Bitter or Sweet: Where to Find Panther City’s Finest Espresso Martinis

Blackland Distillery

Whether you prefer your espresso martini sweet, dry, or coffee-forward, there’s a Panther City bar shaking up your ideal java-infused cocktail. 

The Archibald serves a lovely hand-crafted coffee ’tini. Topped with three coffee beans, the frothy head crowns a rich blend of espresso and vodka beneath. The downtown lounge and rooftop bar that happens to serve some of the best pizzas in town poured a delightfully sweet opener to our night out. 

The Archibald serves some of the best espresso martinis and pizzas in Panther City.

Another downtown bar with an amazing view, Branch & Bird, serves a rich espresso-forward libation with an amazing aroma of Kahlua and simple syrup. 

For an easy at-home recipe, try Blackland Distillery’s Texpresso Martini, made with two ounces Texpresso Whiskey and one ounce of espresso. The boozy pecan- and brown sugar-forward liquor blends perfectly with java, making for a lovely and rich marriage of flavors. The recently released spirit can also be sipped neat or on the rocks. 

On the sweeter side of this mercurial libation, Del Frisco’s Hazelnut Espresso Martini is a frothy, creamy delight whipped up with Ketel One Vodka and rich liquors. Another delight is Gemelle’s coffee-spiked ’tini, which came artfully presented with a single coffee bean.

Panther City’s thirst for this classy cocktail isn’t waning, and many restaurants, including Don Artemio Fort Worth and Rusty Nickel IceHouse, now serve the carajillo, a lovely mix of espresso and Licor 43 poured over ice. Rusty Nickel’s Latin twist, served in a tumbler with a single large ice cube, is less coffee-forward than the aforementioned espresso martinis and has welcome notes of cinnamon, anise, vanilla, and orange blossom. 

To jumpstart your cocktail journey, rely on the Panther City Pass Cocktail Guide, which features discounted mixed drinks from Blackland Distillery, Bar Dryce, and others.