Banshee
Red Hook tavern
Birds
LenLen
Golden Steer
Wild cherry
I Cavallini
Cervo's
SWEET 16
Kabawa
Wild Cherry
Click to reveal the winner
ELITE 8
FINAL 4
CHAMPIONSHIP
Each Martini was tasted by VinePair editorial team members and given a rating based on quality, value, originality, style, and garnish. Matchups were determined by similarities in the drinks’ ingredients, bars’ vibes, or both, with the winning cocktail moving on to the next round.
Co-founders:
Joshua Malin
Adam Teeter
Editorial:
Stephen Bradley
Joanna Sciarrino
Hannah Staab
Sarah Strong
Olivia White
Design:
Portrait
Photography:
Vlad Levine
Banshee
Chin uP
Gertrude's
Red hook tavern
birds
subject
Oddball
LenLen
Chez Fifi
Golden Steer
Obvio
Wild Cherry
I Cavallini
Bistrot Ha
Cervo's
Shy Shy
Maison Passerelle
Kabawa
Crevette
Seahorse
Dolores
Seed Library
Rose Marie
Orion Bar
Peacock ALley
The Eighty Six
The View
Flatiron Room
Bazaar Meat
Chateau Royale
Delmonico's
Harry's
Kabawa
Crevette
Dolores
Rose Marie
The Eighty Six
Flatiron Room
Bazaar Meat
harry's
Bazaar
Meat
The
Eighty Six
Rose Marie
Kabawa
I Cavallini
wild cherry
birds
Banshee
Banshee
Wild Cherry
Kabawa
The Eighty Six
It seems like every day a new viral Martini hits the social feeds of plugged-in New York drinkers. For the third edition of our annual Martini Madness competition, we could have made dozens of brackets pitting cocktails that range from classic to kooky against each other in search of the best. We somehow narrowed down that list to just 32 and set off on a mission to taste them all.
Though there is an ever-expanding number of unexpectedly flavored Martinis in the city, we kept our list to ones that hew relatively true-to-form (sorry, Lychee Martini lovers) at new hotspots or beloved joints we’d yet to visit. In sampling over two dozen drinks, we tried fat-washed and infused spirits, many types of brines, olives stuffed every which way, and garnishes both savory and sweet.
Determining this year’s top ‘tini was a Herculean effort our team gladly took on over the past few months. You’ll hear about which we loved and why we think they are outstanding in their field over the next few weeks leading up to the coronation of our new favorite on April 6. Let the madness begin!
Did we miss your favorite? Check out our brackets from 2024 and 2025 — we may have already tried it.
Vinepair
madness
2
credits
how we scored
martini
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2
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Click through the bracket to explore VinePair's journey tasting the best Martinis in NYC. Below you'll find our take on every cocktail, why each Martini beat out its challenger, and more surprises along the way.
FULL BRACKET
When I Cavallini opened in July, there was a lot of buzz. It’s the first sibling to the smashingly successful Four Horsemen, the restaurant often credited with elevating New York’s natural wine scene. It’s also the first from that team to serve cocktails, and the Cavallini Martini meets our high expectations. The 50/50 cocktail combines Old Raj High Proof gin with Gotha Sideral Drai Vermouth. The garnish is the drinker’s choice of an olive, twist, or both, and ordering the twist means receiving a considerable swath of lemon peel that freshens the Martini through the final sip. This cocktail is as lively as it is palatable, and its choice of vermouth, made with citrus, seawater, and capers, brings a cooling quality to the booze. Could a restaurant with a lineage of such experimentation and verve make its namesake cocktail a bit more interesting? Maybe. But I Cavallini’s take on this classic is nothing close to broken, so it doesn’t need fixing.
I Cavallini
Cavallini Martini
After spending 10 years bartending at dive bars in the East Village, Jen Murphy finally opened a space of her own in November 2025. Banshee, an Irish-leaning pub, focuses on three things: Guinness, oysters, and, of course, Martinis. The Classic — made with gin, dry vermouth, orange bitters, and your choice of garnish (a twist or an olive) — is one of the most straightforward yet impressive Martinis we’ve tasted. Pre-batched and stored in the freezer, the cocktail is weighty and viscous, not to mention ice cold, which takes some of the bracing edge off the gin. Served in a frozen glass to ensure the drink’s temperature stays consistent, this Classic Martini is damn near perfect.
