{"id":498961,"date":"2026-01-07T13:13:20","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:13:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/498961\/"},"modified":"2026-01-07T13:13:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:13:20","slug":"chicago-coquito-competition-brings-out-creativity-tradition-and-cultural-fusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/498961\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicago coquito competition brings out creativity, tradition and cultural fusion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Christmas may be over, but coquito, the traditional Puerto Rican holiday drink, keeps the party going well into January. Made with cream of coconut and Puerto Rican rum, the rich cocktail typically features spices such as cinnamon, star anise, cloves and nutmeg.<\/p>\n

But every family has its special recipes, passed down from generation to generation. My grandmother<\/a>, Carmen N\u00fa\u00f1ez, prepared hers from memory. I was 12 years old when I had my first taste at a family party, snuck by my great-aunt. Later, I learned how to make coquito from my dad and have, like many other Puerto Ricans, put my own twist on it.<\/p>\n

For the third year, Tales of the Cocktail, a nonprofit based in New Orleans, has partnered with Bacard\u00ed to run a contest to find the best coquito in Chicago. More than 50 Chicago bartenders<\/a> tapped into their roots to earn a spot among the ten finalists. At an event on Jan. 19 at the Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club (1750 N. Milwaukee Ave.) in Wicker Park, the winning bartender will walk away with a trip to Puerto Rico and a tour of the Bacard\u00ed rum distillery.<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s event attracted approximately 500 people, said Pito Rodr\u00edguez, one of the event\u2019s organizers, who also works as a brand ambassador for Bacard\u00ed. Attendees will taste two-ounce samples and vote for the People\u2019s Choice Award, to be announced at the end of the night. <\/p>\n

Here are the 10 coquito competition finalists and where you can try them:<\/p>\n

Cantina Rosa, 5230 S. Harper Ave.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The coquito at Hyde Park\u2019s Cantina Rosa incorporates allspice liqueur, cinnamon syrup and whipped coconut cream.<\/p>\n

The creator behind Cantina Rosa\u2019s coquito, Maria Rodr\u00edguez, is a 2026 Banchet Award nominee. Her take on coquito incorporates allspice liqueur, cinnamon syrup and whipped coconut cream for a smoother consistency, she said. Latino communities are \u201csuffering during this time,\u201d she said. \u201cI think it\u2019s the perfect way for us to keep that tradition alive and still be involved within the community and not be scared, because we\u2019ve been around for generations.\u201d Cantina Rosa<\/b><\/a> opened a year ago with Rodr\u00edguez as head bartender. The competition also helps shine a positive light on the neighborhood, Rodr\u00edguez said. \u201cWe want to embrace that and let them know that the South Side really does have a lot of beautiful things to offer,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Celeste, 111 W. Hubbard St.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Samuel<\/p>\n

Samuel Medina, of Celeste, made a coquito inspired by elote for this year\u2019s Tales of the Cocktail Foundation coquito competition. Medina\u2019s recipe is an homage to the immigrant community of Chicago.<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s People\u2019s Choice Award winner, Samuel Medina of Celeste<\/b><\/a>, is back in the running with a recipe that incorporates elote, with elements such as lightly roasted corn, a touch of mayonnaise, cream of corn, ancho chile, cotija cheese and Nixta corn liqueur from Jilotepec, Mexico. \u201cI wanted to include all my Latino collaborators,\u201d Medina said. \u201cI had the idea, but they gave me the inspiration for the approach and the look and everything.\u201d Medina is known in Chicago beverage industry circles for his sustainable and meticulous drink-making processes. He used several kitchen tools to craft his version: a rotary evaporator, an immersion blender, an iSi food whipper and a dehydrator. Medina credits his grandmother for teaching him how to make traditional Puerto Rican dishes. \u201cShe\u2019s very independent,\u201d he said. Because of her, Medina \u201ctook it upon myself to learn how to cook.\u201d <\/p>\n

Copper Club, 70 W. Madison St.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Mike<\/p>\n

Mike Tsirtsis, of Copper Club, made coquito that marries the flavors of another classic Puerto Rican cocktail, the pi\u00f1a coloda, for this year\u2019s coquito competition.<\/p>\n

