How is a Paloma different from a Margarita?

A Paloma and a Margarita are both classic tequila cocktails from Mexico, but they are fundamentally different in flavor profile, ingredients, and cultural role. A Margarita is a sour-style cocktail made with tequila, orange liqueur like Cointreau or triple sec, and fresh lime juice, shaken and served up or on the rocks with a salted rim. It is tart, strong, and often slightly sweet from the liqueur. A Paloma is a highball, not a sour, made with tequila, fresh lime juice, and grapefruit soda such as Jarritos, Fresca, or Squirt, topped with soda water and served over ice in a tall glass. The Paloma is lighter, more refreshing, longer, and more effervescent, with a distinctive bitter-sweet grapefruit backbone instead of orange. In Mexico, the Paloma is actually far more popular as an everyday drink because it is easier to make and more thirst-quenching. The Margarita is more boozy and spirit-forward, while the Paloma is more citrus-forward and sessionable, making it ideal for hot weather.