Something interesting is happening in cocktail culture - and by interesting, I don’t necessarily mean different. In fact, I’m currently finding it difficult to see a point of difference in cocktail offerings. No new spirit crazes or mindsets are taking hold, no new movements forming. That’s not a criticism. The pursuit of ‘newness’ can be a dangerous game, and it’s understandable why it’s not currently a driver for businesses. It involves risk - something few operators can afford, and an intrinsic understanding of the guest, which is increasingly difficult to achieve in an age of hype, short attention spans and customers chasing the new (the irony).
When it comes to the ’never-been-done-before’ new, it’s getting harder and harder to achieve. Cocktails, like most other aspects of culture, are consistently documented and shared online - creating a detailed record of what’s being created. Now, it’s not to say that innovation is not possible, but sift through this digital archive with an idea in mind and you’ll quickly find a trail leading to someone who got there first. If your goal is pure innovation, this process is a total idea-killer, and it’s partly what’s making innovation in cocktail culture rarer.
Instead, creating the new often means reframing the guest experience. This focus is more grounded: provide the guest with an experience that is new, to them. It’s not ‘ground-breaking’ work, but it plays an important role in building classic cocktail literacy and shaping consumer palate preferences. It’s a point of view most of my non-industry friends take when choosing a cocktail spot to try. The question isn’t what’s innovative but, “What’s new and worth trying?” meaning, “What’s newly opened and offers value?” After all, the meaning of new exists on a spectrum. Its association with innovation has reduced and its current understanding sits closer to novelty.
But back to interesting, and the question that’s been sitting with me for the last few months: will cocktails break ground again?
If you’re a curious, forward-thinking mind, you can’t help wondering what’s next. You have to believe that despite the dominance of the Margarita, Negroni, Old Fashioned, Espresso Martini and Martini - which according to Class Bar Magazine, have topped UK sales lists for the past two years, we can break ground again. Over the past few years I’ve been keeping my ear to the ground, eyes open and my mind as elastic as possible, trying to sense how the cocktail’s form might evolve and what it will take to make that happen.
Full disclosure: this is an opinion piece, drawn from observations this year plus fifteen years of watching cocktail culture shift and settle. A number of elements are shaping my current read and I’d like to first start with a sector that has seen much evolution in its approach to the cocktail: the restaurant.
The Restaurant Effect
There was a time when a cocktail menu in a restaurant was a rarity. Wine dominated and convincing guests to try anything else, especially while seated at the table, was a challenge. Of course, some venues bucked the trend. Those lucky enough to have a bar began to treat cocktails as a bigger part of the conversation. The facilities were there to create unique and considered drinks that connected to the meal and extended the guest experience.
Creating drinks for restaurants is one of my favourite things to do. While the cocktails are usually quite discreet - as the food rightly takes centre stage, there’s an opportunity to elevate a good dinner into the great. I’ve always felt that restaurants underestimate the power of the cocktail - after all, it’s more than likely the first thing a guest tastes. Which is why doing this work is so rewarding. Optimising the guest journey and extending the experience through drinks has meaningful impact.
Working with chefs brings another satisfaction point. It’s a collaborative process, not in the marketing sense of the word, but as a genuine exchange of knowledge. I’m sure most people who work in hospitality can relate when I say no two days are the same; there’s always something to learn or someone to learn from. Finding out what ingredients and techniques excite a chef, how they construct flavour and build a plate, will never not fascinate me. I doubt I’m alone in that.
So perhaps it’s no surprise that it’s now unusual to see a restaurant without a cocktail menu - especially at new openings. Scroll through their feeds and you’ll see as many cocktail images as you will food. Sit down at any of these venues, and it’s likely a Martini, Spritz, Margarita or Negroni sits at the top of your food menu. After the warm welcome and offer of water, your server’s first question is likely, “Can I get you a cocktail while you browse the menu?”
Our social rituals are shifting; there is demand for experiences beyond alcohol alone. As a result, for many guests, their first cocktail experience outside the home now happens in the restaurant. But the restaurant experience differs from a cocktail bar. There are constraints of space, set-up and team experience. Their cocktail menus tend to consist of three to five drinks, meaning the simplicity of the crowd-pleasing classics is key to success. It’s why my restaurant clients ask me for twists on these drinks - it’s smart, considering their constraints.
One of the best things about a cocktail bar is the knowledge behind it. Take a seat and ask for a recommendation, and a good bartender will guide you through flavour and mood until something feels right. The skill of a bartender takes years to hone - it’s a very different approach from the restaurant. So, with guests learning their preferences in a restaurant, it’s no surprise that when they later visit a bar, the starting point is the familiar. Classic cocktails will always dominate sales, but what’s interesting here is how the restaurant is shaping palates - subtly educating and refining guest expectations.
At the start of this article, I asked what will it take for cocktails to break ground again. I haven’t answered that question - not yet. But I do want to keep asking it, and to share my thoughts as they percolate. Who knows, maybe it will turn into a dialogue that sparks the next wave of innovation.
What I can say is this: restaurants are quietly reshaping how guests encounter cocktails. They’re introducing people to structure, balance and flavour long before they step into a bar. That shift in where the first cocktail is tasted is changing the conversation between creator and guest. So perhaps the real evolution isn’t about innovation at all, but transition - how knowledge and curiosity move between the kitchen, bar and guest. Are we seeing the balance shift, I’m wondering, is the restaurant cocktail currently having more of an influence than the cocktail bar interaction? It’s an intriguing thought.