The dining out guide for Bonfire Night in Liverpool
18 Sep 2024
18 Sep 2024
Liverpool’s Guide to Espresso Martinis
The espresso martini was invented by the famous English bartender Dick Bradsell in the late 1980s while at Fred’s Club in London. Apparently, a young lady (legend has it, it may have been a young Naomi Campbell) requested a drink that would, “Wake me up, and then f*ck me up.” Talk about a good way to start off!
Popular ever since, espresso martinis don’t only look very classy, but they are synonymous with adulting. They are essentially a Vodka Redbull for grown ups! Mixing the combination of coffee, which let’s face it, no one drinks under the age of 21, and (traditionally) vodka, has become a classic cocktail that packs a punch! It’s rare nowadays to find a cocktail bar that doesn’t serve these on their menu. Although, because of their popularity over the last few years, these sought after drinks often come with a high price-tag.
From artisan flavours to cheap(er) price-tags, here is your comprehensive guide to the cocktail that has become the go-to for millennials all over the world.
Made with Baileys and Kahlua, this is no ordinary espresso martini. This is probably the most sickly espresso martini you’ll ever have but it’s just too good to miss. Tasty, boozy and cheap! Sitting at £6.95, this is the best priced cocktail on the list. Plus, coupled with La Parrilla’s amazing Mexican food, you’ll be downing these drinks with a tequila chaser before you can say ‘olé’. You can track these deliciously sweet espresso martinis down to two locations in Liverpool: Bold Street and Lark Lane. La Parrilla Bar & Grill opened its doors to Bold Street in 2017 and within two years, was named the best restaurant in Liverpool in 2019. This restaurant has a great atmosphere, with friendly staff, great food and espresso martinis galore, what’s not to love?
We all know coffee is the most important meal of the day and we all know the saying, ‘It’s 12 o’clock somewhere!’ Press Bros combine both of these classic sayings to create their boozy, delicious coffee-based cocktails. From the Baltic Market, brothers Oliver and Tito started Press Bros in 2018 and have recently opened their very own shop on Lark Lane. Using the infamous coffee specialists, Neighbourhood Coffee, these guys know their way around everything from the frothiest of cappuccinos to the flattest of whites. They also sell unreal espresso martinis. But not just any espresso martinis. This is the place to go for Biscoff, Kinder Bueno and Baileys espresso martinis to name a few. They also did a Terry’s Chocolate Orange espresso martini, which they will hopefully bring back for the festive season because it was the best drink to grace Liverpool (Press Bros, if you’re reading this, BRING IT BACK!). Now, if that isn’t music to your ears, these bad boys sit at £7.50 each, making them one of the cheapest places to get your alcoholic coffee fix. You’re welcome.
Located at the top of the infamous Bold Street, the little cafe at the ‘top of the hill’ has been a Liverpool institution for more than four decades. Established in 1974, in the style of the great Bohemian cafes of Europe, Cafe Tabac has always been a hub for the creative residents of Liverpool. The cafe has never shut its doors and is now the longest-running cafe bar in Liverpool, still independently owned by Rita’s family, and retains the charm and authenticity that only comes with serving the city for 40-odd years.
Not only does this cafe-bar make amazing espresso martinis, it also serves extremely delicious and extremely reasonably priced food to match. It’s a great spot for a lunch-time tipple or a late evening drink.
Jenny’s follows a speakeasy theme and is situated in the business district inside the famous Jenny’s Seafood Restaurant on Fenwick Street. In true Jenny’s style, their cocktails come with a quirky twist and their espresso martinis are no exception. Made with vanilla vodka, Caffee Borgetti (if you haven’t heard of this, it’s Italian espresso made from Arabica and Robusta coffee beans), coffee liqueur, espresso cold brew and almond syrup, this drink has a really rich flavour that makes you want to savour every sip. Surprisingly, their cocktail only comes in at £8, which isn’t bad on the scale of tastiness vs alcoholic content! Jenny’s has a sexy and luxurious feel, with heavy drapes and red velvet decor. Coupled with their funk, soul and disco tunage, you’ll be boogying in no time!
These guys don’t just offer you an espresso martini… they offer you their own spro’tinis! You can ask for your delicious choice of white, dark or milk chocolate espresso martinis or salted caramel. Priced at £9.25 each, or £9.50 for salted caramel, this is on the more expensive side of average but, coupled with their high quality steaks and rustic decor, this is a great location to sit back and indulge yourself. Not your typical place to find delicious cocktails, take a seat in what feels like a country pub, but in the heart of the city.
