Where Nantucket Meets the Cocktail Glass
06/02/2026
Nantucket has a strong sense of place, and that influence shows up everywhere - including the island's cocktail menus. Many local restaurants and bars create drinks inspired by Nantucket's neighborhoods, beaches, landmarks, and coastal culture. From Madaket-inspired rum punches to harbor-themed margaritas, these cocktails reflect the laid-back summer atmosphere that makes the island so special.
Here's a look at some of Nantucket's most creative cocktails and the places that inspired them.
Madaket in a Glass
No place on Nantucket captures carefree summer energy quite like Millie's, and no drink represents that spirit better than the Madaket Mystery - a locally favorite rum punch that's often considered Madaket's signature cocktail. Fruity, strong, and dangerously easy to drink, it's practically a Nantucket right of passage.
Millie's also serves the Madaket Mule, made with 888 Cranberry Vodka, Gosling's ginger beer, and fresh lime - a bright, beachy spin on the classic Moscow Mule. The drink has become so iconic that versions now appear all over the island, including at The Lobster Trap, Cisco Brewers, Brotherhood of Thieves, and Brant Point Grill.
And if your mornings require recovery, Millie's West End Bloody Mary might be the island's ultimate brunch companion: 888 Vodka, bloody mix, lemon, lime, olive, pickled okra, and and Old Bay rim that tastes like summer on the coast.
To view Millie's entire beverage menu, click here.
pictured above: Millie's in Madaket (photos by Millie's)
Harbor Cocktails & Dockside Drinks
At The Lobster Trap, the Keys to the Boat delivers a spicy kick with reposado jalapeño tequila, orange liqueur, soda water, fresh lime juice, and a Tajín rim that feels tailor-made for golden hour near the harbor.
To view The Lobster Trap's entire drink menu, click here.
Meanwhile, Sandbar at Jetties Beach offers the perfectly offers the perfectly breezy Harbor Breeze - raspberry vodka, grapefruit, and cranberry - with an added feel-good touch: every Harbor Breeze sold donates $1 to the Nantucket Natural Resource Department.
To view Sandbar's entire drink menu, click here.
At Slip 14, the South Wharf Margarita channels summer afternoons on the marina with Espolón Blanco tequila, triple sec, and fresh squeezed lime juice. Simple, fresh, and impossible to drink just one.
To view Slip 14's entire beverage menu, click here.
pictured left: Slip 14 cocktails (photo by Slip 14)
pictured right: Lobster Trap cocktails (photo by Lobster Trap)
Sunrise Sips & Coastal Lemonades
Few places on the island feel as charming as Siasconset, and Rose & Crown brings that summer energy into its cocktail menu with drinks like the Sconset Sunrise, made with Passoã passionfruit liqueur, pineapple juice, and prosecco. Rose & Crown also serves the Lily Pond Lemonade, a bright and refreshing cocktail that fits right in with Nantucket’s laid-back summer atmosphere.
To view Rose & Crown's entire beverage menu, click here.
pictured above: Rose & Crown cocktails (photos by Rose & Crown)
Cisco: The Island's Liquid Playground
No Nantucket cocktail conversation is complete without Cisco Brewers - the island's unofficial headquarters for tasty drinks, live music, and sun-soaked afternoons.
The Figawi Wowie, inspired by the island's Figawi Race Weekend held annually over Memorial Day, combines 888 Blueberry Vodka, lemonade, soda water, and fresh mint for a drink that tastes like peak-summer. The Gale Force One, made with 888 Gale Force Gin, grapefruit juice, lime, and club soda, leans crisp and refreshing - ideal after a long beach day.
Cisco also embraces Nantucket culture through its beers, including island favorites like Shark Tracker, Grey Lady, and Whale's Tale - brews that feel inseparable from the ACK summer experience.
To read more about Cisco Brewer's Nantucket location, click here.
pictured above: Cisco Brewers beer/cocktails (photos by Cisco Brewers)
Nautical Names & Tropical Escapes
At Sister Ship, cocktails take a more adventurous turn. The Faraway Mermaid blends mezcal or tequila with lime and jalapeño-infused agave, finished with a cilantro-lime salt rim for something smoky, spicy, and bold. Meanwhile, the Seaborn Serenity leans tropical with rum, lime juice, and simple syrup - a calmer island escape in cocktail form.
To view Sister Ship's entire beverage menu, click here.
Over at Nautilus, the island influence continues with the ACK Nauty, made with tequila, cranberry, lime, and mint, and the fruit-forward Nantucket Nectar, featuring rum, pineapple, orange, and guava.
To view Nautilus' entire beverage menu, click here.
At Brotherhood of Thieves, the cocktails stay playful with the Cisco Disco and the tropical Figawi Wowi, both built for late-night island energy.
To view Brotherhood of of Thieves' complete beverage menu, click here.
pictured first: Sister Ship cocktail (photo by Sister Ship)
pictured second: Nautlius cocktail (photo by Nautilus)
pictured third: Brotherhood of Thieves cocktails (photo by Brotherhood of Thieves)
Elevated Island Cocktails
Nantucket also knows how to do refined coastal cocktails.
The Sea Legs at Lola 41 combines Jefferson's Ocean Aged Bourbon, Carpano Antica, Cointreau, and lemon into a cocktail that feels refined yet unmistakably nautical.
To view Lola 41's complete beverage menu, click here.
For something brighter and more tropical, Brant Point Grill offers the ACK Sunshine alongside The White Elephant, a tequila-forward cocktail layered with pineapple, coconut, lime, and Thai chili pepper for a sweet heat that mirrors island summers.
To view Brant Point Grill's complete beverage menu, click here.
The Wauwintini from Topper's takes a more elevated approach, blending Hendrick's Gin, Yuzu Dry Curaçao, cranberry, raspberry, lemon, and basil into something sophisticated but still playful.
To view Topper's complete beverage menu, click here.
And for sunset cocktails, few settings compare to Galley Beach, where the Galley Sunset pairs Aperol, Grey Goose Orange, lemon, simple syrup, and soda water in a drink that's just as colorful as the evening sky over the Atlantic.
To view the Galley Beach Restaurant's complete beverage menu, click here.
pictured first: Lola 41 cocktail (photo by Lola 41)
pictured second: Topper's cocktail (photo by Topper's)
pictured third: Galley Beach cocktail (photo by Galley Beach)
More Than Just Drinks
What makes Nantucket cocktails stand out isn’t just the ingredients — it’s how connected they are to the island itself. Many of these drinks are inspired by local beaches, neighborhoods, landmarks, and summer traditions, making them feel uniquely Nantucket.
From the Madaket Mystery to the Harbor Breeze and Galley Sunset, each cocktail reflects a different part of the island’s personality and atmosphere. Together, they show how Nantucket’s restaurants and bars have turned local inspiration into creative signature drinks that visitors remember long after summer ends.