serves consistently include:

• Smoky Paloma — mezcal, fresh grapefruit, lime, agave, salt rim. The definitive mezcal cocktail, done properly.
• Mezcal Margarita — blanco tequila or espadín mezcal, triple sec, fresh lime. Simple, sharp, exactly right.
• House Mezcal Cocktails — seasonal originals from the bar team, built around whatever's freshest and most interesting in the selection.
• Neat pours — for guests who want to taste the spirit without anything in the way. The bar team will guide you to the right bottle.

Not Just a Bar — A Full Evening at Pūblico

The Mezcaleria is at its best when it's part of a full evening at Pūblico rather than a standalone stop. The restaurant opens daily at 18:00, and the flow of a Pūblico evening typically looks like this: cocktails at the bar while you settle in, food from Head Chef Martin Barrera's menu of Mexican seafood — handmade tortillas, fresh ceviches, open flame grills — and then a return to the Mezcaleria for a nightcap or a digestif pour of something worth lingering over.

The restaurant is rated 4.9 stars on TripAdvisor and featured in Condé Nast Traveler. The bar is the reason many guests extend their reservation well past midnight.

Practical Information

• Where: Pūblico Restaurant & Mezcaleria, Mykonos Town (Old Town), steps from the old port.
• When: Open daily, 18:00–01:00.
• Reservations: Recommended for dinner; walk-ins welcome at the bar subject to availability. In peak season (May–September), booking a table is strongly advised.
• Group bookings: Curated group tasting menus from €75 per person, with a cocktail experience that no other Mykonos venue can match.