Bigger isn’t always better. Just ask some of London’s best bartenders, who’ve spent much of 2025 mixing up micro cocktails. While the invention isn’t new – Tayer + Elementary created its One Sip Martini in 2019, closely followed by Rita’s Mini Martini in 2020 – the cool factor is undeniable, in terms of both temperature and aesthetics.
There are many reasons these short sippers work in a restaurant setting. Dining up at the bar at Shoreditch hotspot One Club Row, we were casually passed a couple of off-menu mini martinis while we decided what we wanted to drink. They had the benefit of convincing us to order those same drinks in a larger format. Their impact can also be felt at Nieves Barragán Mohacho’s new Spanish restaurant Legado, where the arrival of a three-sip tomato martini and a diminutive melon and tequila concoction turned the study of its 50 dish-strong menu of pintxos and gambas from daunting task to delight.
“A martini should never outstay its chill. A smaller format guarantees every sip is as cold as the first.”
First impressions count, and the speed with which these drinks can be turned out help make a place immediately hospitable. How many times have you sat down at a busy restaurant, only to wait ages for someone to come and take a drinks order? This was the issue Stevie Parle, head chef and restaurateur behind 2025 hotspot Town, weighed when designing the bar menu. “Our martinis are premade, which not only means they’re perfect every time, but in 30 seconds you can pour an ice-cold cocktail that’s been made with extraordinary care into a frozen glass,” he explains. “I always think if guests get a martini in their hand fast, they’ll relax and feel like they’re going to be looked after.”
Three-sip cocktails can also draw a line under the working day and signal a start of an experience. This was the inspiration behind Missy Flynn’s Mini Martinis at Soho bistro Rita’s. “I wanted to introduce martinis in an accessible, low-commitment way to add theatre and a sense of occasion to sitting down to a meal,” says Missy. This is also the case at Nina in Marylebone, which offers a choice of three Tinis. “We wanted to take something as iconic as the martini and give it a new rhythm – make it shorter, sharper, more deliberate,” says owner Shree Narain. “The Tinis are our way of distilling the essence of a great cocktail into three perfect sips. Each one is named after a cigarette brand – Vogue, Sterling, Lucky Strike – as a nod to old nightlife and the idea of something small, addictive and precise.” In fact, Nina only serves micro cocktails. “Some guests start with one; others treat them as a sequence,” Shree explains. “The size allows for movement – a few different moods across an evening rather than one long drink.”
Smaller cocktails serve another important purpose: they guarantee your drink remains ice-cold. “Spirit-forward drinks such as martinis and negronis are meant to be cold and clean, and the smaller size keeps them that way,” says Shree. “The Sterling, our take on a classic martini, remains crystalline from first sip to last. A martini should never outstay its chill.”
“The size allows for movement – a few different moods across an evening rather than one long drink.”
Then there’s the ABV benefit of a smaller drink. “A lot of people love the idea of drinking martinis, based on the idea of them being chic and sophisticated – a very New York or LA thing. The truth is, not many of us can handle that much neat, cold liquor, so the idea of being a martini drinker is often more appealing than the martini itself,” says Missy. “I think a full-size martini on an empty stomach is a terrible idea – the body is shocked and it's hard to move onto other drinks from that point.” This is why the Rita’s team made theirs a ‘wet’ martini, with a decent amount of vermouth. “Our mini is very much geared around allowing our guests to have that moment of celebration and decadence at the start of the meal, but in a more manageable way.” Shree agrees: “The smaller size keeps the ritual but removes the heaviness – you can have one before a meal and still enjoy your food.”
So, they’re just the way to kick-start a meal, but could micro cocktails also work as a digestif? Shree thinks so. “Guests often treat the Vogue that way,” he says. “The almond and hazelnut notes work beautifully after food. And a small digestif makes sense as something to close the night quietly.” It’s also something Missy is exploring. “We have a mezcal negroni with fig-infused Campari that comes in a smaller glass, and that’s a great way to end a meal,” she says. “Plus, we're also working on some Pousse-Café layered liquor spirits for the festive period”. We’ll drink (in moderation) to that.
THE 3 MUST-TRY MICRO COCKTAILS
One Sip Martini, Tayēr + Elementary
The original micro martini – one that was so influential, it spawned its own merch line – Tayēr + Elementary’s One Sip Martini landed on the east London bar’s menu in 2019 and has been on it ever since. Served in a miniature stemless glass that’s perfectly sized to hug a single blue cheese-filled olive, this short sipper is made with Tayēr’s own vodka, fino sherry and vermouth.
Mini Martini, Rita’s
Don’t even think about ordering one of Rita’s signature mini martinis without opting for one or two jalapeno popper gildas alongside it. Comprising gin, vermouth and lemon oil, this is a glistening, almost savoury three-sip drink that’s designed as the perfect way to kick-start a meal.
The Dill Boy, Town
Stevie Parle’s Covent Garden restaurant Town is one of 2025’s hottest openings. Designed by Kev of cocktail hotspot Satan’s Whiskers, Town’s bar menu is every bit as good as the main event. His miniature Dill Boy cocktail, complete with shimmering dots of dill oil, is the star of the show.
