Who Invented the Espresso Martini? The Story Behind Britain’s Most-Ordered Cocktail
It’s the drink that turned dinner into a second night out. A dessert, a pick-me-up and a nightcap all in one glass, crowned with three floating coffee beans. The Espresso Martini is now one of the most-ordered cocktails in the UK - and one of the most-gifted, too. If you’ve ever received an espresso martini gift set for your birthday, you already know why.
But this cocktail wasn’t dreamt up in a Milanese caffè or a New York hotel bar. It was invented in Soho, in 1983, by a London bartender who’d had a rough night behind the stick and a customer who knew exactly what she wanted.
Here’s the real story.
Who invented the Espresso Martini?
The Espresso Martini was created by Dick Bradsell at the Soho Brasserie on Old Compton Street, London, around 1983. Bradsell went on to become one of the most influential British bartenders of the twentieth century, credited with kickstarting the London cocktail revival of the 1990s and inventing several other modern classics along the way.
The drink began life under a different name. It arrived when a young model walked up to Bradsell’s bar, took one look at the espresso machine next to him, and asked for something that would wake her up and give her a proper kick. Bradsell, working on a coffee-dusted bar with a bottle of vodka within easy reach, obliged. Vodka, sugar, coffee liqueur and a fresh shot of espresso, shaken hard over ice. He called it the Vodka Espresso and served it on the rocks.
The name “Espresso Martini” came later, in the 1990s, when Bradsell had moved to Match EC1. The recipe was broadly the same, but it graduated to a chilled V-shaped glass, borrowed the three-coffee-bean garnish from the Italian sambuca tradition (one each for health, wealth and happiness) and became the drink we know today.
Bradsell passed away in 2016. The Espresso Martini is arguably his most famous legacy, but it is far from his only one.
Why is it called the Espresso Martini?
The “Espresso” part is obvious. The “Martini” part has nothing to do with gin, vermouth or James Bond - it’s a reference to the glass.
By the 1990s, the word “martini” had started to mean any cocktail served straight up in a V-shaped stemmed glass. Cosmopolitans were served in them. So were French Martinis, Appletinis and countless others. When Bradsell swapped the rocks glass for a martini glass at Match EC1, he renamed the drink to fit the format, and the name stuck.
So strictly speaking, the Espresso Martini is not a martini at all. It’s a vodka and coffee cocktail in a martini glass. But the name did its job: it made a caffeinated late-night drink feel grown-up, elegant and orderable without embarrassment. It’s also the reason it’s become such a popular gift - an espresso martini cocktail kit feels like a proper present, not just a bottle.
The original recipe
Bradsell’s original Espresso Martini recipe was tighter and less sweet than most modern versions. It used two coffee liqueurs, not one.
- 50ml vodka
- 25ml fresh double espresso
- 10ml Kahlua
- 5ml Tia Maria
- 5ml sugar syrup
- Garnish: 3 coffee beans
Shaken hard over ice, strained into a chilled martini glass. The hard shake is what gives the drink its signature crema - that pale foam on top that makes it look like a tiny pint of stout.
A lot of modern recipes drop the Tia Maria and lean on Kahlua alone, or skip the sugar syrup entirely. Both work, but the original is worth trying at least once. It tastes noticeably drier and more coffee-forward.
How to make a great Espresso Martini at home
The Espresso Martini is a simple drink with a short list of ingredients, which means any weakness in any one of them shows up immediately. Whether you’re making one for yourself on a Friday night or putting together cocktails for a dinner party, a few pointers:
- Use fresh espresso, still hot. This is the most important rule. Espresso from a machine (or a decent moka pot) gives you the crema and the intensity you need. Instant coffee dissolved in water will not.
- Shake it harder than you think. The foam comes from emulsifying the espresso oils with air. A timid shake gives you a flat drink. Ten to fifteen seconds of serious shaking is about right.
- Chill the glass. Pour the drink into a warm martini glass and the foam collapses within a minute. Stick your glasses in the freezer twenty minutes before you serve.
