Is the Espresso Martini Finally Changing? The Cocktail That Refuses to Die
There are cocktails that have a moment.
And then there are cocktails that apparently refuse to leave.
The Espresso Martini is definitely the second one.
I’ve watched this drink go from trendy to overplayed, from overplayed to completely unavoidable, and somehow back around to being trendy again.
Walk into almost any serious cocktail bar today and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll find one on the menu.
The funny thing is, I don’t think the Espresso Martini is actually the same drink it was five or ten years ago.
The name is the same.
The basic idea is the same.
But bartenders are having a lot more fun with it.
And after watching the cocktail continue to evolve through 2026, I think we’re entering another chapter of the Espresso Martini story.
So the question isn’t:
Is the Espresso Martini still popular?
It obviously is.
The more interesting question is:
What does the next version of the Espresso Martini look like?
The Espresso Martini Was Supposed to Be a Fad
The Espresso Martini has an interesting history.
The drink was created in London in the 1980s by legendary bartender Dick Bradsell, who reportedly created the drink after a customer asked for something that would “wake me up and then…”—and the combination of vodka, coffee liqueur and espresso was born.
From there, the drink became synonymous with late nights, restaurants, clubs and eventually the cocktail renaissance of the 2010s and 2020s.
And then it seemed like it was everywhere.
Dinner?
Espresso Martini.
Girls’ night?
Espresso Martini.
Date night?
Espresso Martini.
Brunch?
Somehow, also Espresso Martini.
At one point, ordering one felt almost predictable.
And that’s usually when cocktail trends start to fade.
Except this one didn’t.
Why the Espresso Martini Refuses to Go Away
I think there’s a pretty simple explanation.
It’s a really good cocktail.
That’s easy to forget when something becomes popular enough to be considered “basic.”
The Espresso Martini hits several things that people naturally like in a drink:
Coffee.
Sweetness.
Alcohol.
Bitterness.
Creaminess without actually being creamy.
And, perhaps most importantly, it looks great.
That dark, almost black cocktail with a creamy foam cap and three coffee beans sitting on top is basically designed for a camera.
But the visual appeal isn’t the only reason it’s survived.
It’s also incredibly adaptable.
And that’s where things get interesting.
The Espresso Martini Is Getting More Creative
The original formula is pretty straightforward:
Vodka.
Espresso.
Coffee liqueur.
Something sweet.
Shake it hard.
Strain it into a chilled glass.
Done.
But today’s bartenders aren’t stopping there.
We’re seeing Espresso Martinis built around different base spirits, coffee preparations, sweeteners, spices and flavors.
And that’s one of the biggest cocktail trends we’re seeing in 2026:
classic cocktails are being treated as templates rather than rules.
NielsenIQ’s 2026 on-premise research specifically identifies riffs on classic cocktails as an important trend, including variations on the Espresso Martini using tequila and other unexpected ingredients. (nielseniq.com)
And honestly, that’s where the drink gets interesting again.
Tequila Espresso Martinis Are Having a Moment
If you’ve never had a tequila Espresso Martini, you’re probably thinking:
Why would anyone do that?
That’s fair.
But tequila actually makes a lot of sense here.
A good tequila brings pepper, earthiness, vegetal notes and sometimes subtle sweetness to a drink that already has the roasted bitterness of coffee.
Instead of simply tasting like:
Vodka + coffee
you get something more complex.
The agave gives the drink another layer.
And mezcal takes that idea even further.
Now you’ve got:
Coffee.
Roasted flavors.
Smoke.
Agave.
Sweetness.
Bitterness.
That’s a pretty interesting combination.
Is it better than the original?
That’s subjective.
But it’s definitely worth trying.
And that’s the point of a good cocktail riff.
It shouldn’t replace the original.
It should make you appreciate the original differently.
The Coffee Itself Is Becoming More Important
This might be the most important evolution happening to the drink.
For years, the coffee component was basically treated as an ingredient.
Now bartenders are paying much more attention to what coffee they’re using and how they’re preparing it.
Fresh espresso.
Cold brew.
Coffee concentrates.
Different roast profiles.
Single-origin coffee.
Even clarified coffee preparations.
That changes the drink dramatically.
A lighter roast can bring acidity and fruit.
A darker roast can emphasize chocolate and roasted flavors.
Cold brew can make the drink smoother and less aggressive.
Suddenly, the Espresso Martini starts behaving a little more like wine or whiskey:
The ingredient matters.
And I think that’s a very good development.
The Cocktail Is Getting More Savory, Too
This might sound strange at first.
Coffee cocktails aren’t exactly known for being savory.
But 2026 has been a year where bartenders are pushing further into savory and umami flavors.
Miso.
Salt.
Spices.
Herbs.
Olive.
Even unexpected culinary ingredients.
