5 to Try: Summer Drinks

401 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307 (map)

Lodged in the Atlanta's most art-friendly 'hood, the Brewhouse not only takes the crown for the city's best people-watching patio, but it also holds its own in the beverage department. Home to the Painkiller, a creamsicle-like beverage that comes in three degrees of booziness is bound to cure a hangover or get the afternoon started off right.

125 East Court Square, Decatur, GA 30030 (map)

Those who know suds regard Decatur's Brick Store Pub as the best beer bar in Atlanta. There are no televisions, no neon signs and no mainstream domestic beer served. Plus, there is a Belgian bar upstairs that makes you feel like you are drinking secret beer in a tree house room. What's not to love?

522 Flat Shoals Ave, Atlanta, GA 30316 (map)

Hot 'hood + good beer list + arcade games = Awesome Times 'R' Us. This place is the size of a small gym, but can easily go unnoticed, sitting just down the street from the normal ruckus in East Atlanta Village. If playing drunken arcade games isn't your thing, there's a nice outdoor patio perfect for an escape route or time with Fido.

905 Juniper St, Atlanta, GA 30309 (map)

The first thing you should do when entering Ricardo Ullio's Brazilian snack bar, Beleza, is ask if they have any caja fruit. The not-on-the-menu Caja Crush is the restaurant's secret weapon--but more often than not they are out of it. The caipirinhas (three of them) are spot on, but we suggest trying the Jungle Juice or Soursop Batida for a more unique Brazilian beverage.

640 N Highland Ave, Atlanta, GA 30306 (map)

Not your grandfather's Greyhound--and, no, this grapefruit cocktail isn't made from the god-awful yellow grapefruit juice that comes from a funny little can. The most porch-happy cafe on the Highland drag raises the cocktail bar with their Grapefruit Rosewater Martini. Perfectly sweet with a hint of floral flavor, it looks like a cosmo but tastes like spring.

1186 N Highland Ave, Atlanta, GA 30306 (map)

Well, kudos to whoever invented this machine. Mojitos are addictive (and refreshing enough) on their own. Put them in a frozen, guzzle-friendly form and you've got the summer's most dangerous cocktail. As a bonus, the menu is easily likable, with lime-salted chips, pork belly tacos and Mexican pizzas that are perfect to share.

656 N Highland Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306 (map)

The mojito is the classic summer drink. And while plenty of places serve a respectable version, our call for the single best mojito comes from tapas expert, Pura Vida. Served out of a pitcher with a wooden spoon (can't leave the mint leaves behind!) and poured into a glass accessorized with a stick of sugar cane, this mojito rocks it on both style and substance. If you are eating, any specials with goat in them are a must-try.

3377 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30316 (map)

While the Gerber Whiskey bars certainly aren't cheap, they do know how to make a mean specialty cocktail worthy of your last Andrew Jackson. The Acai-Blueberry Martini at Buckhead's Hollywood-channeling Whiskey Blue is two parts blueberry vodka and one part lemonade. It's like a lighter, blueberry version of a Lynchburg Lemonade and it goes well with their rooftop patio.