Best Mojitos along the beaches of South Walton and Destin, Florida

Whether you’re planning a future trip to Destin or just day dreaming about relaxing along Destin’s white sandy shores, a Destin beach tradition is a sunset toast. At Newman-Dailey, we enjoy celebrating a “Dailey Happy Hour” and sunset toast whenever possible, and since we're all staying at home, we've decided to bring happy hour to you. 

 

This week, we’re creating one of our favorite beach drinks, the strawberry mojito. As such, we're sharing our recipe and bringing the beach into your home to enjoy a toast with us. And when its safe to travel again, we've listed our top picks for the best mojitos in Destin to give us all something to look forward to when area restaurants re-open and it is safe to travel again. Here are our top picks for the best mojitos in Destin: 

 

Okay, we’re partial to making our own strawberry mojito on the deck of one our premier vacation rental homes and condominiums. Since we're all grounded at home, we're sharing our “Dailey Happy Hour” with strawberry mojitos on the deck at Seamist Townhomein  Miramar Beach. CLICK HERE to join us in a toast and hear our recipe for a strawberry mojito.   

For best Cuban-style mojito, head over to Havana Restaurant & Rooftop Lounge in Rosemary Beach. The rooftop locale offers glimpses of the Gulf along with an incredible selection of rums. The drink menu features Cuban classics, including Cuba Libres and Mojitos. Happy hour daily from 3 to 6 p.m. 

For best mojito on 30A, try Bud & Alley’s Rooftop Bar in Seaside. A South Walton staple for more than 30 years, Bud & Alley’s lead bartender, Mo, has been creating refreshing beach cocktails for almost as long as the bar has been open. His mojito is on point and complements the daily sunset celebration beautifully. Each day, Bud & Alley’s Tarpon Club celebrates a longstanding tradition of ringing the sunset bell and cheering as the sun sets into the Gulf of Mexico. A great place to try the mojito and toast the day!

For the best Mojito on the Bay, The Bay Restaurant is our top pick. Voted “Best Restaurant in Walton County” by the readers of Emerald Coast Magazine, The Bay mojito makes our list. Whether you boat up or park, the Bay is one of the most popular local restaurants for sunset toasts. Starting with fresh mint from their garden, The Bay offers one of the freshest mojitos in town. Enjoy the sunset followed by live music on select days overlooking the The Bay’s beach out back. Happy hour daily from 4-6 p.m. 

AJ’s Oyster Bar is renowned for its open air setting overlooking the Harbor in Destin and its hip, laid back atmosphere at its Grayton Beach location along with fantastic live music. But have you tried their mojito? Their mojitos are a refreshing and pair beautifully with the live music. Options range from traditional to delightfully fruity. Try the Pineapple Mojito for sweet, minty libation. 

Enjoy a delicious Mojito overlooking the Bay at Lucy Buffet’s LuLu’s in Destin. Your group will love the open-air setting with sandy beach area overlooking the Choctawhatchee Bay and you’ll love their fresh-made Cuban-style Mojito made with Cruzan Estate Light Rum, Fresh Mint, Cane Sugar, Club Soda and freshly-squeezed limes. Also available frozen!

For the most creative mojito in Destin, we recommend Chan’s Craft Bar. Not only does the Craft Bar have a fantastic happy hour menu, which includes light bites for $5 from 2-6 p.m. daily, we think their Apple Mojito hits the mark for creativity and flavor. Made with Bacardi rum, house-made citrus juice, simple syrup, fresh apples and mint, we think this mojito will have you craving another.