Signature cocktail

Espresso Martini

Espresso Martini is what you make for after dinner drinks, or when you need a pick-me-up but don’t want to fall behind the pack on a night out with your mates! Dangerously drinkable with a good slog of liquor, this coffee cocktail is crowd favourite just like your LuckyLadds topless waiter will be.

Ingredients

  • 40ml / 1 1/3oz Vodka
  • 20ml (2/3 oz) Kahlua
  • 20ml (2/3 oz) espresso coffee , cooled
  • 3 coffee beans , garnish
Espresso martini with creamy foam and coffee bean garnish, perfect for a hens party cocktail making class.
A hens party scene featuring a group of women gathered together indoors enjoying espresso martinis in coupe glasses.

The Perfect Espresso Martini Recipe

The Espresso Martini is smooth, bold, creamy, and honestly one of the most dangerously easy cocktails to drink on a night out. With vodka, Kahlua, and fresh espresso shaken over ice, it’s the perfect mix of strong coffee flavour and cocktail kick. Whether it’s after dinner drinks, girls night cocktails, or the point of the night where everyone suddenly needs a second wind, this one always disappears fast.

What You’ll Need ☕

  • 40ml vodka
  • 20ml Kahlua
  • 20ml fresh espresso coffee, cooled
  • Ice (the ice will help with frothing, so be generous)

Optional Garnish

  • 3 coffee beans
  • Cocoa powder dusting
  • Chocolate shavings

A studio cocktail styling scene featuring an espresso martini served in a coupe glass with creamy foam and coffee bean garnish. The setup also includes all the ingredients used.

How To Make An Espresso Martini

This cocktail is all about the shake. The harder you shake it, the creamier and smoother the espresso foam becomes on top.

  1. Chill Your Glass: Place your martini or coupe glass in the freezer while preparing the cocktail.
  2. Add Ingredients To A Shaker: Add vodka, Kahlua, cooled espresso coffee, and plenty of ice into a cocktail shaker.
  3. Shake Hard: Shake aggressively for around 15 seconds until the shaker feels icy cold. This creates the creamy foam layer.
  4. Strain Into Glass: Double strain into your chilled glass for a smooth finish.
  5. Garnish & Serve: Float three coffee beans on top and serve immediately.

A close-up cocktail preparation scene showing an espresso martini being strained from a cocktail shaker into a coupe glass with creamy foam forming on top.

Why Everyone Loves Espresso Martinis

It’s basically the cocktail version of saying “we’re definitely not going home yet.” Rich coffee flavour, smooth sweetness, and just enough kick to wake everyone back up after dinner or halfway through a big night out. One Espresso Martini somehow always turns into another, especially once everyone sees them coming out topped with that thick creamy foam and coffee bean garnish.

Three espresso martinis served in coupe glasses with thick creamy foam and classic coffee bean garnish.

Delicious Espresso Martini Variations

Salted Caramel Espresso Martini

Add salted caramel syrup for a sweeter dessert-style version.

Chocolate Espresso Martini

Add chocolate liqueur or chocolate bitters for a mocha-style cocktail.

Vanilla Espresso Martini

A splash of vanilla syrup softens the coffee flavour beautifully.

Baileys Espresso Martini

Add Baileys for a creamier and smoother version.

Frozen Espresso Martini

Blend with ice for a frozen cocktail version perfect for summer nights.

Five espresso martini variations displayed in coupe glasses on a wooden tabletop with warm purple cocktail bar lighting. The drinks include salted caramel, chocolate, vanilla, classic espresso martini, and frozen espresso martini.

Shake up your menu

More cocktails to try

Want variety at the bar? Mix in one of these LuckyLadds-approved cocktails to keep every round exciting.

Frozen strawberry daiquiri garnished with fresh strawberries under pink and green neon lighting at a hens party cocktail making class.

Signature cocktail

Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri

Frozen Strawberry Daiquiris are the ultimate poolside thirst quencher. Made with strawberries, rum, lime juice, and sugar. Use frozen strawberries for an extra-slushy texture! A lucky Ladds summer favourite they are nearly as cool as your topless waiter.