- Balance the sweetness to the coffee. Darker, more bitter espresso usually needs a touch more sugar syrup. Lighter roasts need less. Taste before you commit.
- Three coffee beans. Not five, not seven. It’s a tradition, not a topping.
If sourcing every ingredient individually sounds like a hassle, an espresso martini gift set takes the guesswork out of it. Everything is pre-measured, the spirits are included, and you just need to add fresh coffee.
The perfect gift for coffee cocktail lovers
There’s a reason the Espresso Martini has become one of the UK’s most popular cocktail gifts. It hits a sweet spot that other cocktails don’t: almost everyone likes coffee, almost everyone likes a proper drink, and the combination feels like a genuine treat rather than just another bottle of wine.
An espresso martini gift set works brilliantly for birthdays, as a thank-you, or as a Christmas present for the person who’s impossible to buy for. It’s the kind of gift where people actually make the cocktail rather than leaving it in a cupboard, which is more than you can say for most gift sets.
MicroBarBox’s Classic Espresso Martini Gift Set includes everything you need to make the drink at home: the spirits, the coffee element, the recipe card, all beautifully boxed and delivered to the door. No bartending experience needed, no hunting around for obscure ingredients.
Looking for something smaller? Our Mini Espresso Martini Box is a brilliant letterbox-friendly option that makes a thoughtful gift without the full-sized price tag.
And if espresso isn’t their thing, we have cocktail gift sets for every taste - from Negroni and Pornstar Martini to Pina Colada and Old Fashioned. Browse the full range on our cocktail gift sets page.
If you enjoyed the story behind this one, you might like our piece on why the Pornstar Martini is called the Pornstar Martini - another modern classic, also invented in London, also with a name that needs explaining.
Frequently asked questions
Who invented the Espresso Martini?
Dick Bradsell, a London bartender, invented the Espresso Martini at the Soho Brasserie on Old Compton Street around 1983.
When was the Espresso Martini invented?
The original “Vodka Espresso” was created in 1983. It was renamed the Espresso Martini in the 1990s when Bradsell moved to Match EC1 and started serving it in a martini glass.
Why is it called an Espresso Martini if there’s no gin in it?
Because of the glass, not the recipe. By the 1990s the word “martini” had come to mean any cocktail served straight up in a V-shaped stemmed glass, and the name stuck.
What’s in an Espresso Martini?
Vodka, fresh espresso, coffee liqueur and a little sugar syrup, shaken hard over ice and strained into a chilled martini glass. Bradsell’s original used both Kahlua and Tia Maria.
Why does an Espresso Martini have three coffee beans on top?
The three-bean garnish comes from the Italian tradition of serving sambuca con la mosca (“with the fly”). The beans represent health, wealth and happiness.
What’s the best Espresso Martini gift set?
Look for a set that includes proper spirits (not flavourings), a coffee element, and a recipe card. MicroBarBox’s Classic Espresso Martini Gift Set includes everything you need and arrives beautifully boxed, ready to give or enjoy.
Is an Espresso Martini kit a good gift?
Yes - it’s one of the most popular cocktail gifts in the UK. It works for birthdays, Christmas, thank-you gifts, and anyone who loves coffee or cocktails. The fact that it’s something they’ll actually make and enjoy (rather than leave in a cupboard) is a big part of the appeal.
Is the Espresso Martini strong?
Yes. A standard Espresso Martini contains a full measure of vodka plus coffee liqueur, which is also alcoholic. It’s a proper cocktail, not a coffee with a splash.
Does an Espresso Martini contain caffeine?
Yes. A single fresh shot of espresso is in every drink, which is roughly 60 to 80mg of caffeine. This is why it’s a popular after-dinner order rather than a nightcap.
Can you make an Espresso Martini without an espresso machine?
You can use a moka pot or an Aeropress to get a strong enough coffee. The key is concentrated, hot coffee - not filter or instant. An espresso martini cocktail kit gives you the spirits and liqueurs; you just add the coffee.