Cirrus Vodka’s Martini Club (Photo courtesy Cirrus Vodka)
The martini isn’t a starter cocktail, it’s a destination — a drink at which you eventually land, often when you’re a little older, perhaps wiser, more unbothered, with a craving for bracing, ice-cold truth. No sugar, no sparkle; just an iconic glass of gin and vermouth, stirred until arctic. The proportions matter. The temperature matters. The twist or the olive (or onion!) matters. Even though the ’90s tried to turn everything in a V-shaped glass into a “martini,” the original endures. These are local spots that get it right.
Photo by By Jacqui Photography courtesy Pink Room
The Classic
Extra chilly, unapologetic and in your face, dry as you want it. Not sure how dry that is? Go on Thursday — they serve $6 Tiny Tinis so you can step up the vermouth drop by drop without dropping to the floor.
The Dirty
Bamboo has been slinging martinis since 1974, so trust that they impress. It’s fitting that their dirty martini outshines their classic (though not by much) — a deliciously salty sipper served in an atmosphere where slurping olive brine is a total vibe match.
The Gibson
At Scott’s Addition hot spot The Brooklyn, the “house martini” is in fact a Gibson, sporting a cocktail onion. They push the limit ever so slightly by adding bitters — a move we approve of.
The Vodkatini
A small margin of folks decry the vodka martini as illegitimate but let us convince you: Vodka wasn’t even on the American scene when the martini was born. It was popularized in bars during the 1940s, while gin has been around since 1769. Cirrus’ Martini Club (it’s a punch card) offers a chance to taste nine vodka variations, so you can decide whether you’re Team Vodka or Team Gin.
