MARTINI MATCH
Find your perfect martini in Philly, dry, dirty or with espresso
In food circles, the mere mention of the martini can provoke debate: Has the martini made a comeback? Did it ever fall out of fashion? What qualifies — or disqualifies — one? And where do we fall on the inclusion of espresso?
All this is to say that one’s definition of a martini is very personal: You may strongly feel it should be a very strong, cold blend of gin, vermouth, and little else; that it goes down more deliciously if it’s dirty; or that the drink is just a construct, a starting point.
Whether you’re a martini purist, philosopher, or somewhere in between, Philadelphia’s bartenders have a cocktail to match. Answer the questions below to find your ideal pour.
- Your pick
Oyster House’s house martini
House-blended gin, house-blended vermouth, lemon twist
- Your pick
Palizzi Social Club’s DiCicco
Ketel One vodka, Ursini extra-virgin olive oil, vermouth
- Your pick
The Pullman’s Vesper martini
Empress purple gin, Chopin vodka, Lillet
- Your pick
Middle Child Clubhouse’s steakhouse martini
Vodka, dry vermouth, Birchrun Blue Cheese, olive brine, stuffed olives
- Your pick
Rex at the Royal’s Royal martini
Olive oil-washed gin, dry vermouth, herbs de Provence, blue cheese-stuffed olives
- Your pick
Franklin Mortgage’s Best Served Cold
Gin Agricolo, Ulrich extra-dry vermouth, caper brine, sardine oil
- Your pick
The Prime Rib’s Millionaire martini
Bombay Sapphire, Lillet, cava, caviar-stuffed olives
- Your pick
Lunar Inn’s pickle martini
Revivalist gin, dry vermouth, house pickle brine
- Your pick
Darling Jack’s Don’t Do Me Dirty Darling
Stateside vodka, castelvetrano olive brine
- Your pick
Fiorella’s dirty pasta water martini
Gin or vodka, pasta water, olive
- Your pick
The Keep’s meadtini
OG Mead, City Street vodka or Bluecoat gin, olive brine or lemon twist
- Your pick
a.bar’s Bamboo
Lustau fino sherry, dry and blanc vermouths, bitters
- Your pick
Townsend’s reverse martini
Dolin dry vermouth, Beefeater gin, olive or lemon twist
- Your pick
Post Haste’s Farmer’s Dirty Martini
Seneca Drums Gin, cherry tomato brine, tarragon, Stone & Key vermouth
- Your pick
Vintage’s arugula martini
Vodka, arugula, lemon juice, cracked black pepper
- Your pick
Ember and Ash’s pickle beet martini
Stateside vodka, house dill pickle juice, beet juice, caraway
- Your pick
JG SkyHigh’s cucumber martini
Bluecoat Gin, cucumber, mint, lemon
- Your pick
Cage Cocktail Bar’s Gold Cup martini
Vodka, fresh pineapple
- Your pick
Joseph’s Pizza Parlor’s limoncello martini
Limoncello, Stateside vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup
- Your pick
Andra Hem’s Bee-DSM Coretto
Reposado tequila, espresso cordial, espresso, amaro foam
- Your pick
Bar 1010’s espresso martini
Vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, Parmigiano Reggiano
- Your pick
W Philadelphia’s Living Room Italian Market espresso martini
Ketel One vodka, Borghetti espresso liqueur, espresso, anise, ricotta, Isgro’s cannoli
- Your pick
Parc’s Cafe Parc
Vanilla-infused Revivalist vodka, amaro, Frangelica hazelnut liqueur, La Colombe espresso
- Your pick
Char and Stave’s espresso martini
Bluebird vodka, espresso, toasted cardamom
- Your pick
Bloomsday’s espresso martini
Rival Bros espresso, aromatized rum, Boardroom Spirits vodka, dash of cream, demerara simple, lemon
- Your pick
Charlie was a sinner’s Done and Dusted
Coffee liqueur, homemade creme liqueur, Nizza espresso
A martini can taste like anything
Pick a flavor, any flavor
Espresso martini it is, but what are you really here for?
How over-the-top?
Let’s get more specific
Now leaving martini-land. What kind of cocktail do you like?
Sherry, vermouth, or something softer?
It should be boozy and bracing
The dirtier, the better
Cheese or fish
Make it decadent
Make it decadent
Ok, classic. But with a twist?
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Staff Contributors
- Reporting: Jenn Ladd
- Editing: Jamila Robinson, Margaret Eby, Sam Morris
- Design & development: Charmaine Runes
- QA: Ksenia Belyaeva
- Copy Editors: Brian Leighton, Lissa Atkins, Evan S. Benn
- Product Management: Ann Hughes