Espresso martini flights landing on state menus
The espresso martini trend isn’t cooling off anytime soon, and Connecticut bars and restaurants are embracing the drink’s prominence with different twists and innovations.
“Espresso martinis have become one of the most popular cocktails at the moment, very similar to cosmos back in the 90s and 2000s, during ‘Sex and the City,’ ” said Harrison Poltorak, owner and operator of Rebel Dog Coffee Co. with locations in East Hartford, Farmington and Plainville.
Rebel Dog Coffee Co. switches up its flavor syrups, cold foams and toppings for its coffee drinks to reflect the seasons, and they decided to capitalize on the enduring popularity of espresso martinis by also featuring those in cocktails, Poltorak said. As he and his team revamped the brunch menu at the Plainville location, which also has a full bar, they introduced espresso martini flights, which they found more approachable for customers.
“Sometimes people only drink one espresso martini because it’s kind of rich and filling, so they’d order a classic (version) and not necessarily try any of the other options,” he said.
At West Hartford’s Àvert Brasserie, assistant general manager Mark Siders said the restaurant wanted to give guests the opportunity to try multiple kinds of espresso martinis. Its new flight of four drinks features one classic recipe and three with different base spirits, including rum, absinthe and tequila, he said.
“It’s just to do something different,” he said. “The rum one seemed like a natural go-to with coffee, and...a lot of people have not tried absinthe before. And it does have a pretty strong flavor, but it complements the coffee really well in moderation. So that’s how that one came together.”
Here are a few restaurants and bars around Connecticut with espresso martini flights, featuring creative and seasonal flavors.
Yellow King Brews Bristol and Wallingford
Yellow King Brews, which features its coffee, espresso and cold brew in a variety of cocktails,
opened in Wallingford in 2022 and debuted its second outpost at the Bristol Bazaar in December.
Last May in Wallingford, owners Mike Vitale and Shama Khan introduced what would become Yellow King’s trademark item: espresso martini flights, with four 5-ounce cocktails in seasonal flavors. Each flight offers a miniature version of its standard martini, made with its Black Star espresso, Absolut vanilla vodka and Caffe Lolita coffee liqueur, but the other three reflect the time of year, like s’mores and strawberry white mocha in the summer and pumpkin, brown butter toffee, maple and caramel iterations in the fall.
Current spring flavors include banana graham, with vanilla vodka, banana creamer, vanilla cold foam and salted caramel drizzle; a blueberry and white mocha recipe with Litchfield Distillery’s blueberry
vodka, and “Gimme Samoa,” with vanilla vodka, chocolate liqueur, Yellow King’s housemade “cookie monster sauce,” and coconut syrup topped with salted caramel mocha cold foam and coconut shreds.
The bar also limits martini flight orders to a six-hour stretch during the day from noon to 6 p.m., making sure staff isn’t bogged down during peak hours, Vitale said in a December interview.
920 S. Colony Road, Wallingford, 860-335-7637
67 Race St., Bristol, 860-9738269
Rebel Dog Coffee Co. Plainville
Rebel Dog introduced the flights in late March, offering three miniature martinis: a classic version, a seasonallyflavored option and another with seasonal cold foam topping. The current spring flights feature one with honey lavender
syrup and another with cannoli cold foam, and Poltorak said Rebel Dog will likely do a s’mores martini flavor for summer.
The martini flights are available every day, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.
393 Farmington Ave., 860793-8809.
Àvert Brasserie West Hartford
Àvert’s new espresso martini flights, which appeared on the menu this month, are part of a wider effort to introduce more drink flights to the beverage program, said assistant general manager Mark Siders.
“We have several different espresso martinis available, so we thought we would give people an opportunity to try those, without a whole drink commitment (to) each one,” he said.
The flight of four features its traditional recipe with V-One vanilla vodka, a “tropical rumtini” with pineapple rum and banana liqueur, a “Flying Frenchman” with absinthe, espresso vodka and chocolate bitters and the “Awake and Crazy,” a tequila-based version.
35A LaSalle Road, 860-9046240.
Olives & Oil New Haven
Olives & Oil decided to create a seasonal espresso martini flight since its regular espresso martini was a top seller, said owner John Brennan in an email.
“We have offered wine flights since we opened so it just seemed natural to branch off into cocktail flights,” he wrote. The current four-flavor flight offers a classic recipe and three springtime features: biscotti, lavender and Irish coffee.
Brennan said New Haven’s Elm City Social, a sister restaurant to Olives & Oil, also introduced a cocktail flight with four of its most popular drinks. Guests can try miniature versions of the Rubber Ducky, with citra hops-infused gin, grapefruit and basil; the Rocket Queen, with pomegranate vodka and hibiscus flavors; the Stunna, with cucumber tequila, blackberry, lemon and cassis and the El Pastor with tequila, ancho reyes verde liquor and charred pineapple.
“People just really like the ability to sip and try four different drinks/flavors,” he wrote. “We’re always trying to figure out ways to enhance the guest’s experience.”
124 Temple St., 203-891-5870.
TJ’s Burritos East Granby
TJ’s Burritos is all about flights. Diners can enjoy virtually every beverage as a set of three or four miniature drinks: wine, Bloody Marys, boozy iced coffee, margaritas, mimosas or cider.
Espresso martinis are part of the flight club, with a classic recipe and rotating flavors that have included salted caramel, s’mores, Skrewball peanut butter, almond and chocolate peppermint. TJ’s even offered a Girl Scout Cookie-themed flight in early April, with flavors inspired by Samoa and Do-Si-Dos cookies.
3 Turkey Hill Road, 860-4133473.