Banshee
Classic
For a sip of what is possibly the coldest Martini we’ve ever been served, you won’t want to miss out on a visit to Manhattan’s new Chin Up Bar. Opened in December 2025, the cocktail bar is focused on gin, so it’s no surprise that its house Martini casts a spotlight on the botanical spirit. Arriving ice cold in a pre-frozen glass, the cocktail begins with the slightly overproof Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength Gin, which provides a robust base of juniper, citrus, and pepper notes. While the addition of both dry and blanc vermouth mellow out the spirit’s harsher elements, as the Martini warms up and takes on more of the fortified wines’ essence, their use borders on too much. That said, you do get a choice of garnish, twist or olive, though you can request both should you desire — we certainly did.
Chin Up
Martini
For Dirty Martini lovers, the pickle-forward version at Gertrude’s in Prospect Heights is a compelling contender, and a relative steal at $17. Made with a special collab aquavit from the Industrious Spirit Company (ISCO), plus dry vermouth and pickle juice, it’s a predictably savory and briny Martini, but with the added interest of caraway and dill. A spear of three, sweet-mild pickle chunks reinforces the overall theme of the drink, which is a popular order at the cozy neighborhood spot. And while it certainly scratches the Dirty Martini itch, it doesn’t stray uncomfortably far from the classic (you know what we mean).
Gertrude's
Dirty Gertie
If you find yourself with a seat at Red Hook Tavern (congratulations) and wanting a Martini, the Dukes pairs well with the buzzy spot’s exceedingly popular burger, or on its own of course (but you’re probably getting the burger). While this version is decidedly more flavorful than its London namesake — with the additions of Amalfi lemon oil and salted cucumber especially pronounced — it’s just as cold, arriving with a layer of ice chips on top. For those who prefer their Martinis bone dry, this one pushes the limit a bit, but a surprisingly delectable Gordal olive and pickled gooseberry garnish are definitely worth straying from any personal spec for at least once.
Red Hook Tavern
Dukes martini
The Martini at Birds, the new West Village cocktail bar and music venue, bypasses the avant-garde in favor of absolute technical mastery. Using a sharp 5:1 ratio, the pour centers on Fords Gin, the bar’s call gin, with just a whisper of dry vermouth. Expertly stirred to a viscous, arctic chill, it arrives without a hint of theatrical flair — no house-made tinctures, no fancy garnishes, just a pristine cocktail. It is, quite simply, the most perfect version of a classic one could hope for, if a little boozy. While it offers no surprises, its brilliance lies in its execution; it is a flawless standard-bearer in a city of over-designed drinks.
Birds
Gin martini
At Subject on the Lower East Side, the classic gin Martini arrives with the quiet confidence of a neighborhood staple. It’s a no-nonsense preparation: a solid, juniper-forward gin stirred with a reliable dry vermouth until sufficiently chilled, then served up with a lemon twist. In an era of fat-washing and savory infusions, there is something inherently respectable about a bar that refuses to overcomplicate the basics. But while the balance is technically sound and the dilution is handled with care, the cocktail lacks that elusive, transformative zing. It is a perfectly functional, well-made drink that satisfies a craving without sparking a conversation — solid for a night out, but maybe not memorable enough to revisit.
Subject
Gin martini
Oddball in Alphabet City gets its name from the seemingly incongruous ingredient pairings in each cocktail. But, don’t worry, the team has the pedigree to back up these inventive combos. Their take on a Martini is called the Infinite Loop. It’s meant to mimic a Vesper, but with some distinct deviations. First, the gin is flavored with sesame and hazelnut for toasty warmth. It also incorporates whey brandy, which offers fruity tones, and a white aperitif for bitterness. To garnish, a circle of guava paste is applied to the inside wall of a Nick and Nora glass. While there’s definitely a lot going on in this cocktail, it’s hard to find all of the components or distinguish the flavors. It reads as a Martini thanks to the booze-forward spec and accent spirits, but everything gets a little muddied, especially as it sits.
