Nine Espresso Martinis in Miami Worth Staying Up For

The espresso martini is the cocktail that refuses to go away and keeps getting better the longer it stays. In Miami, a city that runs on café con leche and stays up past midnight with the kind of commitment that only tropical heat and a certain kind of energy can produce, the espresso martini has found one of its most natural homes. The best versions in the city are not simply coffee and vodka shaken together. They are specific, considered, and worth ordering over and over again. Here is where to find them.

Caramel Martini | Le Jardinier

Photo Credit: Le Jardinier Miami

At Le Jardinier, The Bastion Collection’s Michelin-starred restaurant in the Miami Design District, the Caramel Martini offers an indulgent twist on the espresso martini, balancing Ketel One Vodka and Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur with salted caramel toffee and espresso for a rich, coffee-forward cocktail with a touch of sweetness. It is the most refined version on this list, served in a room that treats every element of the dining experience at the same level of intention.

Espresso Martini | Contessa

Photo Credit: Evan Sung

At Major Food Group’s Northern Italian-inspired Contessa in the Miami Design District, the Espresso Martini draws inspiration from Italian café culture and the original cocktail created by famed London bartender Dick Bradsell. Grey Goose Vodka and espresso are shaken and served in a chilled martini glass, then finished with freshly grated 70% dark chocolate for a balance of bitterness and indulgence. The most classically grounded version on this list and the one closest in spirit to the original.

Espresso Italiano | Le Specialità

Photo Credit: World Red Eye

At Le Specialità, Spicy Hospitality Group’s reimagining of the iconic Milanese restaurant in the Miami Design District, the Espresso Italiano takes the espresso martini in an Italian-inspired, tequila-forward direction. Reposado tequila is shaken with espresso, Galliano Espresso Liqueur, Amaro Montenegro, simple syrup, and saline, with Fernet-Branca adding an aromatic bitter edge. The cocktail is finished with three espresso beans and an orange twist. The most complex and the most distinctly Italian version on this list.

The Mexican Carajillo | The Mexican

Photo Credit: The Mexican Miami

The Mexican takes the espresso martini in a direction rooted in Mexican café culture rather than cocktail bar convention. The Mexican Carajillo is a riff on the classic Spanish-Mexican after-dinner drink, combining espresso with the signatures of the restaurant’s bar program in a version that is at once familiar and entirely its own. For a cocktail that puts the coffee at the center without apologizing for it, this is the most culture-specific entry on the list.

Joia Espresso Martini | Joia Beach

Photo Credit: Joia Beach

At Joia Beach, Miami’s beloved waterfront restaurant on the southern tip of Biscayne Bay, the Joia Espresso Martini brings a distinctly Floridian warmth to the format. Vanilla-infused Ketel One vodka is combined with rich coffee and a hint of marsala wine, producing a version that is rounder, softer, and more indulgent than the classic build. The waterfront setting makes it the most scenic espresso martini on this list. Order it at sunset for the full effect.

Vodka Espresso | Slim’s Bal Harbour

Photo Credit: STARR Restaurants

Slim’s, Stephen Starr’s glamorous steakhouse at Bal Harbour Shops, keeps its espresso martini clean, precise, and unapologetically excellent. Chopin Vodka, Borghetti Caffè, and espresso. No additions, no flourishes. Just three ingredients executed with the confidence of a bar program that knows exactly what it is doing. The most restrained entry on this list and the one most likely to convert an espresso martini skeptic.

Sustainable Espresso Martini | 1 Hotel South Beach

Photo Credit: Michael Persico

Available at AVIV, Watr at 1 Rooftop, and Drift across 1 Hotel South Beach, the Sustainable Espresso Martini is the most values-forward cocktail on this list. Belvedere Vodka, Fair Café Liqueur, Licor 43, and Second Life Espresso Syrup, a product made from repurposed coffee grounds, make up a cocktail that is as thoughtfully sourced as the hotel’s broader commitment to sustainability. The view from Watr at 1 Rooftop does not hurt either.

Medusa’s Espressotini | Avra Estiatorio Miami

Photo Credit: Avra Estiatorio Miami

At Avra Estiatorio Miami, one of the city’s most acclaimed Greek seafood destinations, the Medusa’s Espressotini is available with either Beluga Gold 45 or Don Julio 1942 as the spirit base, making it the most customizable and the most elevated espresso martini on this list in terms of base spirit. The choice of a ultra-premium vodka or an aged tequila dramatically changes the character of the cocktail, which is the point. Order it with Don Julio 1942 if you are celebrating.

Bella Notte | Sofia Design District

Photo Credit: INK Entertainment

At Sofia Design District, INK Entertainment’s Design District Italian restaurant, the Bella Notte takes the espresso martini in a direction that prioritizes brightness and complexity over the standard coffee-and-cream profile. Volcán Reposado tequila is combined with orange essence and espresso in a cocktail that is simultaneously more aromatic and more layered than most versions in the city. The orange essence lifts the espresso and the aged tequila gives the cocktail a warmth that lingers. The most creative twist on this list and the one most worth trying if you have ordered your share of the standard build.

For more on Miami’s cocktail scene, see Haute Living’s guide to The Best Miami Wine Bars for a By-the-Glass Splurge and Miami’s Best Kept Secret Isn’t the Club, It’s the Hotel Bar.