Stirred or shaken, martinis have reemerged into San Francisco’s dining scene in a big way.
Recently solidifying itself as a staple component of “adult Happy Meals” and “girl dinners,” the martini has balanced being trendy with a longtime reputation for being classic and sophisticated. If you’ve been looking for a reason to sip on a martini, you’re in luck – Friday is National Martini Day.
A martini is made with gin and dry vermouth, stirred or shaken with ice, strained into a chilled, stemmed glass and garnished with a lemon twist or olive. Common variations include a vodka martini, with vodka instead of gin; dirty martini, with a splash of olive brine; espresso martini, a frothy coffee-forward vodka martini; and a pornstar martini, a frothy passion fruit vanilla vodka martini, often served with a shot of sparkling wine on the side.
For Nicolas Torres, co-owner and bar director at True Laurel, a good classic martini must be cold and must have vermouth. The combination of the spirit and the wine is what makes a martini a martini, he explained.
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“For me, a martini needs a heavy dose of botanicals from both the wine and the spirit. That’s the whole point,” he said in an email interview. “The drink is built on the interaction between those two ingredients, each bringing its own herbs, spices, roots, flowers, and aromatics. Remove the vermouth and you’re left with something cold and strong, but you’ve lost half of what makes a martini a martini.”
John Ottman, owner of Holy Water, said that a martini is a simple cocktail and is actually not too difficult to create.
“Much like anything you want to create in this world, what you start with goes a long way,” he said in an email interview. “That’s not to say, that if you know what you’re doing you can make almost anything work. Environment is also a contributing factor that often gets overlooked.”
If you’re looking to shake up (or stir up) your go-to spot for martinis, here is a guide to some of the best martinis in the city.
Classic martinis
True Laurel
Created by the team behind the Michelin-starred Lazy Bear in 2017, True Laurel is known for its hyper-season and science-forward cocktails. Its Laurel Martini, made with London dry and Islay gins, vermouth and California Bay tincture, features a 55:45 ratio of gin to vermouth. The secret ingredient? A housemade tincture made by macerating California Bay laurel (not common bay) in a natural spirit.
“A few drops of this, along with the oil from a Meyer lemon, gives the martini everything it needs. It ties the drink together and really hones in on Bay Area essences,” Torres said in an email interview.
True Laurel, 753 Alabama St., San Francisco; 415-341-0020, Instagram: @truelaurelsf. Open Tuesday and Wednesday from 4-10 p.m., Thursday from 4-11 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Bix
Since 1988, this Art Deco supper club has been serving what many consider to be the best martini in the city. Its cocktail menu features all the classics, and live jazz music plays nightly.
Bix, 56 Gold St., San Francisco; 415-433-6300, Instagram: @bixsf. Open Monday to Thursday from 5:30-11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight, Sunday from 5-10:30 p.m.
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Zam Zam
This classic cocktail bar prides itself on its martinis. Established in 1941, Zam Zam was called “the holy shrine of the dry martini” by Herb Caen, a legendary San Francisco journalist.
Zam Zam, 1633 Haight St., San Francisco; 415-861-2545, Instagram: @zamzambarsf. Open Monday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. To 2 a.m.
Reimagined martinis
Holy Water
This religious, chapel-themed bar isn’t a gimmick – it’s got a meticulously curated and seriously delicious cocktail program. Its classic martini is made with London dry gin, dry vermouth and a touch of orange bitters, garnished with a lemon twist.
Looking for a martini with a twist? Its Apostle is made from London dry gin, Basque blanc vermouth, Extrafina grappa and lemon zest. If you’re in need of caffeine, Holy Water’s espresso martini features espresso cold brew, coffee liqueur, coffee-infused blanco tequila, blanc cacao, Italian amaro and kosher salt.
Holy Water, 309 Cortland Ave., San Francisco; Instagram: @holywatersf. Open Sunday to Thursday from 3 p.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.
ABV
This no-reservation cocktail bar has been around since 2014 offering an expansive menu sectioned by liquor. For owner Ryan Fitzgerald, he believes a London dry gin with at least 47% ABV makes the best martini.
ABV’s take on a martini is called the Senora Sol and is made with summer gin, manzanilla, blanc vermouth and pickled onion.
“It’s special because it features a citrus driven, higher proof (47%) Leopold Brother’s ‘Summer Gin’ that we love and it pairs great with a bit of a more full-bodied blanc vermouth as well as dry manzanilla sherry to balance out some of the sweetness coming from the blanc vermouth,” he said in an email interview.
ABV, 3174 16th St., San Francisco; 415-294-1871, Instagram: @abvsf. Open daily from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.
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Pacific Cocktail Haven
Established in 2016, Pacific Cocktail Haven’s founder Kevin Diedrich won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service on Monday.
“I definitely see more and more bars leaning into their culture and their heritage,” he said. “I love to see people embracing what they’re known for, their traditions and culture in their cocktails.”
Pacific Cocktail Haven offers a killer Pornstar Martini , made with Reyka vodka, passion fruit, vanilla and citrus. It’s topped with a halved passion fruit and served with a shot of sparkling wine.
Pacific Cocktail Haven, 550 Sutter St., San Francisco; Instagram: @pch_sf. Open Monday to Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight.
The Treasury
Created from the team behind Bacar, A16 and Absinthe in 2016, The Treasury is located in a historic location that once housed the original Standard Oil Company headquarters.
The Freezer Martini is The Treasury’s twist on a classic martini, made with gin and bison grass vodka and three types of vermouth (Spanish and French dry vermouths, and a blanc vermouth). Mexican mineral water is used to proof before freezing.
“It took me a lot of trial and error to get it to the perfect ABV, so it freezes but does not turn to slush,” general manager Luis Ramos said in an email interview.
For those looking for a pick-me-up, the Treasury Espresso Martini is made from Bacardi eight-year rum, Mr. Black coffee liqueur, Luxumus, muscovado, Angostura and salt.
The Treasury, 200 Bush St. #101, San Francisco; 415-699-7402, Instagram: @thetreasurysf. Open Monday to Friday from noon to 10 p.m.