Oddball
Infinite Loop
LenLen bills itself as a living room more than a restaurant, and it’s easy to make yourself comfortable in the highly-adorned space. The creative cocktails echo ingredients featured on the food menu and reflect the team’s Thai heritage, as does all the decor at the buzzy spot. The half-sized Jasmine Martini is a perfect introduction and pairs well with every dish on offer. It’s made with honey-distilled vodka, Japanese gin, vermut blanco, and jasmine green tea. Each element is kept chilled separately, only meeting in the mixing glass, before getting vigorously stirred with ice. It’s strained into a tall glass with a narrow bowl, so half-sized looks like the full deal. The color nods towards the tea while the taste is instantly recognizable as a vermouth-forward, lightly sweetened Martini. It’s refreshing in contrast to the spicy, craveable food and ticks all the boxes for a solid, inventive Martini.
LenLen
Jasmine Martini
In the world of Dirty Martinis, it's widely accepted that blue cheese–stuffed olives represent the pinnacle of high-end garnishes. Chez Fifi really leans into that idea with its signature Blue Cheese Martini by infusing the entire cocktail with the essence of the elite ingredient. This is fitting, as the Upper East Side restaurant oozes luxury, from the fabric-lined walls and tableclothed banquets in the dining room to the swanky, art-filled cocktail lounge upstairs. The rich Martini combines Roquefort-washed Ketel One Vodka, Bermutto sake vermouth, and olive brine. It is, of course, presented with a large, blue cheese–stuffed olive. If you aren’t a tried-and-true funky cheese fanatic, we suggest steering clear — it’s absolutely packed with pungent Roquefort flavor. For some, this might be the answer to their Dirty Martini prayers, but it is perhaps too blue cheesy for those who’d prefer the dairy confined to the garnish alone.
Chez Fifi
Blue Cheese Martini
Golden Steer, a swanky steakhouse import from Las Vegas, is the most recent restaurant to take up residence in the historic One Fifth building. And the Vegas vibes come through loud and clear, with over-the-top tableside carts serving up premium slabs of meat and comically large lobster tails. While the dining room is where all the showmanship takes place, the bar is actually a relatively relaxed place to enjoy a cocktail. Surprisingly, the only on-menu Martini is Golden Steer’s take on a Gibson, made with Fords Gin, vermouth, and orange bitters then garnished with a house-made pickled onion. Though it didn’t quite blow our minds, the drink delivered on the Gibson’s classic, savory, onion-infused flavors. Plus it earned points for its generous serving size (including a chilled sidecar) and cheeky glassware embossed with dice as a nod to the restaurant’s Vegas roots.
Golden Steer
Gibson
Obvio is a ‘70s-themed dream, complete with groovy giraffe-print walls and a central bar surrounded by warm orbs of light. In line with this psychedelic atmosphere is the sleek Obvio Martini, which arrives in a tall glass with a hypnotic spiral of skillfully peeled celery sitting at its center. Rather than a typical London Dry expression, the bar’s namesake cocktail uses Abrojo Oaxaca Gin as its base, which, in addition to juniper and other typical botanicals, is made with spent agave from mezcal production as a key ingredient, infusing the Martini with a distinct smoky note. The gin is mixed with blanc vermouth, which adds a touch of sweetness to the palate. Though the agave-forward notes stray a little far from our favored Martini profile, the drink does come with a large sidecar on ice, which can easily fill your glass an additional two times.
Obvio
Obvio Martini
Hidden behind the historic Cherry Lane theater, Wild Cherry leans into the setting’s dramatic side with a menu full of elaborate, showstopping presentations, though the bar team decided on a more traditional route for its signature Dirty Martini. The drink, served with a choice of gin or vodka, incorporates its own unique dirty mix, made with olive brine, verjus, and the pickling liquid from its house-cured celery. A few drops of an oyster shell-infused tincture made with shucked remnants from the kitchen’s raw bar rounds out the build. The final drink is served with a pitted queen olive stuffed with a thin slice of pickled celery. The hints of celery and olive nod to the vibe of a classic Dirty Martini, but if you’re looking for something filled to the brim with olive brine, this isn’t the drink for you. Rather, this crisp, clean cocktail is expertly balanced with a mineral, saline finish — perfect for washing down oysters or the restaurant’s famously juicy burger.
