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18 Atlanta Bars and Restaurants Serving Marvelous Martinis

From gin martinis with a lemon twist and vodka martinis served dirty with blue cheese olives to variations on the classic cocktail

by Beth McKibben Updated Mar 29, 2023, 2:00pm EDT

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by Beth McKibben Updated Mar 29, 2023, 2:00pm EDT

The Betty

Most martini drinkers are very particular about how they prefer this cocktail. Purists insist the martini is made with gin, while others favor vodka as the base spirit. Some like their martini served dirty with blue cheese-stuffed olives, while others want it served dry, straight up, and ice cold with a lemon twist. Even the speed in which a gin martini is stirred causes fierce debate. Vigorous stirring might bruise the gin, thus bringing more bitter notes forward in the cocktail. Then there are the numerous variations on the martini, including the 50/50, Gibson, and the espresso martini. And one can’t forget its predecessor, the Martinez.

Whether served classic or dirty, made with gin or vodka, the martini is simply a timeless classic found on many a bar menu. Here are a few marvelous martinis (and martini variations) to consider sipping at bars and restaurants around Atlanta.

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La Grotta Ristorante

This fine dining Italian restaurant serving decadent pasta dishes may be known for its impressive wine list, but the martinis here are top-notch and come made to order and ice cold. After dinner, order La Grotta’s espresso martini with dessert. Regulars to the restaurant say this espresso martini might be the best version of the coffee liqueur and coffee-laced cocktail in Atlanta. Dress code. Reservations highly encouraged.

2637 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

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Roshambo "The Diner's Diner"

Billed as Atlanta’s version of a “21st-century diner”, Roshambo serves everything from fried chicken and fried bologna sandwiches to chicken pot pies and oysters Rockefeller and blackened redfish Pontchartrain with cheddar grit cakes. Eggs benedict and omelettes are also offered all day long. Seeking martinis? You can order that martini wet, dirty, dry, and even to share as pitchers for a three martini lunch. Bar walk-in only. Reservations for tables recommended.

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2355 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

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Lyla Lila

The martinis at Lyla Lila may not be listed on the cocktail menu, but that doesn’t mean this Midtown Italian restaurant can’t whip up a great version of the classic. Chilled down to the perfect temperature for slow sipping, order the martini dry with gin and a lemon twist. For dessert, pair an espresso martini with Lyla Lila’s tiramisu.

693 Peachtree St NE UNIT 118, Atlanta, GA 30308

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Talat Market

At Summerhill Thai restaurant Talat Market, people get to choose whether they want their martini served with gin, vodka, or pisco. Blanc vermouth, dry madeira, pandan, artichoke, and orange bitters are then added to the drink, making this a brilliant twist on the classic.

112 Ormond St SE, Atlanta, GA 30315

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Lucian Books and Wine

Lucian may be best known for its amazing selection of wines by the glass and bottle, but do not sleep on the stellar martinis here. While the bar makes the cocktail to order (and with gin or vodka), take advantage of the fact that this is a wine bar carrying quality, small batch vermouths and stir that martini into a 50/50 with a lemon twist. Reservations required.

3005 Peachtree Rd NE Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30305

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The Betty

A hotel bar influenced by those found throughout mid-century America should always feature a martini on its menu. Located at the Kimpton Sylvan Hotel, a boutique hotel in Buckhead residing inside a renovated mid-century office building, the bar at the Betty keeps the martini classic: dry and straight up with rocks on the side. It also comes with a choice of olives, pickled onion, or a lemon twist. Valet parking available.

374 East Paces Ferry Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

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Dirty Rascal

Italian-American restaurant Dirty Rascal at the Thompson Hotel isn’t playing around when it comes to the martini. In fact, there’s three martini styles on the menu to pair with dishes like eggplant parmesan and shrimp scampi: classic, dirty, and a steakhouse take with blue cheese-stuffed olives. Reservations for dinner highly encouraged.

415 East Paces Ferry Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

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Nakato Japanese Restaurant

This Cheshire Bridge Road institution is Atlanta’s oldest Japanese restaurant and is still family-owned and operated. Pair a lychee martini here, made with real lychee fruit and vodka, with sushi, teppanyaki, or tempura dishes on the menu. The restaurant makes a mean dirty martini, too.

