Perfect Southside Cocktail Recipe

The Southside cocktail is a refreshing blend of gin, fresh mint, and citrus. It’s the perfect drink for any occasion, from casual evenings to elegant gatherings. I love it!

Some say the Southside cocktail, made with gin, citrus, simple syrup, and mint, originated during the prohibition era, while others claim it was created in New York City at the 21 Club. Wherever it may have started, we’re happy it’s here and excited to add it to our ever-growing list of cocktail recipes.

Our variation calls for lime for the citrus (other Southside cocktail recipes may call for lemon). I also love a few drops of aromatic bitters, but they are totally optional! For another gin cocktail, see our rosemary gin fizz!

Key Ingredients

Gin: I recommend using a mid-to-high shelf gin. London dry gin (like Beefeater) has a clean flavor, while Plymouth gin is more aromatic. Choose one that suits your taste. If you enjoy more herbal gins like Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray, feel free to use it!
Fresh Mint: You’ll shake the mint leaves with gin and ice, which releases their aromatic oils into the cocktail. This is similar to making a mojito, but we strain out the mint leaves for a cleaner look for the Southside cocktail.
Simple Syrup: This balances the gin’s flavor. Here’s our homemade simple syrup recipe. Powdered sugar is a good substitute (and what we use for our gin fizz recipe).
Lime or Lemon Juice: I love fresh lime juice, but lemon is classic and still very delicious.

Perfect Southside Cocktail

The Southside is a simple cocktail recipe with gin, mint, and citrus. We use simple syrup, but you can substitute powdered sugar. Add 1 teaspoon and then add more as needed.

1 drink

You Will Need

2 ounces (1/4 cup) gin

6 fresh mint leaves, plus more for serving

3/4 ounce (1 ½ tablespoons) simple syrup

3/4 ounce (1 ½ tablespoons) fresh lime juice

3 drops Angostura cocktail bitters, optional

Directions

1Add gin, mint leaves, simple syrup, lime juice, and bitters to a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice. Shake until the outside of the shaker feels chilled and the mint leaves are a bit bruised.

2Strain into a glass with a few ice cubes. Garnish with more mint.

Adam and Joanne’s Tips

The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
1 drink
/
Calories
174
/
Total Fat
0g
/
Saturated Fat
0g
/
Cholesterol
0mg
/
Sodium
1.3mg
/
Carbohydrate
12.4g
/
Dietary Fiber
0.1g
/
Total Sugars
10.9g
/
Protein
0.1g