Wild Cherry
Dirty Martini
At the new spot from the chefs behind ultra-popular Ha’s Snack Bar, the team crafts clever dishes that infuse Vietnamese flavors into French bistrot classics. The restaurant group’s Instagram account leaves a cheeky disclaimer in its bio, “everything contains fish sauce,” which even rings true for its namesake Martini made with sea salt, fish sauce, and the meat of an oyster plunked in the bottom of the glass. Adventurous diners that dare to order this savory, briny riff are given the choice between Beefeater Gin or Belvedere Vodka as the base. We opted for the gin, and the result was a crisp, cool Martini with an intense saline edge. Though we appreciate the creativity, the oyster doesn’t exactly look very appetizing, and it takes some courage to gulp down the specimen at the end.
Bistrot Ha
Ha's Martini
Sometimes, it can be stressful to finish a cocktail before it gets so warm it’s no longer enjoyable. But at Cervo’s, there’s no need to rush when sipping the 50/50 Martini. In a departure from the classic serve, the equal-parts gin and white vermouth concoction arrives on the rocks, resulting in a cocktail that’s more akin to an aromatized aperitif than a Martini. The lowball serve makes the drink much more approachable than some of its counterparts, as its lower-ABV offers a rounder flavor profile with prominent notes of juniper, lemon oil, and herbs. Priced at just $16 and garnished with both a lemon twist and an olive, it’s a refreshing and well-executed spin on a classic.
Cervo's
50/50 martini
Shy Shy in Chelsea is a wine and cocktail bar from the same team behind Jungle Bird, which just so happens to be right across the street. Cocktail-wise, the bar is best known for its collection of experimental Martinis, including an intriguing Caesar salad number that we’re saving for another visit. Instead, we went for their unique interpretation of the classic 50/50, served on the rocks. The cocktail begins with bay leaf-infused Gray Whale Gin, which immediately plants the drink in savory territory thanks to the herb’s abundance of woody, earthy, and bitter notes. While blended with an equal parts mixture of dry and blanc vermouths, the cocktail remains decidedly gin-forward, with the bay leaf infusion leading the way. Garnished with a lemon twist and a caper berry, it’s an interesting spin on a classic 50/50.
Shy Shy
50/50
Maison Passerelle might be the best restaurant you’ll ever go to inside a department store. We were excited about the Pikliz Martini, an homage to the spicy, tangy, Haitian pickled vegetable relish, but we struggled to find those fiery flavors in the drink. The foundation of the cocktail is Belvedere Vodka accented with yuzu Sake and carrot eau de vie. The pikliz components — a dash of brine and house-infused Noily Prat Vermouth — are added to the batched base. Though the pikliz is made with cabbage, carrots, black peppercorns, and both habanero and Scotch bonnet peppers, the finished Martini, garnished with a flower, tastes strongly of tomato water. The meal elevates the drink, but the promised profile was harder to find.
Maison Passerelle
Pikliz Martini
If you can get a reservation at the tasting-menu-only Kabawa, you’re in for a treat, but the connected Bar Kabawa is accessible enough, even as a walk in. The namesake Martini is available at either spot, even though it’s only listed on the menu at the main restaurant. It’s made with your choice of gin or vodka, fino sherry, and fresh coconut water, which nicely mellows either of the assertive spirits and turns the oft-boozy drink into a refreshing quaff perfect for sipping alongside pepper shrimp, goat patties, or any of their amazing dishes. The garnish also melds classic and Caribbean: a coconut-stuffed olive that enhances the fruits’ natural creaminess and luscious fattiness. The cocktail is definitely still recognizable as a Martini, but with just a touch of nutty sweetness — an unexpected and exceptionally well done twist.
