How Peppers makes their famous margarita mix, in case you’re still celebrating Cinco de Mayo.

Just as restaurants were forced to close their doors to the public and could only remain open for takeout or delivery due to the county’s shelter-in-place order issued on March 17, the Weekly’s annual Best Of Monterey County issue was on its way to the printer. In that issue, we announced that our readers voted for Peppers in Pacific Grove for making the best margarita. Now, during the pandemic, you can’t sit at the bar and sip on one of their blood orange, spicy jalapeño or ultimate margaritas – but you can order one to-go and enjoy it at home. (That’s thanks toguidance from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which decided to ease its own rules during the pandemic and allow to-go sales of cocktails.)

Peppers’ recipe for their famous margaritas was created about 15 years ago as the current owners (then the new owners) were applying for their liquor license. The whole staff developed and tasted a homemade margarita mix, and settled on one that emphasizes freshness and simplicity: 50/50 lemon/lime juice, with just a dash of orange juice. “We make them strong and we use fresh-squeezed lemon and lime juice, so there is no sweet and sour or Rose’s Lime, which means no corn syrup,” owner Lisa Weiman says. “It makes a difference.”

Even though Peppers is offering the full cocktails menu to-go, customers seem most drawn to the margaritas. “Being able to offer them has been good for our sales, and I think it’s helpful to the people – it’s a little stress relief,” Weiman adds.

PEPPERS is open for takeout 4-7pm Wednesday through Sunday. 170 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. 373-6892, pepperspg.com