Margarita Glass
12-16 ozDouble-bowled stemmed glass with a wide rim designed for salt or sugar crusts on frozen margaritas.
History
Origin
The margarita glass — sometimes called a "margarita coupe" — is a double-bowled design that emerged in the 1960s and 70s alongside the explosion of frozen margarita culture in the American Southwest. The glass is a variation on the champagne coupe with a second, smaller bowl or step at the base of the main bowl. Its exact origin is unclear, as no single designer has claimed it, but it appeared in barware catalogs by the mid-1970s.
Evolution
The margarita glass peaked in popularity during the frozen drink boom of the 1980s and 90s, especially in Tex-Mex restaurants and chain establishments. As craft cocktail culture grew, serious bars largely abandoned it — a well-made margarita on the rocks goes in a rocks glass, and a margarita served up goes in a coupe. The specialty glass survives mostly in casual dining and tourist destinations. Some modern versions have been streamlined to look more like a wide coupe.
Why This Shape
The extremely wide rim is the defining functional feature — it provides maximum surface area for the salt or sugar crust that defines many margarita presentations. The stepped double-bowl design was likely aesthetic, meant to evoke a sombrero shape. The broad bowl accommodates the large volume of a frozen margarita (blended ice takes up significantly more space than the equivalent liquid). Practically, however, a rocks glass with a salted rim does the same job.
Fun Fact
The first frozen margarita machine was invented in 1971 by Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez, who adapted a soft-serve ice cream machine. His original machine is now in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The margarita glass became popular specifically because frozen margaritas were too thick to fit through the narrow mouth of a coupe.
Best For
Substitutes
Bartender's Tip
Rarely seen in craft bars — most serve margaritas in a rocks glass on the rocks or a coupe when up. The wide rim is the only real advantage: more surface area for salt.