Shay Mitchell knows where to get a good drink pretty much anywhere in the world. Best known for Pretty Little Liars, Mitchell recently visited the Delish Kitchen Studios to tell us about her other projects—all of which involve traveling and drinking. In 2018 she launched the luggage brand BEÍS, and two years later she co-founded Onda, a canned cocktail brand that specializes in tequila seltzers and blanco tequila. And now she’s bringing the spirit of her entrepreneurial ventures to TV with a new series on Max, Thirst with Shay Mitchell. The travel show takes viewers around the world to learn about different cultures through their drinks.
While in the Delish Kitchen Studios to shoot an episode of Suck It Up, Mitchell filled us in on the new series, the most underrated travel destination, and her favorite way to cure a hangover, an occupational hazard in her line of work.
You have a luggage brand, a canned cocktail, and a new show called Thirst. There’s definitely a theme here. What about traveling and drinking is so compelling to you?
Shay Mitchell: I mean, what’s not? One of the reasons why I love traveling more than anything is because I get to meet new people, discover new cultures, try new things, and bring back those new learnings back home with me. I’m getting to explore cultures, history, human connection through drinks specific to that location because of their unique ingredients.
I think even more so than building a connection over breaking bread, it’s sharing a toast.
What’s the most underrated travel destination for food and drink?
I don’t know if it’s underrated, but I wasn’t aware of it. Cartagena, Colombia was…I don’t know what I was expecting.
I had some of the best meals I’ve ever had there. And the drinks were fantastic, the restaurants were incredible and it was such a great price for everything. The people were wonderful. The color of the city was gorgeous. Everything looked like an Instagram background, if you will.
It’s a place I cannot wait to go back to.
Can you recall a favorite bar or specific drink that really stands out to you?
There was so many cool bars that we went to, but I went to a random tiki bar in Bueno Aires that was just literally off the beaten path. It looked like a street that nobody had been on, and then you open the door and it was this amazing tiki bar that had great food, incredible drinks, and the owner was just so wonderful.
I would say the unexpected is usually what I’m drawn towards. I also learned how to salsa in the back of some guy’s house where he has these special dinners. And he had incredible Argentinian wine there. It’s insane when I say it out loud, but I’ve had such incredible experiences that I only would’ve had on the show.
Are there any restaurants or bars from your travels that you would eat at or drink at over and over again?
Honestly, there’s not one of the places…I maybe wouldn’t go back to where all the Guinea pigs were in Peru. I could not do that again. Personally, I don’t want to be in a room with 200 of anything. And I don’t have a lot of confidence when I’m surrounded by a lot of rodents. So it’s a big fear of mine and that was something I had to overcome on this show.
I had a bite, but there’s a reason why the show’s called Thirst and not Hunger. I’m a lot more curious and daring to try liquids than I am solid food.
Moving on to your canned cocktail. What was your inspiration behind creating it?
My inspiration for it was that it was an RTD, which is ready to drink. If I’m going on a trip or I’m going on a boat or I’m going to a friend’s house, to be able to just bring a box of canned seltzers is awesome for me. It’s very on the go, which is kind of how my whole lifestyle is. And I think then coming out with the tequila, the Blanco that we just dropped was also something that was a goal of mine because I wanted a tequila that I could easily sip on, that was again, affordable. That I think is just very much in my brand ethos is providing really great product in whatever category it is at an affordable price.
What is your go-to drink?
Honestly, Onda with more blanco tequila with crushed ice in a huge spritzer glass and fresh fruit.
Do you have any tips for avoiding hangovers? What’s the best cure?
Water, water, water, water, water. If I’m ever hungover—if—I have pho the next day. There’s nothing else I want other than pho, ginger ale, and honestly, another drink. Hair of the dog. It’s pho and spring rolls—spring rolls because you need the grease. But also if you have a greasy meal when you come home, you’re also less likely to feel as shitty because it soaks it up. But you have to pound the water. And honestly, take a couple of liquid Advil and you’re fine.
Thirst with Shay Mitchell is streaming now on Max.