Kabawa
Martini Kabawa
Tucked away in the West Village is Crevette, a French- and Spanish-influenced seafood spot opened in February 2025 by the same team behind Dame and Lord’s. Given the restaurant’s Spanish inspirations, it’s only fitting that its Combinación Martini fuses some of the country’s most famous ingredients. Mahón Gin, distilled on the island of Menorca, imbues the cocktail with a peppery, citrusy, and salty essence. The gin joins forces with white vermouths and another Spanish mainstay, Fino Sherry, before the garnish, a lemon twist and a fat green olive, is added. While slightly sweeter and nuttier than your average Martini, the cocktail maintains its crisp, botanical backbone, offering an ideal entry point for a Martini newbie. Plus, it’s $18, which is pretty good bang for your buck — at least by New York City standards.
Crevette
Combinación
The hotel bar has long been regarded as one of the best places to score a well-made Martini, and Seahorse at the W in Union Square is no exception. Made with Monkey 47 Gin, Lillet, and Yellow Chartreuse, Seahorse’s house Martini drinks more like an Alaska than a classic dry version, but who said that was a problem? Considering the two liqueurs in the mix, it’s slightly sweeter than your average gin Martini, yet it retains its botanicals with prominent notes of mint, juniper, pine, and candied orange. Rather than a lemon rind or an olive, it arrives with an orange peel, an interesting twist — no pun intended — that brings a pleasant orange blossom note to the final cocktail.
Seahorse
SH Martini
Dolores, a Mexican restaurant-bar in Bed-Stuy that opened last July, boasts a renowned cocktail menu — and its Martini, called the Midnight Cowboy, is no exception. The cocktail is a mixture of gin, dry and blanc vermouths, and manzanilla sherry. It arrives in a Nick and Nora glass garnished with a lemon twist. On the side, a skewered, cotija-stuffed olive is kept in a cup of crushed ice. The garnish lends cheesy funk to each sip, adding an intriguing element to an otherwise classic quaff. The manzanilla does not come through strongly — but the Martini is so well curated that any offbeat flavor might mess with its balance.
Dolores
Midnight Cowboy
Seed Library comes at a time when the city’s Martini scene is divided into purists and avant-gardes, and the cocktail den’s Unfiltered Martini occupies a sort-of middle ground. The drink is a mixture of Haku Vodka and “really great potato,” the liquid from potatoes that have been broken down by enzymes and bacteria. Each sip of the refreshingly-cold Martini begins with the semi-sweet taste and creamy texture of potato, followed by a subtle note of vodka. The spirit’s heft is only compounded by the starchy water, and working through the drink leaves potato remnants on the glass. The garnish — finally revealed with the last sip — is a colorful trio of boba pearls carrying the flavors of lychee, peach, and pineapple. Despite its ingenuity, the Unfiltered Martini could use moments of brightness from brine, herbs, or a twist to counterbalance its unrelenting weight.
Seed Library
Unfiltered Martini
Rose Marie makes a near-perfect rendition of a Dirty Martini. The drink is practically opaque, almost totally obscuring anything on the other side of the glass — an appearance that instantly signals an ideal ratio of booze to brine. For this green tomato take, bartenders blend pickled tomato, olive, and pepperoncini brines with the drinker’s choice of gin or vodka. It arrives perfectly cold in a stout coupe glass, cupping the salty, floral cocktail that hides a hint of peppery spice. For the garnish, a sliver of green tomato is wrapped around a green olive, the ensemble kept together by a mini skewer. If this laid-back yet crisp and balanced Martini has any immediate fault, it’s the adornment. The tomato slice is sometimes flimsy and can look sloppy atop an otherwise beautiful drink. But this Martini isn’t trying to be anything that it’s not. Who cares if the garnish is a bit messy when the drink is this filthily good?
Rose Marie
Green Tomato Martini
Bushwick’s Orion Bar serves up familiar Korean-American flavors in creative ways. That ethos extends to the drinks menu, which includes frozen cocktails served in Spam containers and a Dirty Martini riff. This nuanced take on the of-the-moment drink uses Dorothy Parker Gin infused with kelp, shiitake mushrooms, and lemon oil. The aromatic spirit is mixed with rice-based vermouth and served in a coupe with a singular (but very large) olive. It strikes a nice balance between floral aromatics and savory complexity without straying too far from the classic flavor profile of a Dirty Martini, but its overall mellow vibes left us wishing for a bit more wow-factor.