1776 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

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Kevin Rathbun Steak

The bartenders at chef Kevin Rathbun’s eponymous Eastside Beltline steakhouse are well versed in the art of making a superb martini to pair with the prime steaks and decadent side accompaniments on the menu here. The classic comes served ice cold with either gin or vodka by request. Reservations required.

154 Krog St NE STE 200, Atlanta, GA 30307

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The Colonnade

Regulars to this nearly century-old Atlanta institution know the martini at the Colonnade is a pro move. Martinis from the bar are served super ice cold, super-sized, and very strong, with either gin or vodka, and can be made dirty by request. It’s likely that martini will carry over into dinner in the dining room where it should absolutely be paired with a plate of Southern fried chicken.

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1879 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

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LLoyd's Restaurant & Lounge

Pizza and martinis. That’s the move at LLoyd’s on DeKalb Avenue. Lloyd’s offers up classic pizza pies, salads, mozzarella sticks, and shrimp cocktail on the menu paired with ice cold martinis made with gin or vodka. Martinis can also be made dirty or filthy by request and come with more ‘tini in a shaker for topping off the cocktail.

900 DeKalb Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

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Highland Tap

Highland Tap (“steak basement” or “steak cellar”) continues to be the spot for city dwellers to partake in affordable, below-street-level steak dinners paired with generously poured martinis served with a little extra ‘tini on the side for topping off.

1026 North Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30306

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OK YAKI

The East Atlanta Japanese-influenced restaurant, known for its okonomiyaki and yakisoba, typically lists a take on the martini on the cocktail menu. A recent adaptation featured Japanese vodka, dry vermouth, orange bitters, and coriander.

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714 Moreland Ave SE Suite D, Atlanta, GA 30316

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22 Atlanta Restaurants We Kept Returning to in 2022

Arnette's Chop Shop

The Brookhaven steakhouse with its rooftop bar isn’t messing around with the martini, which is built specifically to pair with the steaks on the menu. Listed as the Carnivore Martini, the cocktail is served dirty and ice cold with vodka and garnished with blue cheese-stuffed olives and bacon. Never fear, gin lovers, the bartenders at Arnette’s also make a great classic martini with a lemon twist.

2700 Apple Valley Rd NE, Brookhaven, GA 30319

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Gigi's Italian Kitchen & Restaurant

Chefs Eric Brooks and Jacob Armando transformed their weekly pop-up in Candler Park into a permanent restaurant in August 2022, transforming the former Gato space into a cozy Italian bistro with tables draped in red checkered linens set off by candlelight and flowers. It’s now an award-winning restaurant serving a menu of traditional red sauce classics made with in-season produce and fresh-made pastas. A tight list of cocktails round out the beverage list at this restaurant, which includes the briny Dirty Gigi martini. It’s a frequent cocktail order here. Walk-in only.

1660 McLendon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

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Also featured in:

Poor Hendrix

Poor Hendrix is the total package in terms of food, cocktails, and low-key vibes. This East Lake neighborhood establishment doesn’t list the classic cocktail on the menu, but the bartenders know it well, and whip up a perfectly balanced martini with gin or vodka by request. It’s super for snacking on a basket of sticky sesame wings or bowl of spicy peanut cold noodles.

2371 Hosea L Williams Dr SE bldg 2, Atlanta, GA 30317

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The Deer and The Dove

Chef Terry Koval opened this critically acclaimed restaurant in 2019 and its become not only a destination restaurant, but provides Koval ample space to really shine as a chef. Expect skillfully composed dishes of in-season vegetables, beef and pork from nearby cattle and pig farms, and game meat entrees, like crispy rabbit legs fried in fermented buttermilk, duck sausage roulade, and plates of venison. The bar offers a handful of classic cocktails on the menu and makes a mean made-to-order classic or dirty martini. Or, try the Martinez, considered the antecedent of the martini. This 19th century cocktail leans into sweet vermouth and is often made with Old Tom Gin and maraschino liqueur. The Deer and the Dove’s version uses barrel-aged gin, Basque vermouth, and cherry liqueur, giving the cocktail a bit of savoriness mixed with bittersweet notes. Reservations encouraged.

155 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030

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Also featured in:

Kimball House

The award-winning Decatur restaurant located inside an old train depot offers a namesake martini on the menu combining gin and equal parts Cocchi Americano, and French vermouth. The cocktail comes served with rocks on the side and a choice of lemon twist or olive for garnish. It might be perfection in a cocktail glass. Reservations highly encouraged.

