We’ve come a long way since James Bond’s “shaken, not stirred” martini, as now London is falling in love with a whole new level of martini. Read on why the vegetable martini is currently causing so much hype.
According to Bloomberg, the vegetable martini is increasingly becoming a favourite of bartenders in London, with some establishments creating mixes delighting the senses in the summer.
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London’s love for the vegetable martini
The report says that plant-based variations of the martini is a recent phenomenon, with bars such as Isabel Mayfair and Tomatini creator LPM Restaurant & Bar using vegetables to prepare the drink.
“People are shying away from sugary cocktails, and the trend toward savory and vegetal continues to rise,” Tibor Krascsenics, global bar manager of LPM Restaurant & Bar, told Bloomberg, while pointing out that the summer season has led to a rise in orders for the drink.
Scarlet Ganzoni, bar manager of Isabel Mayfair, said that her clientele too loves to “consume more consciously.”
Types of vegetable martini served in London
At LPM Restaurant & Bar, drink lovers are treated to martini, prepared using squeezed ripe tomatoes with vodka, mixed with white balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper. This concoction is then shaken with ice before serving.
Isabel Mayfair’s vegetable martini is made from avocado. It is part of the bar’s summer drink menu. Ganzoni said that avocados make a “perfect base” for martini, and helps prepare cocktails that “aren’t too heavy.” The drink, according to Ganzoni, has an “earthy flavour.”
Bloomberg reports that other establishments serving vegetable martini include Lyaness, which makes its drink from a home-made fermented grass. There is also The Wigmore, whose vodka martini includes tomato water, porcini mushrooms and Ambrato vermouth.
At Silverleaf, the drink contains herbs such as wild heartleaf — which can be a starting point for vegetable vodka lovers.
Asparagus martini is served at Apricity, tomato-based Brusketta martini at Eve Bar, and olive oil vodka with beetroot spirit martini at Three Sheets.
The price of a vegetable martini can be about GBP 2 to GBP 3 more than the usual GBP 20, for a pour. The additional cost is for sourcing the fresh ingredients.
Manas Sen Gupta writes at the intersection of tech, entertainment and history. His works have appeared in publications such as The Statesman, Myanmar Matters, Hindustan Times and News18/ETV. In his spare time, Manas loves studying interactive charts and topographic maps. When not doing either, he prefers reading detective fiction. Spring is his favourite season and he can happily eat a bowl of noodles any time of the day.
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