Where to try the viral ‘Instagrammable’ soft-serve margarita around KC

Since early March, the soft-serve margarita has been trending on TikTok and Instagram. Where can you try the viral treat in Kansas City?

This alcoholic beverage is blended and frozen like ice cream but contains all the flavor and alcohol of a margarita cocktail. In addition, the fun colors, garnishes and flavors give it the visual aesthetics perfect to trend on social media.

Soft-serve margaritas are served at Añejo Modern Mexican Cuisine in Zona Rosa, the Tanger Kansas City at the Legends at Burger Shed in the Olathe Conference Center, and at KC Wine Co., a winery in Olathe. Each establishment sports its own spin on the drink, with different flavors.

Añejo Modern Mexican Cuisine

Añejo serves raspberry, mango and a mix of the two flavors. Garnished with a Sour Punch Straw, half a strawberry, a cherry and chamoy sauce, the aftertaste of liquor is overpowered by the cold, smooth texture of the treat.

The soft-serve has been on the restaurant’s menu for three months now, and they’ve piqued the curiosity of Kansas City, said server and bartender Javier Delgadillo.

“There’s a lot of people just coming in to have a soft serve margarita. Not to eat, just to enjoy one of those,” Delgadillo said. “It’s like a catch for us.”

• Locations: 1700 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas, and 8600 NW Prairie View Road
• Price: $16

Burger Shed

Burger Shed has also seen the hype since adding the boozy dessert in the strawberry flavor to their menu in March. Initially supposed to just be a special, but with guests coming in day after day to try it, it remained on the menu, said Hannah Welch, the general manager of the building.

“On Mother’s Day, I know we had a lot of mothers who specifically were brought here for the soft-serve margaritas. We’re seeing a lot of local guests come in because they’ve heard about them or they’ve seen them on social media,” said Welch.

Burger Shed’s strawberry soft-serve margarita is so ice cream-like, it’s possible to question whether there’s alcohol in it, but the tequila and triple sec leave behind a faint taste as you get further into the cocktail glass. Drizzled with a strawberry syrup and topped with whipped cream, a cherry and a lime, the tajín-covered rim was the perfect break between brain freezes.

• Location: 10401 S Ridgeview Road, Olathe
• Price: $15

KC Wine Co

Last but not least, KC Wine Co’s soft-serve margaritas pack a punch.

Lime, strawberry and a swirl of the both are the flavors offered at the winery. Each bite tasted like a classic margarita with a double shot, but the soft-serve texture helped it go down twice as easy.

“It’s very Instagrammable, it’s very cute, it’s kind of a different spin on just having a cocktail with a straw or a slush,” said Taylor Berggren, the daughter of the owners who has been working at KC Wine Co. since its start 11 years ago.

Launched at the winery on April 20, the boozy treat has been selling so well that the company already purchased two additional machines to keep up with demand, said Berggren.

They plan to launch new flavors later in the summer, including lemon drop and pineapple.

• Location: 13875 S. Gardner Road 1, Olathe
• Price: $12