Lychee Cocktails: 5 Recipes for Bars and Bartenders
Lychee cocktails bring a sweet, floral, tropical profile to the bar menu that stands apart from the usual citrus and berry categories. The ingredient cost is low, the flavor is distinct, and guests who discover lychee drinks tend to reorder them. These five recipes are built for real bar service with clean builds that work at volume.
Use them as signature cocktails, seasonal features, or training recipes for your team.
1. Lychee Martini
Glass: Martini or coupe Garnish: Lychee fruit on a pick
Ingredients
1 oz lychee liqueur (Soho or similar)
1 oz lychee juice (from the can)
½ oz fresh lime juice
Ice
Method Add vodka, lychee liqueur, lychee juice, and lime juice to a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds. Double strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lychee fruit on a pick.
Service notes: Canned lychees in syrup give you both the garnish and the juice in one product. Keep a can open and cold behind the bar during service. This is one of the softest keyword targets in the cocktail space at 50,000 monthly searches with almost no competition.
Pricing this cocktail is approximately $11.50 for restaurant menus
2. Lychee Margarita
Glass: Rocks
Garnish: Lychee fruit + lime wheel
Ingredients
2 oz blanco tequila
1 oz fresh lime juice
¾ oz lychee liqueur
½ oz lychee juice
½ oz agave syrup
Ice
Method Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12 to 15 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lychee fruit and lime wheel.
Service notes: This is trending up 900% in search volume. The lychee sweetness pairs naturally with tequila and lime. Cross sell this alongside your spicy margarita as a sweet and spicy pairing on the menu.
3. Lychee Mojito
Glass: Collins or tall glass Garnish: Mint sprig + lychee fruit
Ingredients
1 oz fresh lime juice
¾ oz lychee syrup (from the can)
6 to 8 fresh mint leaves
Soda water
Ice
Method Gently muddle mint leaves in the bottom of a shaker. Add rum, lime juice, and lychee syrup with ice. Shake for 10 seconds. Strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Top with soda water and stir gently. Garnish with a mint sprig and lychee fruit.
Service notes: The lychee replaces the simple syrup in a traditional mojito and adds a tropical dimension without adding any extra steps. Light, refreshing, and easy to execute.
4. Lychee Spritz
Glass: Wine glass or stemless Garnish: Lychee fruit + edible flower (optional)
Ingredients
2 oz prosecco
1 oz lychee liqueur
1 oz lychee juice
Splash of soda water
Ice
Method Build in a wine glass over ice. Add lychee liqueur and lychee juice. Top with prosecco and a splash of soda water. Stir gently. Garnish with a lychee fruit and an edible flower if available.
Service notes: Trending up 900% in search volume. The spritz format is lower ABV, which means guests stay longer and order more. This is also one of the fastest builds on this list with no shaking required.
5. Lychee Saketini
Glass: Martini or coupe
Garnish: Lychee fruit on a pick
Ingredients
1½ oz vodka
1 oz sake (junmai or similar clean style)
1 oz lychee juice
½ oz lychee liqueur
Ice
Method Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake for 12 to 15 seconds. Double strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lychee fruit on a pick.
Service notes: The sake adds a silky, umami quality that makes this drink different from everything else on the list. It works especially well on menus at Asian fusion restaurants, sushi bars, and upscale lounges. This differentiates your page from competitors who only list the obvious variations.
Bar Team Tips
One can of lychees in syrup gives you garnish and juice for multiple drinks. Keep it cold and accessible behind the bar.
Lychee liqueur (Soho is the most common brand) is the one specialty bottle you need. Everything else is standard bar inventory.
These drinks appeal strongly to guests who are tired of the usual vodka soda and margarita options.
The spritz and saketini are low effort, high margin builds that move fast during service.
Cost These Drinks and Train Your Team
Know exactly what each cocktail costs to make and what you need to charge to hit your target margin. Use our Liquor Cost Calculator and Cocktail Builder to run the numbers quickly.
Want your staff sharper on builds, timing, and recipe recall? Put them in the Bartender Training Game. It is built for working bars, not home enthusiasts.
Both tools are free and designed for bar managers and bartenders who care about consistency and cost control.
Looking to build a complete cocktail program? Talk to our team about developing a bar program that drives revenue and defines your brand. Learn more about our Cocktail Program Development service.