303 E Howard Ave, Decatur, GA 30030

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La Grotta Ristorante

2637 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

This fine dining Italian restaurant serving decadent pasta dishes may be known for its impressive wine list, but the martinis here are top-notch and come made to order and ice cold. After dinner, order La Grotta’s espresso martini with dessert. Regulars to the restaurant say this espresso martini might be the best version of the coffee liqueur and coffee-laced cocktail in Atlanta. Dress code. Reservations highly encouraged.

2637 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

Visit Website

Roshambo "The Diner's Diner"

2355 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

Billed as Atlanta’s version of a “21st-century diner”, Roshambo serves everything from fried chicken and fried bologna sandwiches to chicken pot pies and oysters Rockefeller and blackened redfish Pontchartrain with cheddar grit cakes. Eggs benedict and omelettes are also offered all day long. Seeking martinis? You can order that martini wet, dirty, dry, and even to share as pitchers for a three martini lunch. Bar walk-in only. Reservations for tables recommended.

Open in Google Maps

2355 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

Visit Website

Lyla Lila

693 Peachtree St NE UNIT 118, Atlanta, GA 30308

The martinis at Lyla Lila may not be listed on the cocktail menu, but that doesn’t mean this Midtown Italian restaurant can’t whip up a great version of the classic. Chilled down to the perfect temperature for slow sipping, order the martini dry with gin and a lemon twist. For dessert, pair an espresso martini with Lyla Lila’s tiramisu.

693 Peachtree St NE UNIT 118, Atlanta, GA 30308

Visit Website

Talat Market

112 Ormond St SE, Atlanta, GA 30315

At Summerhill Thai restaurant Talat Market, people get to choose whether they want their martini served with gin, vodka, or pisco. Blanc vermouth, dry madeira, pandan, artichoke, and orange bitters are then added to the drink, making this a brilliant twist on the classic.

112 Ormond St SE, Atlanta, GA 30315

Visit Website

Lucian Books and Wine

3005 Peachtree Rd NE Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30305

Lucian may be best known for its amazing selection of wines by the glass and bottle, but do not sleep on the stellar martinis here. While the bar makes the cocktail to order (and with gin or vodka), take advantage of the fact that this is a wine bar carrying quality, small batch vermouths and stir that martini into a 50/50 with a lemon twist. Reservations required.

3005 Peachtree Rd NE Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30305

Visit Website

The Betty

374 East Paces Ferry Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

A hotel bar influenced by those found throughout mid-century America should always feature a martini on its menu. Located at the Kimpton Sylvan Hotel, a boutique hotel in Buckhead residing inside a renovated mid-century office building, the bar at the Betty keeps the martini classic: dry and straight up with rocks on the side. It also comes with a choice of olives, pickled onion, or a lemon twist. Valet parking available.

374 East Paces Ferry Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

Visit Website

Dirty Rascal

415 East Paces Ferry Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

Italian-American restaurant Dirty Rascal at the Thompson Hotel isn’t playing around when it comes to the martini. In fact, there’s three martini styles on the menu to pair with dishes like eggplant parmesan and shrimp scampi: classic, dirty, and a steakhouse take with blue cheese-stuffed olives. Reservations for dinner highly encouraged.

415 East Paces Ferry Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

Visit Website

Nakato Japanese Restaurant

1776 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

This Cheshire Bridge Road institution is Atlanta’s oldest Japanese restaurant and is still family-owned and operated. Pair a lychee martini here, made with real lychee fruit and vodka, with sushi, teppanyaki, or tempura dishes on the menu. The restaurant makes a mean dirty martini, too.

1776 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

Visit Website

Kevin Rathbun Steak

154 Krog St NE STE 200, Atlanta, GA 30307

The bartenders at chef Kevin Rathbun’s eponymous Eastside Beltline steakhouse are well versed in the art of making a superb martini to pair with the prime steaks and decadent side accompaniments on the menu here. The classic comes served ice cold with either gin or vodka by request. Reservations required.

154 Krog St NE STE 200, Atlanta, GA 30307

Visit Website

The Colonnade

1879 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

Regulars to this nearly century-old Atlanta institution know the martini at the Colonnade is a pro move. Martinis from the bar are served super ice cold, super-sized, and very strong, with either gin or vodka, and can be made dirty by request. It’s likely that martini will carry over into dinner in the dining room where it should absolutely be paired with a plate of Southern fried chicken.

