19 To Try: Essential Melbourne Martinis for Every Mood

Martini: a stirred-down, served-up cocktail typically a blend of gin or vodka with vermouth. It should be straightforward, but once you start going down that rabbit hole, you’ll find a boggling array of variations.

Do you prefer gin or vodka? A classic gin, or something New World? Maybe citrus-forward or Navy Strength? Dry (more gin) or wet (more vermouth) or perfect (50/50 split)? With a twist of lemon? Or a sweet cocktail onion (that’s a Gibson)? Or dirty with an olive and brine?

Here, we explore the city’s broad Martini spectrum.

The Classic – Caretaker’s Cottage
The Caretaker’s cocktail menu changes up every month, but the Martini stays put. It’s a precision engineered pre-batched drink poured straight and cold from the steel thermos. Simple, clean and elegant. Choose your garnish: olive, Gibson cocktail onion or a twist of lemon – that’s it.

The Unexpected – The Elysian
Renowned among the aficionados as one of Melbourne’s best whisky bars, The Elysian is home to rows and rows of damn fine bottles of whisky from Scotland, Japan, America, Taiwan, Australia and elsewhere. But if you’re not one for dark liquor, don’t worry. ’Surprisingly, The Elysian is also a spot for one of the cleanest, brightest dry Martinis that’ll knock the wind right out of you. Plus, they also have a Milo Espresso Martini.

The Hidden Gem – Flower Drum front bar
Not many people know you can just waltz into the front bar at Flower Drum and get one of the best Martinis in Melbourne, along with a serve of dumplings or duck pancakes. Whether it’s the softness of the seasonal Anther Mooncake Gin or powerful Goddess Gin, the Martini here is killer.

The One You Keep Coming Back For – Bar Bellamy
The Martini is an ever-changing fixture of the Bar Bellamy menu – as beloved as the devilled eggs or the chicken liver cannoli. Although the ingredients and flavours change regularly, the Martini here is generally more subtle than some of the high-ABV, juniper-burn punches in the mouth you’ll find elsewhere. It tends towards more delicate or playful style. An infusion here, a splash of something there, a little local flavour, slipping between sweet and savoury.

The Tiny-tini – Cathedral Coffee
This café-bar is not just for toasties, coffee and cult wine. Cathedral Coffee does a half-size lil guy served with a fat olive.

The Extra Treat – Apollo Inn
This one is best enjoyed either lingering in the dim light at the bar, or as a quick one waiting in the hallway during a busy service. Here the team does a stunning dry Gibson with a little pickled onion. Order it with a rosti – and caviar – for an elite drink and snack combo.

The Dirty Pickle – Eat Pierogi Make Love
When a dirty Martini isn’t enough because you’re a brine-sippin’ pickle person, you need the Ogorkini – a vodka Martini made with fermented cucumber brine and served with half an ogorki (Polish pickle).

The Ever Changing – Navi Lounge
It’s seasonal, it’s special, it’s absolutely worth a trip to Navi – the lounge bar’s chameleonic Martini keeps people coming back. Previous incarnations of this ever-changing item include a duckfat Martini and a garden Martini with herb infusions, tomato water and sweet and sour dill oil.

The Ice Cold – Askal
Ralph Libo-on’s take on the Martini at Filipino restaurant Askal is served at negative fifteen degrees Celsius. This positively arctic Gibson is made with Dutch Rules new world gin, a house blend of vermouths, coriander oil and pickled onion brine.

The Old-Time Twist – The Everleigh
The Everleigh Martini is a variation known as a Hoffman House, a shaken wet Martini with orange bitters. It’s bright, terribly refreshing, available half-size, full-size or – best of all – in a carafe.

Breath of Fresh Air – Union Electric
Not every Martini needs to be imbibed in a dark, sexy bar – sometimes you just want someone in a Hawaiian shirt to serve you a goblet of dry artisanal gin with a whiff of vermouth on a rooftop in the sun. There’s an extensive variety of gins (especially Australian) and craft vodkas, so pick your favourite and let them do the rest.

The Floral Fino-tini – Bar Spontana
Sherry’s having a bit of a moment (at last). Putting fino sherry in a Martini, often as a split with the vermouth, is a refreshing touch. The Martini at Bar Spontana uses a collab gin made by Mr West and Poor Tom distillery, as well as Saison Summer Flowers vermouth and a fino sherry. Alluring and surprisingly sessionable.

To Your Taste – Commis
A welcoming walk-in spot for the solo Martini drinker. Wander in and grab a seat at the bar – you’ll find a Martini variation on the menu, but, if it’s not to your taste, just ask for a classic. The Commis crew have an equal mastery of cocktails and hospitality. You’d expect no less from industry pros with that Gerald’s Bar background.

The Jelly-Shot Riff – Pearl Diver
A unique take on the dirty Martini. Instead of splashing the brine and olive around in your glass, they offer an ice-cold pre-batched gin Martini served alongside a jelly-like shot of salty, oily olive goodness in an oyster shell. You take the shot and let it melt and coat your mouth, so each sip you have of the Martini is perfectly seasoned.

The Worth Waiting For – Above Board
It’s hard to look past the special signature beverage list at this renowned bar, yes, and sure you can get Martinis at other bars (see: this list) but it’s worth putting your name down and waiting in line just to order the Above Board classic Martini with a twist.

A Little Luxe – Yugen Dining
The house Martinis change regularly here, but they always have a Japanese twist – either in the spirit or seasoning. Not feeling experimental? The skill of the bartenders, coupled with the excellent selection of gins and vodkas on the backbar, make Yugen a perfect place to order a Martini as you like.

The Nearly-Not-Dirty – Gimlet
Perhaps more renowned even than the namesake Gimlet, the Cavendish House Martini is a fragrant classic gin number served with a three-olive combo on the side, so you can dirty it to your taste (or just snack between sips).

The Wild Card – Purple Pit
Of course, Joe Jones and the team at Purple Pit would make a banging Martini, but don’t expect to get the same thing twice. They change it up whenever they get bored. Whether it’s a classic Gibson or a special variation, such as legendary bartender Frank Meier’s version, Frank’s Special, from the Ritz in Paris – slightly sweet with a dash of crème de peche and peach syrup – it always hits the spot.

Last Martini of the Night – Black Pearl*
Great and open late, a reliable industry pit-stop. Maybe they have a Martini ready on the always-changing menu, maybe you’ll just have to trust that with more than two decades of slinging cocktails for the folks of Melbourne, the team has a fair idea of what they’re doing. This one’s safe to leave as the dealer’s choice. Martini, please.

Black Pearl is temporarily closed