Sip Your Way Through the Big Screen: Iconic Cocktail Movie Locations
Ever found yourself craving a martini after watching James Bond, or yearning for a cosmo following a marathon of "Sex and the City"? You're not alone! Cocktails and movies have a long-standing love affair, with many films immortalizing drinks and the bars where they're served. Let's take a virtual bar crawl through some of the most iconic cocktail movie locations. Cheers, guys! Guys, explore more in Guides And Explainers and cocktail movie location.
James Bond's Favorite Watering Holes
Martini, Shaken Not Stirred: Blades' Club, London
No list of iconic cocktail movie locations would be complete without a nod to everyone's favorite spy, James Bond. While 007 has sipped martinis in various locations throughout the franchise, one of the most memorable is Blades' Club in London. In "Spectre," Bond (Daniel Craig) enjoys his signature drink here, as the club's members-only policy adds an air of exclusivity.
Blades' Club might be members-only, but you can still channel your inner Bond at home. Here's a classic martini recipe: - 2.5 oz gin (or vodka, if you're a Bond purist) - 0.5 oz dry vermouth - Lemon twist, for garnish
Shake or stir (depending on your preference) with ice, then strain into a chilled glass. Add the lemon twist and enjoy your shaken, not stirred martini.
Vesper: Hotel Danieli, Venice
In "Casino Royale," Bond introduces us to the Vesper martini, named after his love interest, Vesper Lynd. The drink is first served at the glamorous Hotel Danieli in Venice. Sadly, the hotel's bar doesn't serve Vesper martinis today, but you can still enjoy the stunning views and opulent atmosphere.
Try making a Vesper martini at home: - 3 oz gin - 1 oz vodka - 0.5 oz Lillet Blanc - Lemon peel, for garnish
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Add the lemon peel and enjoy a taste of Venice.
Carrie Bradshaw's NYC Hangouts
Cosmopolitan: The City's Best Bars
"Sex and the City" introduced us to many iconic New York City bars, but none more so than the Cosmopolitan. This sweet and tangy cocktail became synonymous with the show and its fashionable leading lady, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker).
While the show didn't specify a single bar where the girls enjoyed their cosmos, many of the filming locations were real-life NYC hotspots. Some popular choices for sipping a cosmopolitan today include The Standard Grill in the Meatpacking District and The NoMad Bar in Midtown.
Here's a classic cosmopolitan recipe: - 1.5 oz citrus vodka - 1 oz cranberry juice - 0.5 oz fresh lime juice - 0.5 oz Cointreau or triple sec - Orange twist, for garnish
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Add the orange twist and enjoy your cosmopolitan.
Don Draper's Mad Men Gatherings
Old Fashioned: The Office, Sterling Cooper & Partners
"Mad Men" took us back to the golden age of advertising with its stylish characters and vintage cocktails. While the show's leading man, Don Draper (Jon Hamm), enjoyed a variety of drinks, the Old Fashioned became his signature tipple.
Throughout the series, Don and his colleagues could be seen sipping Old Fashioneds at their office (known as Sterling Cooper & Partners) and various New York City bars. While the show's sets were mostly built on soundstages, many of the filming locations were real-life NYC hotspots, such as The Pierre Hotel and The Waldorf Astoria.
Here's a classic Old Fashioned recipe: - 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey - 0.25 oz simple syrup (or sugar cube) - 2 dashes bitters - Orange twist, for garnish
Stir all ingredients with ice until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled glass and add the orange twist.
Tom Cruise's Cocktail Showdown: Cocktail, Miami
Zombie: The Bar, Cocktail (1988)
Before there was "Cocktail," there was Brian Flanagan (Tom Cruise), a bartender with big dreams and an even bigger personality. In the 1988 film, Brian works at a fictional Miami bar called "The Bar," where he serves up a variety of creative cocktails, including the Zombie.
While the film was mostly shot on soundstages, the exterior of "The Bar" was actually a real-life Miami hotspot called The Clevelander Hotel. Today, the hotel still operates as a popular South Beach destination, though it no longer serves Zombie cocktails.
Here's a classic Zombie recipe, created by Donn Beach in the 1930s: - 1 oz white rum - 1 oz gold rum - 0.5 oz dark rum - 0.5 oz falernum - 0.5 oz grenadine - 0.5 oz fresh lime juice - 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice - 0.5 oz fresh pineapple juice - 0.25 oz Donn's Mix (equal parts grapefruit juice and cinnamon syrup) - 2 dashes absinthe - 2 dashes bitters - Pineapple wedge and cherry, for garnish
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a tall glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and cherry.
Wrapping Up Our Iconic Cocktail Movie Locations Tour
From London to Miami, we've taken a virtual tour of some of the most iconic cocktail movie locations. Whether you're a fan of Bond, Bradshaw, Draper, or Cruise, these real-life bars and hotels offer a unique opportunity to sip your way through cinema history. So, grab your shaker and let's make a toast to the power of cocktails and movies – cheers, guys!