Orion Bar
Dirty Martini
If the Martini is a symbol of Gilded Age luxury, it fits in at Peacock Alley, the recently-reopened cocktail bar at the Waldorf Astoria. The bar is all swank and status: The gold-plated room features low couches and high ceilings. The Waldorf Martini matches that stature. It comes in an impressively tall coupe glass, and, for the garnish, a skewered castelvetrano olive and lemon coin are submerged in the vessel. The drink itself is a mixture of Fords Gin and Mancino Secco Vermouth, forming a crisp, slightly floral, and just barely boozy Martini. It is incredibly smooth, perhaps a bit too much so as it’s stirred for nearly a full minute. The hefty, $35 price tag might seem justified by the location, but a Martini worth that much, in our opinion, must be something out of this world.
Peacock Alley
Waldorf Martini
Order the Smoked Dirty Martini at The Eighty Six in the West Village, and you’re in for a show. The bartender plants a frozen olive at the center of a frosted crystal glass then drips distilled water chilled to just below freezing on top, forming a slushy mound. Then, a serving of vodka and applewood-smoked olive brine surrounds the icy pile. On the palate, smoke is at the forefront with a muted note of ice-cold Grey Goose at the back, nailing the sweet spot between a classic Martini and a modern twist. An olive oil–wash lends the drink a silky texture that lingers on the lips and gives the concoction body. A small tray of olives — one dotted with caviar, another stuffed with crème fraîche, and the third filled with anchovies and crème fraîche — and Marcona almonds come on the side. Overall, the highly exclusive restaurant’s signature Martini flaunts a mastery of theatrics and substance.
The Eighty Six
Smoked Dirty Martini
First opened in 1985, The View, the revolving restaurant at the top of Midtown’s Marriott Marquis, was once a tourist attraction. When Danny Meyer reopened it in 2025, it transformed into a much more compelling and inventive destination for fine dining and drinks. As the name suggests, the Katz’s Martini is inspired by the Lower East Side institution, cleverly reimagining the flavors of its beloved deli fare as brisket-washed gin, aquavit, pastrami spices, and pickle juice. The result is a riff on the cocktail that’s a fun novelty to try once if not a Martini for the ages. Sadly, ours was missing its house pickle garnish, but the overall idea still comes across. In our opinion (and for the money), the charming lounge experience is better enjoyed with the ice-cold and much more classic View Martini.
The View
Katz's Martini
A pizza-flavored Martini might sound like a bad idea, and in less deft hands it probably would be. But the folks at the Flatiron Room manage to pull it off skillfully, with a cocktail that evokes pizza more than it tastes like you’re actually eating a slice. And it’s a better, brighter, crisper drink for it. Olive oil–washed Haku Vodka provides a full-bodied base with just enough flavor on which to add sun dried-tomato liqueur and herbal vermouth. The pre-batched drink arrives well-chilled with an extra ounce or so in a side car over ice and garnished with three grilled olives stuffed with tangy goat cheese — which maybe aren’t decidedly pizza-y, but are very delicious nonetheless.
Flatiron Room
Pizza Martini
Past the lobby of the posh Ritz-Carlton NoMad, through the swanky bar, and up the mosaic staircase sits Bazaar Meat, an outpost of the Las Vegas paean to beef helmed by José Andrés and his team. At a place so opulent, the Martini service meets the moment. A cart holding a bespoke ice chest glides to the table, and the experience begins when the waiter super-chills a steep-walled glass with liquid nitrogen. Next, your choice of olive oil–washed gin or vodka and the house dry vermouth meets the glass, followed, if you choose, by olive brine. Take your pick of olives — plain or blue cheese–stuffed — pickled onion or a lemon twist as a garnish, and add an aromatic spritz of dill, rosemary, thyme, or black pepper. Our dirty gin Martini perfumed with dill was enhanced by the fat wash for a smooth mouthfeel, with each element detectable without being overpowering, blending into a well-balanced cocktail we’d happily enjoy any day.
