The 2026 Wimbledon Championships began on June 29, and with it the Bemm Cup will end. Last year, more than 300,000 Pimm’s Cup cocktails were served at Wimbledon. Think of it as the English answer to the Honey Deuce in the US Open or the Mint Julep in the Kentucky Derby. So, if you’re planning to celebrate Wimbledon in authentic style — or if you just want a super refreshing cocktail on a hot summer day — you’ll want to dive right into Pimm’s.
While the Pimm’s Cup is also a delicious drink associated with tennis, it predates the Honey Deuce Cup by more than 150 years. It started with James Pym, a fishmonger who opened a number of oyster bars in London in the 19th century. Oyster boards were plentiful at the time, and Beam needed a hook. He created an herbal liqueur that he called Pimm’s No. 1, mixed it with tonic, served it in a small bowl and called it a health drink.
In 1859, businessman Samuel Murray purchased Pimm’s Recipe No. 1, and soon bottles of the herbal liqueur appeared on the market. In 1870, Murray sold the company to future London Mayor Horatio Davies, who jumped on the marketing train and put Pimm’s on the menus of pubs and restaurants around the world.
The drink proved easy to sell. Gin had already been popular in England for more than a century, and Pimm’s No. 1 was like a lower-alcohol version: gin-based and complex with botanicals, spices and citrus peels. Over time, it abandoned its wellness-focused brand and became enjoyed for the delicious drink it was, and the Pimm’s No. 1 cocktail evolved. 1 Cup to include tonic with lemon juice—an invitation that was later softened to allow lemon juice or lime soda—and a garnish of cucumber, mint, and strawberries.
“The combination of fruit, herbs, cucumber and fizz makes a Pimm’s Cup look elegant yet approachable,” said Jacopo Rosetto, beverage director and mixologist at Four Seasons Hotel Miami, says the observer. “I think that’s exactly why it has lasted so long – it feels festive without being too serious.”
The Pimm’s Cup is easy to make and enjoy, and became a staple in English pubs, bars, restaurants and eventually at events such as Wimbledon and Royal Ascot during the first half of the 20th century. The Wimbledon Tennis Championships – the oldest in the world – began in 1877 and has evolved into an annual display of British pride, thus celebrating English traditions. There’s a special box for the Royals to watch games (and for those in attendance to watch), and the custom of eating strawberries and cream — not your typical hot dog — while attending a game.
As Pimm’s Cups became a popular order in English pubs, the drink was adopted as a quintessentially British tournament drink as well. Wimbledon’s signature strawberry snack proved to be the perfect garnish.
The Pimm’s brand capitalized on these illustrious connections by focusing on tennis in its alcoholic beverage advertising. This continued to enhance the cocktail’s image, and the Pimm’s Cup became one of the most consumed drinks at Wimbledon tennis throughout most of the 20th century. In 1971, the first official Pimm’s Bar was set up in the tournament, and the drink became the The actual Wimbledon cocktail, the demand for which is increasing every year.
“It’s popular because it’s low ABV, so people can drink it for hours,” says Mario Colasanti, the bar’s supervisor. The American Pub at The Stafford London. However, even low-ABV drinks can cause some harm if consumed carelessly for long hours. “In the ’90s, bartenders had to limit portion sizes because the crowd was a little rowdy on Center Court,” Colasanti adds.
The No. 1 Pimm Cup soon moved beyond the English tennis tournaments. Across the pond, it has been such a hit in New Orleans that the cocktail has become a frequently requested staple there, often confused with a large, easy-to-generate recipe.
The Pimm’s Cup arrived in New Orleans — thus making its first appearance in the United States — in the 1940s thanks to Joe Impastato, the original owner of the historic Napoleon House Bar. “He was introduced to the drink after his travels to England,” explains Praith Gill, beverage director at Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, which runs the restaurant. Napoleon’s house In NOLA today. The southern city has put its own twist on the cocktail, using ginger ale or ginger ale as a mixer, a recipe option that stuck.
