Mini Espresso Martini

A concentrated coffee cocktail pick-me-up with the signature frothy crema, scaled perfectly for a quick caffeine-boosted sip.

The Mini Espresso Martini applies the small-format precision-drinking philosophy to Dick Bradsell's mid-1980s London creation — the Espresso Martini developed at the Soho Brasserie, not in 1983 as sometimes cited but in the mid-1980s, when Bradsell combined vodka, fresh espresso, coffee liqueur, and sugar syrup in response to a customer's request. The Espresso Martini experienced a remarkable global commercial revival from approximately 2021 onward, driven by social media and the expansion of specialty coffee culture, making it one of the most ordered cocktails in the world within the decade of its revival. The mini format — typically a 40-60ml total serving in a small coupé or shot glass — addresses a specific quality concern unique to the Espresso Martini: the three-coffee-bean garnish rests on the foam, and the foam's persistence is time-dependent. In a full-size serving, the foam has often collapsed before the drink is finished; a mini portion is consumed in two or three sips at optimal temperature and foam consistency. The smaller serve also makes the Espresso Martini practical as a pre-dinner aperitivo in tasting menu contexts and cocktail flight presentations, where the full-size version would be too substantial alongside other pours.