Bazaar Meat
Martini Service
Chateau Royale only serves freezer-style cocktails in their upstairs dining room, so you’d expect their Martini — made with gin or vodka, classic or dirty — to be perfectly executed, if nothing else, but it sadly missed the mark. Chilled crystal decanters are placed on a wheeled cart and poured tableside. The vodka Dirty Martini we tried contained the house mix of vermouths along with olive brine and came with a ramekin of the plump fruit on the side. The drink came out vermouth-forward with a hint of salinity from the brine but not as cold as expected, and with a decidedly heavier mouthfeel. While lovers of the aromatized wine might consider this one a winner, the presentation didn’t overcome our lukewarm response to the Martini overall.
Chateau Royale
Chateau Martini
At the storied Financial District steakhouse Delmonico’s, the aura of Gilded Age opulence promises a Martini that transcends time. Their build is a sophisticated split-base flex: Bombay Sapphire 1er Cru lends a bright, lemony, citrus backbone, while Grey Goose provides that crisp, silky weight. Add the bittersweet depth of Contratto Bianco and the fragrant, liqueur-driven intensity of Acqua di Cedro, and you have a recipe that looks great on a menu. But even when prepared well, the result lacks balance. The delicate botanicals of the gin can’t withstand the powerful citrus liqueur and sweeter vermouth, leaving you with an imbalanced drink instead of a steakhouse classic.
Delmonico's
Delmonico's Martini
The Martini at Harry’s is a welcome classic. The "Famous" build relies on a crisp, 2:1 ratio of Botanist Islay Dry Gin to Dolin Dry. Garnished with a salty queen olive and a bright zip of lemon, it is, on paper, the quintessential Wall Street lubricant — sharp and well balanced. But the execution hits a singular, lukewarm snag. While the glass is chilled down with ice, the pre-batched, bottled Martini poured into it lacks that necessary sub-zero snap. Nevertheless, it’s a good enough tasting classic, just be sure to ask for it extra cold.
Harry's
Harry's Famous Martini
It doesn’t get more New York than pastrami and pizza, but in this alt-Dirty Martini throwdown, Flatiron Room’s slice-inspired cocktail is much more subtle than the View’s over-spiced, under-garnished affair.
Chin Up Bar’s Martini earns points for its flexible garnish and perfect temperature, but its vermouth-forward build is no match for Banshee’s crisp, freezer-door Classic.
While Gertrude’s Dirty Gertie is an excellent option that’s undoubtedly easier to come by, the Dukes Martini at Red Hook Tavern skews closer to the classic, arrives ice cold, and has a garnish that’s hard to beat.
In these two classic, house-spec cocktails, Birds’ 5:1 Martini is cold, stiff, and executed with such precision that it edges out Subject’s to move on to the next round.
In a matchup of two of the funkiest Martinis on our list, Oddball’s Infinite Loop lacks some finesse while LenLen’s pint-sized Jasmine Martini stays refreshing from the first sip to the last.
Golden Steer’s classic Gibson, served
in delightfully cheeky glassware, just
inches out Chez Fifi’s savory, blue cheese–laden riff.
Obvio’s use of smoky, Oaxacan gin makes for a stand-out Martini, but the crisp, minerality of Wild Cherry’s oyster-infused drink comes out ahead.
Though Bistrot Ha’s Martini is notable for its use of fish sauce and a full oyster, I Cavallini wins us over with its masterful house Martini.
Both spots wow with inventive 50/50 Martinis served on the rocks, but Shy Shy’s rendition has a woodsy and savory essence that can’t beat out Cervo’s more approachable, aperitif-style spin.
In a battle of Caribbean flavors, Maison Passerelle is no match for Kabawa’s simple elegance. Its easy-drinking namesake Martini evokes a beachfront vacation, and that’s hard to beat.
It was a valiant fight, but Crevette’s sherry-soaked Combinación has a nutty edge and attractive price that helps it nose out Seahorse’s herbal, Alaska-leaning SH Martini.
The Unfiltered Martini at Seed Library intrigues us with its ingenuity, but its muted flavor isn’t enough to beat out the easy-drinking Midnight Cowboy at Dolores.
