Shaken Or Stirred, Here’s Where To Find The Best Martinis In The City
Gin or vodka?
Whether it’s for the ‘gram, your evolving taste, or simply just your willingness to follow the crowd, cocktails – like our fashion sense – get their moment in the spotlight, and right now the martini is taking centre stage.
From your Aperol Spritz era to your salty love affair with margaritas, it’s now time to embrace the martini – the drink of choice made all the more famous through classic characters such as James Bond.
So, whether you prefer it wet, tuxedo, dirty, filthy, or 50:50, The City is home to a vibrant bar scene where a slew of cranking establishments are shaking, stirring, and pouring the martini perfectly smooth for your drinking pleasure.
Come with us and meet the bars you should be ordering a martini from, now.
By the way, we consider everyone in this list the best of the best! To make finding your next favourite that much easier, we’ve ordered the list alphabetically by suburb and also have filtering tabs for your convenience. Did we miss someone from the list? Let us know here!
Death & Taxes
Brisbane City
Located in Brisbane’s oldest laneway, Burnett Lane, you’ll find Brisbane’s best kept secret: Death & Taxes. An intimate and dimly lit bar that’s inspired by the underground bars of London and Paris, forget the outside world and sink into a booth in anticipation of the perfect pour. With over 100 bottles of spirits to choose from, you can create your choice of martini using only the best ingredients for a smooth sip.
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Dr. Gimlette
Brisbane City
Find yourself thirsty on Edward Street? Stop and take a seat at Dr. Gimlette. Putting their own spin on a martini, order from across their 9-metre long marble bar the Hell & Horseback: a deadly concoction of Cîroc vodka, Ketel One Citroen vodka, dry vermouth, preserved lemon, and pepperberry.
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Rothwell’s Bar + Grill
Brisbane City
Whether you’ve sipped a Rothwell’s martini before or are yet to visit, ordering one when you take a seat here is a rite of passage. Served on a silver platter in a frosted glass, your order comes complete with a chilled carafe for top ups when your drink gets low. Made simply and elegantly on gin or vodka with dry vermouth and olives or a lemon twist, a Rothwell’s martini – dirty or not – can’t be beat.
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Alba Bar + Deli
Brisbane City
Tucked away in Burnett Lane, Alba Bar + Deli is your fix of Brooklyn meets San Sebastian – a bar in the heart of the city with a charming neighbourhood feel. This intimate space is home to some of the best Spanish tapas around to complement your martini cravings. Here, they wear the proud badge of perfecting a well-made martini, making them wet with the rich taste of Never Never South Strength gin.
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The Boom Boom Room
Brisbane City
A Japanese bar and restaurant at the top of Elizabeth Street, it’s true that The Boom Boom Room is fond of a saké or two, but those in the mood for a martini will find the Inochi – a potent sip made on 22 Roku gin, Koyomi Shochu and Lillet Blanc that’s infused with apple and coriander seeds.
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Red Queen Gin
Brisbane City
Buckle up for a tipple at Red Queen Gin – an intimate, dimly lit steampunk and gothic-inspired venue tucked away in the heritage-listed Metro Arts Theatre. Here, gin is the name of the game, with the bar’s namesake Red Queen Gin on high rotation, so get on board and do the bar a solid by ordering a martini mixed with their homegrown botanical.
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