Today, Napoleon House claims to serve more Pimm’s Cups than any other place in the United States. The National Day Archives has designated the House of Napoleon an official “Pimm’s Cup Day” on July 1, so if you want to celebrate this cocktail and can’t make it to Wimbledon, head to New Orleans. There, Pimm’s really delivers on its refreshing products and proves why it remains a staple of summer tennis matches and warm-weather drinking in general.
“It’s light, citrusy and effortlessly refreshing… It’s practically designed for a city where summer arrives early and lasts long,” says Gill.
As can happen with cocktails featuring such a simple recipe, Pimm’s served as a canvas for various variations. While lemon and fizz is the traditional Wimbledon method, glasses can be made using ginger ale or ale, soda with lemon juice and simple syrup or even prosecco. But spirits were also involved at different stages of the drink’s history: Pimm’s Cup No. 2 contained Scotch, No. 3 brandy, No. 4 rum, No. 5 rye whiskey, and No. 6 vodka.
“I think other Pimm’s varieties are worth exploring because they show different expressions of the same idea, but realistically, No. 1 remains the iconic and by far the most globally recognized version,” says Rosetto. “Others are rarely ordered today and are more of a curiosity for cocktail enthusiasts.”
Nowadays, you’re more likely to find fresh tones on a Pimm’s No. 1 Cup in the hands of creative bartenders in cocktail bars. Other alcoholic drinks are joining the party, Such as Aperol and Campari; Sometimes it’s vermouth, other times it’s actual gin or a less commonly used spirit like cachaça. Bartenders may add distinct flavors such as cucumber to the mix in drink form, and they can play with the carbonated mixer element by using different beers or soft drinks.
“How a bartender makes their Pimm’s can say a lot, but honestly, there’s no bad way to make one,” says Jacob Coombs, co-owner and head bartender at Pimm’s. Marquis Lounge In Portland, Maine, where Pimm’s Cups are served by the pitcher in the summer. “We build ours with strawberries, rhubarb, cucumber, mint and a refreshing tonic, then add our own secret ingredient: Swedish borage.”
At Napoleon House, you can get a non-alcoholic Pimm’s Cup with Louie Louie Good Time Seltzer, a house-made THC and CBD tonic. They also make frozen Pimm’s Cups, and offer Pimm’s Cup flights with seasonal courses. However, other tapes prefer to stick to the original script.
“For me, the perfect Pimm’s starts with restraint: fresh cucumber, seasonal fruits, mint, and enough dilution to keep it bright and fresh,” says Roseto. At the Four Seasons Hotel Miami, its summer style keeps the basics but replaces ginger ale or lemonade with champagne. “It gives the drink a more elegant texture and makes it look a little more festive while maintaining the simple spirit that makes the Pimm’s Cup so timeless.”
The simplicity of this beloved cocktail makes it easy for even the most novice home bartenders to enjoy at home while watching Wimbledon. To make it match the tennis tournament format, mix it with lemon juice, fresh strawberries, cucumber and mint generously. Discover the drink while cheering on your favorites, then keep it in your collection all summer long – or all year long.
Pimm’s Cup Recipe #1
ingredients:
- 2 oz Pimm’s No. 1 liqueur
- 1/2 ounce of fresh lemon juice
- Ginger ale or ginger beer on top, or 4 ounces of lemon juice or lime soda
- A slice of cucumber, strawberry, and a sprig of mint for garnish
Directions:
Fill a chilled glass with ice. Pour Pimm’s No. 1, and then you can choose your own adventure. Add lemon juice and then ginger beer for the filling, then add lime soda, add lemon juice and maybe a little tonic for the fizz. Choose an acidic wheat beer or refined champagne – keep experimenting with mixers until you find what you like best. Garnish with a skewer of cucumber and strawberries along with mint, and feel free to eat it here too. Add orange wheels, lemon, basil or rosemary.