Some of those ideas are making their way into coffee cocktails as well.
And there’s actually a logic behind it.
Coffee already has bitterness and acidity.
A little salt can enhance sweetness and suppress excessive bitterness.
A subtle spice can make the coffee taste more complex.
The trick is restraint.
Nobody needs a breakfast casserole floating in their Martini.
The best versions use a savory ingredient to support the coffee, not overwhelm it.
The Dessert Cocktail Is Growing Up
Another reason I think the Espresso Martini continues to work is that it’s occupying an interesting space between cocktail and dessert.
And bars are leaning into that.
We’re seeing versions incorporating flavors like:
Vanilla
Chocolate
Cinnamon
Caramel
Hazelnut
Banana
Horchata
Coconut
Some of these are definitely sweeter than what I’d personally want from a cocktail.
But there’s nothing wrong with a dessert cocktail when it’s done well.
The problem isn’t sweetness.
The problem is imbalance.
A good Espresso Martini should still taste like a cocktail.
Not melted coffee ice cream with vodka.
And Then There Are the Over-the-Top Versions
This is where the Espresso Martini can get ridiculous.
And sometimes that’s okay.
I’ve seen versions topped with:
Cookies
Chocolate
Whipped cream
Caramel
Coffee beans
Candy
Entire desserts
There’s obviously a social-media component to this.
The Espresso Martini is already photogenic, so turning it into a miniature dessert tower is going to get attention.
But here’s where I draw the line:
If I need a fork to drink my cocktail, something has gone wrong.
Give me a beautiful glass.
Give me good foam.
Give me three coffee beans.
Maybe one interesting garnish.
I’m good.
The drink should still be the star.
So Is the Original Espresso Martini Dead?
Absolutely not.
And that’s actually my favorite part of this whole story.
The original Espresso Martini doesn’t need to disappear simply because bartenders are experimenting with it.
If anything, the experimentation makes the original more interesting.
It’s the same reason we still order Old Fashioneds even though there are thousands of whiskey cocktails.
The classic becomes the reference point.
You can compare everything else to it.
And sometimes after trying the tequila version, the mezcal version, the horchata version and the absurd dessert version…
You realize:
The original was pretty damn good.
What Makes a Great Espresso Martini?
Regardless of how creative the recipe gets, I think the fundamentals still matter.
Good coffee
Fresh espresso or a quality coffee preparation makes a huge difference.
Proper balance
It shouldn’t taste like syrup.
Coffee brings bitterness.
The sweetener needs to balance it rather than bury it.
Proper dilution
This is a shaken cocktail.
That means the ice isn’t just chilling the drink.
It’s part of the recipe.
Good texture
That signature foam is part of the Espresso Martini experience.
Shake it properly.
Don’t rush it.
Quality ingredients
This is especially important when there are only a handful of ingredients.
You can’t hide bad ingredients very easily.
My Prediction: The Espresso Martini Isn’t Going Anywhere
If you’ve been waiting for the Espresso Martini trend to finally disappear, I wouldn’t hold your breath.
I think the drink is entering its next phase.
The first phase was:
“Hey, look at this cool coffee cocktail.”
The second was:
“Everybody has an Espresso Martini.”
And now we’re entering:
“What can we actually do with coffee in cocktails?”
That’s much more interesting.
We’re going to see better coffee.
More interesting spirits.
More savory elements.
More regional ingredients.
More riffs.
More low-ABV coffee cocktails.
And probably a few creations that make me question why anyone was allowed behind the bar in the first place.
That’s part of the fun.
The Intoxicology Take
I don’t think the Espresso Martini is a trend anymore.
It’s a classic.
And classics don’t have to stay frozen in time.
The Martini has changed.
The Old Fashioned has changed.
The Margarita has changed.
The Negroni has changed.
Why shouldn’t the Espresso Martini?
What I like about the current evolution is that bartenders aren’t simply trying to make the drink more ridiculous.
The best ones are asking a better question:
How can we make this familiar drink more interesting without losing what made people love it in the first place?
That’s the sweet spot.
And if the Espresso Martini continues evolving in that direction, I’m perfectly happy to keep ordering them.
Just don’t put a slice of cheesecake on top of mine.
Cheers.
What to Order Next Time
If you’re out and see an Espresso Martini on the menu, here’s my challenge:
Don’t automatically order the most familiar version.
Ask the bartender:
“What’s different about your Espresso Martini?”
Maybe it’s tequila.
Maybe it’s mezcal.
Maybe it’s a local coffee.
Maybe it’s a house-made coffee liqueur.
Maybe it’s something completely unexpected.
That’s the fun.
Because the best part of cocktail culture isn’t finding the one perfect recipe.
It’s finding the version that makes you say:
“Okay… I didn’t expect to like that.”
And that’s exactly why we’re still talking about the Espresso Martini in 2026.
