Hopefully, you feel confident in your drink order, whatever it is. For the record, you should. If you’re paying for a drink, it should be something you’re excited to drink — period. But sometimes, the people-pleasing part of us wonders if our bartender is judging us a bit. Have they made 10 of that same thing already today? Are they tired of it? Are they tired of us? SOS!
Well, wonder no more. We polled 10 bartenders across the country on the most “basic” drink order they could think of. Here’s what they said.
The Most “Basic” co*cktails, According to Bartenders
- Mojito
- Any Two-Touch
- Fernet shot
- Old-Fashioned
- Negroni
- Paper Plane
- Espresso Martini
- Long Island Iced Tea
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“We’ve probably sold more Espresso Martinis in the last year than in the five prior years combined. When a group of, like, six people are coming up to the bar, usually two of them are ordering an Espresso Martini.” —Sarah Bartlett, events manager, Nightcap, Ann Arbor, Mich.
“I feel like whenever people don’t want to get out of their comfort zones, they order a Mojito. It’s a great and refreshing co*cktail, but for some reason, bartenders tend to be annoyed by them.” —Dan Calin, owner, Perfect Pour Mobile Bar, and bar director, da LaPosta, Newton, Mass.
“I think anything to do with a two-touch — a whiskey co*ke and things like that.” —Matsumoto Mari, beverage director and assistant vp of operations, Goat & Rabbit, Kansas City, Mo.
“A shot of Fernet is the most basic and boring thing you can do, I think, but I’m an assh*le.” —Kylie North, co-owner, Water Bear Bar, Boise, Idaho
“I’d have to say an Old Fashioned or Negroni. Anything that is ‘safe.’” —Libby Lingua, co-owner, Highball, Phoenix
“When I’m feeling ‘simple’ or ‘basic,’ my default is a Paper Plane.” —Jonas Bittencourt, bar manager and lead sommelier, Asador Bastian, Chicago
“Most bartenders’ instinct would be to say the Espresso Martini. But, in its defense, what I’ve found is that everyone has their own way of making it now. It’s begun to adopt some similarities from its namesake Martini, where every place makes it a little bit different.” —Nico Diaz, head bartender, Ranstead Room, Philadelphia
“The Espresso Martini is alive and well down here. We sell a lot of those.” —Stephanie Goldsmith, bartender, The Haberdasher, Mobile, Ala.
“I’m not mad about this, but I’m seeing a lot of ’90s revivalism. A lot of requests for variations on Long Island Iced Teas.” —Mary Francis Cheeseman, bartender, Copper Lounge, Albuquerque, N.M.
“I think it’d have to be a Long Island Iced Tea, especially at a craft co*cktail bar. People think they’ll get more alcohol if they order it, but it’s just more kinds of alcohol. A half-ounce of everything!” —Emily Sweeney, bartender, The Archives Bar, Burlington, Vt.
Published: July 18, 2023
