Mexico is famous for the refreshing, non-alcoholic bebidas sold in the colorful markets, quaint storefronts and ever-present street carts found countrywide. Restaurants that offer these traditional, easy-to-menu beverages can bring customers of all ages a taste of authentic drinks poured south of the border.

Aguas frescas can be made by boiling the pulp of various fruits, grains or seeds with water, then straining it and adding large chunks of ice.

Licuados — the Mexican equivalent of the American smoothie — are made with milk and fresh fruit like mangoes, papaya, guava, manzana, or plátano. When served as a breakfast drink, honey, wheat germ, or nuts are frequently added. Both drinks are good uses for any overripe fruit.

Horchata, a drink that dates to the ancient Aztecs, is a chilled blend of rice, almonds, canela (Mexican cinnamon), lime zest and sugar. A rumored hangover cure, horchata is frequently served at breakfast, but is appropriate any time of day.

"Our traditional horchata and aguas frescas are very popular," reports Nayeli Nunez, manager of Guelaguetza, a Los Angeles eatery known for outstanding Oaxacan cuisine. She says the restaurant offers a special rendition of horchata topped with nuts, chopped fruit including melon, and a juice made from tuna (the fruit of the prickly pear cactus) that infuses the drink with an exotic flavor.

Another unique drink is Guelaguetza's Chilacayota, an agua fresca made with squash, piloncillo and cinnamon. "We're the only restaurant [around here] that has it — it's a Oaxacan tradition," Nunez notes.

At Tita's Mexican Restaurant, "bebidas frias" include Mexican sodas in apple, guava, jamaica, sangría, strawberry, pineapple, tamarind, lime, grapefruit and tangerine flavors. There are also made-from-scratch aguas frescas (the most popular flavors are strawberry, mandarin orange and hibiscus), and the tantalizing licuados billed as "refreshing, nutritious Mexican shakes." In addition to the "Veracruz," varieties include "Mexico" with strawberries and a hint of Mexican vanilla; "Tampico" featuring lime, tropical fruits, and a bite of jalapeño; "Durango," a creamy and refreshing blend of oranges and a hint of banana; and "Puebla," a mixture the menu describes as "the Aztec gift of Mexican chocolate with creamy coconut milk and banana."

The profit potential of these non-alcoholic offerings is obvious: Customers pay $2.50 for each Mexican soda, $1.35 a glass for the aguas frescas, and $2.95 per glass or $7.95 per liter for the creamy licuados. The Hispanic shakes made with organic soymilk command an extra 50 cents per serving.

Customers at New York City's Gonzalez y Gonzalez never have to worry about being short-changed when they order a margarita at this Big Apple Mexican hot spot. "We have Margaritas-by-the-Yard," manager Johnny Flores says. "They're very popular — it's what we're known for here in New York."

Flores says the margins are good on these $14.95 super-sized cocktails served in "a huge, long-necked cup" that holds the equivalent of three to three-and-a-half regular-sized margaritas. Flavor options include peach, watermelon, mango, strawberry and traditional — varieties patrons also can pick in single-serving portions priced at $6 per margarita.

Alcohol, of course, is an important, profit-reaping part of the Mexican restaurant scene. And clever marketing and presentation approaches, when combined with great-tasting cocktails, can help the bottom line soar whether you use high-end alcohol or less expensive brands.

"On a regular margarita, where we pay $11 a bottle [for tequila], we have a 14.5 percent liquor cost," reports G. Peter Cortez, whose family owns La Margarita Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Mi Tierra Café & Bakery and Restaurante Pico de Gallo in the historic Market Square area of San Antonio, Texas. "Using a higher-cost, $30 or $40 bottle, we're running closer to 30 percent liquor cost, but the gross margin is higher. Sales are higher and the gross margin on profit is better, although your percentage cost is higher," he explains.

Before-dinner orders bring in extra profits, Cortez notes. "At Mi Tierra, guests wanting a table may have an hour-and-a-half wait on the weeked. The bar is right off the lobby — perfect for capturing them and selling before they to into the dining room," he explains. "We average $10 per person before they even get to a table."

Diners are willing to pay $7.50 to $15 a pop for the cleverly named cocktails at the Flying V Bar & Grill in the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. Popular potions include the Jackrabbit Margarita (a blend of Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila, citrus and Alize Red Passion that the menu says "will get you hopping!"); Scorpion Tea (fruit juice spiked with Malibu Coconut Rum); the Tri-Pepper Martini (a housemade three-pepper-soaked vodka with a hint of olive); El Presidente (El Presidente Mexican Brandy with Grand Marnier and fresh lime juice); and the Taste of Mexico (a sampling of four tequilas served with salt, lime and sangrita — an increasingly popular tequila chaser made with tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce.

"We call our sangrita 'the flag' because the way we serve it it's red, white and green," says Rojelio Luja of El Sarape in Braintree, Mass. The white tequila, he explains, is accented by the tomato juice and lime.

The margarita menu, however, takes center stage at this Massachusetts Mexican eatery. Refreshing renditions include the Cadillac Margarita with Herradura Reposado, Gran Gala Triple Orange Liqueur and sour mix; the Baja with El Jimador tequila, banana liqueur and a splash of orange juice; the Apple Margarita with apple, apple liqueur, apple sauce and margarita mix; and the Melon Margarita with El Jimado, Gran Gala, Midori and lemon mix.

Libations from Latin countries also are making their mark on the restaurant scene. Doña Tomás offers the Cuba Libre, an on-the-rocks rendition of Cruzan Dark Estate rum, Mexican Coke, vanilla and lime; the Caipirinha, a concoction of Brazilian rum, crushed lime wedges and sugar served over ice; and the now-common Mojito, a mix of Cruzan Dark Estate rum, lime, a splash of vodka and fresh mint.

Other bar drinks making a splash: frutada (beer with pineapple and sugar), citualic (white or rose wine with mango slices, sugar and ice), and the very Mexican Michelada.

The standard version of Michelada blends light (Corona, Sol, Dos Equis, Tecate or Carta Blanca) or dark (Bohemia, Negro Modelo) Mexican lager with lime, salt, pepper and varying combinations of Worcestershire, hot sauces, or other flavorings. While mich-eladas are gaining steam in some areas, customers aren't extremely familiar with the frothy beer cocktails, those serving them say.

Capitalize on the coffee craze this summer! Border Grill in Santa Monica, Calif. offers Iced Mexican Latte made with a double shot of espresso and homemade whipped cream.

Recreate a Mexican street scene. Want to sell more aguas frescas, horchata, tamarindo and Mexican sodas? Why not set up a colorful cart on your patio and sell the drinks the way they do south of the border? This idea would also work at neighborhood street fairs — especially since many children attend those events. For a real attention-getter, serve the beverages from ribbon-tied glass jars.