Mike Tsirtsis learned how to make coquito after experiencing his Puerto Rican wife\u2019s family holiday traditions. With more than three decades of bartending experience, Tsirtsis did his research and crafted an original recipe. He put it on the menu at his former bar, Asadito Taco. That\u2019s where he met Pito Rodr\u00edguez, the Bacard\u00ed ambassador, who encouraged him to enter the first competition in 2024. Last year, Tsirtsis\u2019 coquito made the top eight finalists with his \u201cmocaquito,\u201d an espresso and dark chocolate coquito. This year, he landed on a hybrid of coquito and another classic Puerto Rican cocktail: the pi\u00f1a colada. The drink, available at Copper Club<\/b><\/a> in the Loop, incorporates a traditional coconut base with a pineapple-infused coconut oil and fat-washed (the process of infusing spirits with flavorful fats) Cartier cream liqueur.<\/p>\n

Demera, 4801 N. Broadway<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Demera<\/p>\n

Tigist Reda, the owner of Demera in Uptown, used Ethiopian berbere, a blend of cayenne pepper and nine other spices, in her coquito recipe. <\/p>\n

Although Ethiopian cuisine doesn\u2019t at all feature a drink similar to coquito, Demera<\/b><\/a> in Uptown is a finalist in this year\u2019s contest. \u201cI\u2019ve read a lot about [coquito],\u201d said the restaurant\u2019s owner Tigist Reda, who researched the origins of the drink. \u201cThere are so many ways to make it.\u201d Reda used berbere, a traditional Ethiopian seasoning blend consisting of cayenne pepper and nine other spices in Demera\u2019s coquito. She turned the spice blend into a syrup and blended that with the coquito base and Santa Tereza rum. \u201cIt\u2019s a perfect balance between traditional coquito and our spices and seasonings,\u201d Reda said. \u201cHonestly, I didn\u2019t think we were gonna even be tapped. This is our first time doing it. \u2026 to be part of it is super, super exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diego Chicago, 459 N. Ogden Ave.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Yaneli<\/p>\n

Yaneli Vazquez\u2019s coquito recipe, called \u201cBuen Dia Abuelita,\u201d incorporates Abuelita brand drinking chocolate, coffee and Caribbean cheese. <\/p>\n

Yaneli Vazquez, a bartender at Diego<\/b><\/a>, jumped at the opportunity to participate in this year\u2019s competition, especially as a young mixologist trying to gain recognition. Her coquito, the \u201cBuen Dia Abuelita,\u201d takes inspiration from her grandmother. Vazquez recalls childhood memories of sitting at the kitchen table with her grandmother and great-grandmother as they drank from styrofoam cups filled with coffee. \u201cI was always told, \u2018Oh no, you\u2019re too little for coffee. It\u2019s gonna stunt your growth,\u2019\u201d Vazquez recalls. Instead, she got a cup of hot chocolate with a piece of mild, salty white cheese inside, a common way of enjoying coffee or hot chocolate in Puerto Rico. \u201cI wanted to bring that taste forward,\u201d she said. \u201cDon\u2019t knock it till you try it.\u201d Vazquez used Abuelita brand drinking chocolate, coffee and Caribbean cheese in her coquito recipe to land among the top ten. <\/p>\n

The Hi-Lo, 1110 N. California Ave.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"COQUITO_260107-12.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Nicole Castillo\u2019s coquito, served at The Hi-Lo in Humboldt Park, takes inspiration from snickerdoodle cookies. <\/p>\n

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n

At The Hi-Lo<\/b><\/a> in Humboldt Park, bartender Nicole Castillo created her own tribute to the neighborhood with a recipe that incorporates brown butter and fat-washed arbol chile rum, snickerdoodle coconut cream, spicy coffee liqueur and white chocolate liqueur. Though Castillo has enjoyed coquito plenty of times, she has never made it herself. \u201cJust reading what was in the traditional [version], what my brain right away went to is the same flavor profile as a snickerdoodle cookie,\u201d Castillo said. To cut through the typical sweetness of coquito and \u201cgive it some more body,\u201d she decided to spice up the coffee liqueur with arbol chiles. \u201cTo be a finalist in something that I do not have as much experience as some may is pretty exciting for me,\u201d Castillo said.<\/p>\n

Kayao Restaurant, 1252 N. Wells St.<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Created by Miguel P\u00e9rez, the lucuma coquito at Kayao in Old Town is a way of honoring his Peruvian roots. It incorporates an Andean fruit called the lucuma.<\/p>\n

