All hail the refreshing Pimm’s Cup

The British cocktail has ties to New Orleans, although ironically by a French-themed restaurant named the Napoleon House.

Napoleon House, New Orleans

Summer in New Orleans and steam rises from the sidewalks, thunder rolls in black clouds scaling upwards from Gulf waters and perspiration trickles down the backs of knees. It’s hot and humid in the Crescent City this time of year, which may be one reason why cocktails reign supreme.

Travel around the French Quarter and you’ll find a host of cocktails, many of which originated in New Orleans and are celebrated every July at the Tales of the Cocktail (this year July 20-25, 2025). One drink that’s popular in August and found in numerous Quarter establishments is the refreshing Pimm’s Cup, comprised of a liqueur and other summer-style ingredients. The drink’s so popular in New Orleans when the heat index rises that many people erroneously believe the cocktail was invented here.

London’s James Pimm dreamed up the gin-based Pimm’s No. 1 liqueur as a health tonic in the 1840s. The drink’s popularity spread throughout the British Empire, eventually arriving in New Orleans and reaching its own fame at the French Quarter’s Napoleon House in the late 1940s. The cocktail lacks heavy alcohol content and contains mixers found refreshing in summer months, allowing patrons to beat the heat with a cool drink without falling asleep before dinner.

What goes into the rest of the glass—outside of Pimm’s No. 1—is up to the discretion of the bartender. Ingredients may include lime, cucumbers, mint, fresh fruit, lemonade, tonic water and soft drinks such as Sprite or 7 Up.

Ralph Brennan of the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group of New Orleans asked the National Day Archives to grant July 1 as Pimm’s Cup Day. Last year (2024) marked the first designation of the refreshing cocktail and the fun continues. Brennan owns the Napoleon House, one of the six oldest buildings in the French Quarter, and this establishment serves more Pimm's Cups than any other and is second in the world only to the London Oyster House where James Pimm originally created the cocktail. This gin-based liqueur mixed with lemonade, ginger ale, and cucumber offered the perfect antidote to sultry summers before air conditioning and the Napoleon House continues serving the drink in record numbers.

Pimm's Cup Day in New Orleans kicks off at 11 a.m. at the Napoleon House with Napoleon himself—portrayed by a local actor—performing champagne sabering, followed by the Napoleon Look-Alike Contest. The contest winner receives a complimentary gift card.

The ticketed [$25 per person] "Spirited Tour" and "It's Pimm's O' Clock" Happy Hour from 4-6 p.m. includes live Pimm's Cup demonstrations, tastings and a guided history tour. The transformation of the courtyard comes with a pop-up Pimm's Bar and Floral Photo Wall. Participants are encouraged to wear "summer chic attire" or don Wimbledon Whites since this is the season to be in true British style, say the organizers.

Drink Specials include BOGO Pimm's Cups and Frozen Pimm’s. Guests also receive a gift to take home: complimentary recipe cards to recreate the Pimm’s cocktail at home.

"The Pimm's Cup represents everything we love about New Orleans hospitality," said Brennan. "It's refreshing, brings people together and makes any afternoon feel like a celebration."

Want to try a Pimm’s Cup at home?

The crisp, low-alcohol drink is refreshing on a hot summer day, and we could use those right now. Here’s the Pimm’s Cup recipe from the Napoleon House.

Pimm’s Cup

1 1/4 ounces Pimm’s No. 1 Liqueur

3 ounces lemonade

1 ounce 7 Up

Garnish with cucumber slice

Directions: Pour the liqueur, lemonade, and 7 UP into a highball glass filled with ice; stir well. Add the garnish.

Weird, Wacky & Wild South is written by Cheré Dastugue Coen, who loves a cold Pimm's Cup on a hot summer day. One of her favorite movies is "Ghost Town," where Ricky Gervais' character Dr. Pincus orders a Pimm's Cup at the Carlyle Hotel in New York. If you haven't seen the movie, the cocktail foretells a romantic matchup. Sinema Sips explains and offers another nice Pimm's Cup recipe. View it here.