Martinis Are Trending: Here's What To Know & Where To Drink Them
The Martini Resurgence
Martin Kuczmarski, former COO of the Soho House Group, has a wealth of hospitality experience, having worked at some of the finest establishments across the world, including The Hyde Park Hotel and The Ritz in Paris. His latest venture, The Dover, has its own and exclusive martini menu. “People are craving that old-school hospitality – white tablecloths, candle-lit rooms, a romantic atmosphere. That’s exactly what we’ve recreated at The Dover. People are tired of loud, overcomplicated bars serving fruit-laden cocktails that take forever to make. They want something that is simple, quick and can be trusted, but still feels glamorous, elegant and has a sense of ceremony about it.”
Cocktail maestro and Lyaness founder Mr Lyan – also the creative mind behind the bar menu at impossible-to-book Bébé Bob – confirms this. “It is the most iconic cocktail and emblematic of the notion of 'greater than the sum of its parts', but I think it has found new audiences of late as people are using cocktails around the dining and whole night out better, and they are gravitating towards drier style drinks.”
Ilias Mehili, bartender at buzzy hot spot Milk Beach Soho, agrees: “The martini has never really gone out of style, and I don’t think it ever will. It’s the ultimate minimalist cocktail – just spirit, vermouth and a simple garnish, yet it is, undeniably, endlessly sophisticated. I’ve noticed a lot of top cocktail bars are stripping things back – focusing on perfect technique and clean, precise flavours. Recently, I came across a feta-washed gin dirty martini, and it was surprisingly good. But for me, a martini should stay true to itself – simple, elegant and ice-cold.”
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The Tiny ‘Tini
While martinis are timeless, the latest buzz on bar menus comes in a smaller form: the tiny 'tini. Mr Lyan is all in on the trend. “A martini needs to be very cold – our Bone Dry Martini at White Lyan was famously tiny, and served very cold – so more people have realised that a few small, perfectly made martinis are far better than one big lukewarm one. The Mini Bébé Bob Martini is an embrace of this idea, especially as it suits the snacks it sits alongside.”
Ilias is on board too. “Mini martinis make perfect sense – temperature plays a huge role in how much you enjoy a martini and with a smaller serve, you experience it at its coldest and best.”
Where To Find A Good One…
At the aforementioned The Dover, the martini list reflects old-world glamour – but in a cool, modern way. There’s the gibson, a classic gin-based martini garnished with onion, as well as the ‘Hot & Dirty’, a heady mix of chilli and olive brine, and the inimitable vesper martini – made famous by James Bond.
Martin has a few more recommendations on where to find a good martini in London. “At The Dover, we are purists at heart, but we don’t mind mixing high with low. For example, we serve this glamorous drink alongside bar snacks like popcorn and mini hot dogs. Aside from The Dover, the best martinis I’ve had in my life were at the Dukes Bar at the Dukes Hotel in London, the Polo Bar in New York and, of course, the Hemingway Bar in Paris at The Ritz.”
Mr Lyan adds to the list. “Hotel bars are a given – The Connaught, American Bar, Dukes – but newer spots like Three Sheets, Kol Mezcaleria, Tayer, and Elementary are also nailing it.”
“If you love martinis, The Connaught Bar is a must – the range is spectacular, and the technique is flawless,” adds Ilias. “Recently, I went with friends to Soma, and the martini blew me away. Indian gin, bay leaf sake, and pickled shallot – it was balanced, unexpected and seriously impressive.”
Tips From Those In-The-Know
The biggest mistake home bartenders make? Ilias suggests it’s not stirring their martini long enough. “A great martini needs proper dilution – so the alcohol doesn’t hit too hard on the first sip,” he says. “It should glide. For a flawless martini at home, choose a high-quality gin or vodka – this is 90% of what you’ll taste. Stir patiently for 35-40 seconds – let the ice do the work, then strain. Use good-quality cubed ice while stirring – this makes all the difference in dilution.”
“You need cold glasses, and lots of ice,” adds Mr Lyan “From there, you can make it quite easily. And at home, people often think more is better – bars don't control the amount of booze to be stingy, it's because a balanced drink is more delicious, better metered, and more fun. Use the best ingredients you can – this doesn't mean expensive but choose the ones you actually love – it's very hard to put bad in and get good out.”
Finally, Martin is a stickler when it comes to ingredients. “The best, and only true, champagne comes from the region. You need to take this same approach with your vodka for your martini – go for Russian or Polish. Otherwise, freezing-cold glasses are key and a proper martini glass is the only way to go. To elevate things further, go for crystal.”
Now, Try These Recipes…
The Dover Martini
Pour the Konik's Tail and orange bitter into a mixing glass, add ice and stir gradually, moving the ice in a continuous motion.
Once the ice starts to melt, keep adding fresh ice on top – this will further chill the drink without adding dilution.
Taste as you go; the drink should taste very clean with only tasting notes of the spirit. The Dover Martini takes time to chill down and dilute to deliver the perfect taste.
Spray or rinse (if so, discard the extra vermouth) the frozen glass with Cocchi Extra Dry. Strain into the glass and garnish with orange zest.
Tomato Martini
Shake all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into the glass.
Garnish with black pepper.
Martini Tuxedo
Combine all ingredients and stir over ice.
Finish with an XL olive (Picante Gordals). The result should be a salty, savoury martini that can be finished in two or three sips.
Milk Beach Martini
Add all ingredients in a cocktail stirring tin glass or a shaker with ice.
Stir for 12-15 seconds, then strain into a chilled martini glass and add on top an oyster leaf.
A good tip is to have a nibble of the oyster leaf before you sip to enhance the flavour.
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