Open in Google Maps

1879 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324

Visit Website

LLoyd's Restaurant & Lounge

900 DeKalb Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

Pizza and martinis. That’s the move at LLoyd’s on DeKalb Avenue. Lloyd’s offers up classic pizza pies, salads, mozzarella sticks, and shrimp cocktail on the menu paired with ice cold martinis made with gin or vodka. Martinis can also be made dirty or filthy by request and come with more ‘tini in a shaker for topping off the cocktail.

900 DeKalb Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

Visit Website

Highland Tap

1026 North Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30306

Highland Tap (“steak basement” or “steak cellar”) continues to be the spot for city dwellers to partake in affordable, below-street-level steak dinners paired with generously poured martinis served with a little extra ‘tini on the side for topping off.

1026 North Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30306

Visit Website

OK YAKI

714 Moreland Ave SE Suite D, Atlanta, GA 30316

The East Atlanta Japanese-influenced restaurant, known for its okonomiyaki and yakisoba, typically lists a take on the martini on the cocktail menu. A recent adaptation featured Japanese vodka, dry vermouth, orange bitters, and coriander.

Open in Google Maps

714 Moreland Ave SE Suite D, Atlanta, GA 30316

Visit Website

Arnette's Chop Shop

2700 Apple Valley Rd NE, Brookhaven, GA 30319

The Brookhaven steakhouse with its rooftop bar isn’t messing around with the martini, which is built specifically to pair with the steaks on the menu. Listed as the Carnivore Martini, the cocktail is served dirty and ice cold with vodka and garnished with blue cheese-stuffed olives and bacon. Never fear, gin lovers, the bartenders at Arnette’s also make a great classic martini with a lemon twist.

2700 Apple Valley Rd NE, Brookhaven, GA 30319

Visit Website

Gigi's Italian Kitchen & Restaurant

1660 McLendon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

Chefs Eric Brooks and Jacob Armando transformed their weekly pop-up in Candler Park into a permanent restaurant in August 2022, transforming the former Gato space into a cozy Italian bistro with tables draped in red checkered linens set off by candlelight and flowers. It’s now an award-winning restaurant serving a menu of traditional red sauce classics made with in-season produce and fresh-made pastas. A tight list of cocktails round out the beverage list at this restaurant, which includes the briny Dirty Gigi martini. It’s a frequent cocktail order here. Walk-in only.

1660 McLendon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

Visit Website

Related Maps

Poor Hendrix

2371 Hosea L Williams Dr SE bldg 2, Atlanta, GA 30317

Poor Hendrix is the total package in terms of food, cocktails, and low-key vibes. This East Lake neighborhood establishment doesn’t list the classic cocktail on the menu, but the bartenders know it well, and whip up a perfectly balanced martini with gin or vodka by request. It’s super for snacking on a basket of sticky sesame wings or bowl of spicy peanut cold noodles.

2371 Hosea L Williams Dr SE bldg 2, Atlanta, GA 30317

Visit Website

The Deer and The Dove

155 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030

Chef Terry Koval opened this critically acclaimed restaurant in 2019 and its become not only a destination restaurant, but provides Koval ample space to really shine as a chef. Expect skillfully composed dishes of in-season vegetables, beef and pork from nearby cattle and pig farms, and game meat entrees, like crispy rabbit legs fried in fermented buttermilk, duck sausage roulade, and plates of venison. The bar offers a handful of classic cocktails on the menu and makes a mean made-to-order classic or dirty martini. Or, try the Martinez, considered the antecedent of the martini. This 19th century cocktail leans into sweet vermouth and is often made with Old Tom Gin and maraschino liqueur. The Deer and the Dove’s version uses barrel-aged gin, Basque vermouth, and cherry liqueur, giving the cocktail a bit of savoriness mixed with bittersweet notes. Reservations encouraged.

155 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030

Visit Website

Kimball House

303 E Howard Ave, Decatur, GA 30030

The award-winning Decatur restaurant located inside an old train depot offers a namesake martini on the menu combining gin and equal parts Cocchi Americano, and French vermouth. The cocktail comes served with rocks on the side and a choice of lemon twist or olive for garnish. It might be perfection in a cocktail glass. Reservations highly encouraged.

303 E Howard Ave, Decatur, GA 30030

Visit Website

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