Both Rose Marie and Orion Bar offer punchy takes on the Dirty Martini, but Rose Marie ’s Green Tomato version pushes the envelope to brinier heights.
While Peacock Alley delivers a clean, well-balanced classic, the theatrics of The Eighty Six’s Smoked Olive Martini don’t compromise its delicious flavor, advancing it to the next round.
While both Chateau Royale and Bazaar Meat offer engaging tableside experiences, the impeccable attention to detail at Bazaar Meat made this an easy call.
In a FiDi showdown, Harry’s classic 2:1 build triumphs over Delmonico’s sweeter, citrusy take, which lacks the balance we look for in a Martini.
Banshee
Red Hook
tavern
Birds
LenLen
Golden Steer
Wild cherry
I Cavallini
Cervo's
Kabawa
Crevette
Dolores
Rose Marie
The
Eighty Six
Flatiron Room
Bazaar Meat
harry's
Red Hook Tavern is a destination-worthy spot with a cucumber- and lemon-infused Martini that arrives so cold it skates. While it’s certainly worth a try, Banshee’s ice-cold, uncomplicated Classic leaves us wanting more.
While the sweet and cooling Jasmine Martini is the perfect foil for the fare at LenLen, it just can’t edge out Birds’ classic, technical masterpiece.
Golden Steer delivers a classic Gibson for an attractive price, but we can’t ignore the creativity behind Wild Cherry’s Dirty Martini made with oyster shells and pickled celery.
Cervo’s serves an impressively laid-back yet balanced 50/50 Martini, but I Cavallini’s half-and-half concoction is a bigger celebration of botanical and citrus flavors.
Crevette’s Combinación puts up a good fight, but Kabawa’s crowd-pleasing take leaves a stronger impression that we’re still thinking about.
While Dolores’ cotija-stuffed olive delivers an unexpected but welcome funk, Rose Marie’s trio of brines makes for a drink we can’t stop sipping.
Though the Flatiron Room delights us with what could’ve been an overwrought drink — the Pizza Martini — The Eighty Six wows us even more with a cocktail that doubles as a show.
Harry’s Bar might be a classic, but Bazaar Meat upstages the traditional Martini at its own game. The considered touches like a liquid nitrogen-chilled glass and gentle, botanical spritz take this Martini service over the top.
Both Banshee and Birds offer stellar, no-frills, ice-cold Martinis that let their spirits speak for themselves. At the end of this classic showdown, Banshee’s take wins us over due to its impressive balance and $15 price tag.
I Cavallini’s high-quality combination of gin and vermouth is just about as good as a classic 50/50 can get, but Wild Cherry’s Dirty Martini manages to deliver a similarly stunning flavor profile with more intriguing elements.
Rose Marie offers an excellent, briny experience with their Green Tomato Martini, but Kabawa’s coconut water–kissed cocktail comes out on top.
In the battle of olive oil–washed booze, The Eighty Six clinches the spot in the semifinals with its wow factor in both presentation and flavor.
We tried cocktails both simple and complex this year, but Kabawa’s winning variation proves that the only thing needed for a memorable Martini is a conviction to your craft. Though the bar team’s focus is rum and every Daiquiri on the menu is a winner, the elegantly crafted coconut water Martini is, in our humble opinion, a showstopper. Made with Plymouth Gin or Ketel One Vodka, fino sherry, and fresh coconut water, it’s refreshing and nicely mellow without straying too far from the Martini’s mold. Purists will still get their requisite olive, but they’ll be pleasantly surprised by the creamy, coconut center that plays well with the fruit’s natural richness. Whether you have an order you never stray from or think Martinis aren’t for you, the Martini Kabawa will win you over.
Kabawa
Martini Kabawa
The Eighty Six serves possibly the most scientifically intriguing Martini in town, but the smoked olives prove slightly polarizing in the face of Kabawa’s rendition.
While Banshee’s simple combination of gin, vermouth, and orange bitters is basically as good as a classic Martini can get, Wild Cherry gets extra credit for complexity from the house-made oyster shell tincture and savory pickled celery.