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n

Bartender <\/b>Miguel P\u00e9rez at Old Town\u2019s Kayao<\/b><\/a> decided to blend his coquito with his roots. Lucuma, a fruit native to the Andes, tastes like a tropical butterscotch, P\u00e9rez said. In Peru, his home country, lucuma is typically made into ice cream \u2014 making the pairing for this competition \u201cvery seamless,\u201d he said. But to help marry it to coquito, he sought the help of some of his Puerto Rican friends. \u201cThey were very adamant about the tea,\u201d P\u00e9rez said, referring to a spiced tea that some coquito-makers prepare by simmering whole spices in water or coconut water. Along with the tea, Kayao\u2019s coquito includes fat-washed Bacard\u00ed rum with brown butter and lucuma fruit puree. P\u00e9rez has been bartending since he was 19. During the pandemic, he and his wife moved from the East Coast to Chicago. P\u00e9rez figured it\u2019d be a great place for him to grow. <\/p>\n

Laberinto, 738 W. Randolph St.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Created<\/p>\n

Created by Sebastian Mart\u00ednez, the coquito at Laberinto, an intimate speakeasy nestled under a Chicago steakhouse, incorporates peanuts and marzipan candy. <\/p>\n

At the 25-seat Latin-inspired speakeasy Laberinto<\/b><\/a> (tucked inside Trino Steakhouse), finalist Sebastian Mart\u00ednez\u2019s coquito is on the menu. His recipe blends peanuts and marzipan candy (or mazapan) with a traditional base. Mart\u00ednez grew up in Chicago, often lending a hand at his parents\u2019 Mexican restaurants. \u201cI got to learn a lot at a young age,\u201d he said. That experience landed him at Stephen Sandoval\u2019s now-closed SoHo House restaurant, Sue\u00f1os. \u201cI wanted to become a cook, but actually they needed me behind the bar,\u201d Mart\u00ednez said. Last year, he created a champurrado coquito as a way to pay homage to the traditions he grew up with. \u201cCoquito is definitely a family thing. It\u2019s about giving and bringing family together,\u201d he said. The marzipan coquito is a tribute to the candies \u201cme and my cousins or family would share.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marina\u2019s Bistro and Rum Bar, 4554 N. Magnolia Ave.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The pistachio coquito at Marina\u2019s Bistro and Rum Bar is inspired by Eric Rold\u00e1n\u2019s mother, for whom the restaurant is named. The recipe is among the top ten finalists in the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation\u2019s annual coquito contest.<\/p>\n

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s coquito contest saw a traditional recipe from Marina\u2019s<\/b><\/a> in the top eight; this year, owner Eric Rold\u00e1n is in it to win it: \u201cI had to step up my game,\u201d he said. Rold\u00e1n\u2019s pistachio coquito includes a house-made pistachio cream. \u201cThis is something that goes back to my family roots,\u201d Rold\u00e1n said. \u201cBut I\u2019m still trying to elevate it and still make it personal.\u201d The coquito at Marina\u2019s includes all of the basics, such as cream of coconut, evaporated milk, condensed milk, cinnamon, anise, allspice, nutmeg and cloves, and a bit of vanilla extract. \u201cCoquito has been kind of becoming a phenomenon, year by year,\u201d Rold\u00e1n said. \u201cJust being part of that makes me so, so happy, because we\u2019ve tried to keep our culture alive here in Chicago.\u201d <\/p>\n

The Press Room, 1134 W. Washington Blvd.<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"COQUITO_260107-28.jpg\"<\/p>\n

The coquito served at The Press Room located at 1134 W. Washington Blvd; in the West Loop, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. | Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere\/Sun-Times<\/p>\n

At the West Loop\u2019s Press Room<\/a>, Josue Mancero is honoring his Ecuadorian roots with a version of coquito that showcases the naranjilla \u2014 a fuzzy, citrusy member of the nightshade family that looks like a tomato but tastes like a passion fruit. Some might know it as the \u201clulo\u201d fruit. For his recipe, Mancero incorporated a holiday drink from Ecuador called canelazo, a cinnamony, alcoholic beverage with lulo fruit served hot. The resulting cocktail includes naranjilla juice, cream of coconut, coconut water and a canelazo-inspired tea. \u201cI wanted to do a drink that represents me and my culture but also pays respect to the coquito culture in the Puerto Rican community,\u201d Mancero said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Christmas may be over, but coquito, the traditional Puerto Rican holiday drink, keeps the party going well into…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":498962,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5124],"tags":[960,5386,1818],"class_list":{"0":"post-498961","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-chicago","8":"tag-chicago","9":"tag-il","10":"tag-illinois"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115853997518757024","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/498961","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=498961"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/498961\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/498962"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=498961"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=498961"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=498961"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}