  • 1 1/2 cups white rum
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice, from about 6 juicy limes
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup simple syrup, depending on your preferred sweetness
  • 1 16-ounce package frozen strawberries
  • 4 cups ice cubes
  • Strawberries, lime wheels, or little umbrellas for garnish, optional
Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri
Layered sakura mojito cocktail served in a tall highball glass with mint leaves, lime, edible flowers and crushed ice on a wooden serving board surrounded by fresh herbs and flower petals, styled for cocktail recipe blogs, spring party drinks and cocktail making class inspiration.

Signature cocktail

Sakura Mojito

Cherry Blossom in a glass! The Sakura mojito is the perfect way to celebrate spring get your topless waiter to you this beautiful seasonal twist on the classic mojito. With the Sakura Mojito stunning pink, purple and green colours and a hint floral sweetness this is one cocktail you will have your luckyladds topless waiter making for you all night.

  • 5 Fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 medium lime cut into wedges
  • 1/2 Tbsp cane sugar
  • 60ml ink gin
  • 15ml Sakura syrup (can use any pink syrup)
  • 1/2 cup club soda, or as needed
  • ice
Sakura Mojito
Bright blue Hawaiian cocktails served in tall glasses with pineapple wedges, maraschino cherries and tropical umbrellas on a white marble surface, styled for beach party cocktails, summer drink recipes and tropical cocktail making classes.

Signature cocktail

Blue Hawaiian

Escape to a sun-drenched beach with ourBlue Hawaiian Coconut cocktail. This cocktail is a tantalising blend of creamy coconut rum, sweet pineapple juice, and a hint of blue curaçao, giving it that iconic tropical hue. Perfect for summer parties, this cocktail offers a taste of the islands.

  • 45 ml rum
  • 25 ml ounce blue curaçao liqueur
  • 60 ml pineapple juice
  • 30 ml ounce ​cream of coconut
  • Maraschino cherry, for garnish
  • Pineapple wedge, for garnish
Blue Hawaiian

Let's Go

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Send through your date, location, and group size and we’ll confirm availability. Once you lock in your date, you’re all set.

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Party Hosts

Games and Activities Hosts for a Perfect Party

Equal parts host, flirt and chaos coordinator. Hand-selected, professionally trained, talented and skilled, ready to run fun activities at your best party ever. A LuckyLadd host is an absolute must!

Handsome Turkish waiter smiling and posing shirtless with a black shirt over his shoulders and wearing his luckyladds belt and black dress paints
Baris
Model Royce wearing a unzipped black leather hoodie showing his abs and chest. He is young blonde and handsome.
Royce
Our Melbourne Topless waiter brad posing with one arm up behind his head, he has a lean body with multiply tattoos.
brad
Handsome, tall with long hair, shirtless with his shirt over his shoulder. He is smiling and flexing his bicep, he has a large body builder frame.
Wild Tarzan
Featured Queens

Drag Queens for Outrageous Fun

Bold entrances, cutting banter, and unhinged party hosting, our drag entertainers know how to turn your hens party ideas into a full-blown event. Expect personality, polish, and pazaz.

She is striking a pose with hands pointed out to the side, she has a tall bright red wig on and black leather bra and short dress.
Salzza Dipp
Drag Queen Victoria Mami posing in a pink outfit with matching pink wig, dramatic makeup, and stylish sunglasses during a glamorous hens party entertainment performance in Sydney.
Victoria
Drag queen Delivira wearing a gothic like dress with bright red hair.
Delvira Midnight
Our Brisbane based drag queen Miss Veeta posing in a red, black and yellow zebra print dress with a blonde wig.
Veeta

Got a question about our cocktails?

Our cocktails are fun! And we bet you have heaps of questions. Here are the most common questions hens organisers have asked us. Your question not answered here? Reach out to us!

Why does an Espresso Martini get foam on top?

The foam comes from freshly brewed espresso being shaken hard with ice. The coffee oils and air create that signature creamy top layer.

Why are there three coffee beans on top?

Traditionally the three beans represent health, wealth, and happiness.

What coffee works best for Espresso Martinis?

Fresh espresso gives the strongest flavour and best crema for foam.

Should espresso be hot or cold before shaking?

Slightly cooled is best. Hot espresso melts the ice too quickly.

Can I make a sweeter Espresso Martini?

Yes, add vanilla syrup, caramel syrup, or extra coffee liqueur.

Why is my Espresso Martini watery?

Usually from not enough ice or shaking for too long after the ice has melted.

Can I use cold brew coffee?

Yes. Cold brew creates a smoother less bitter cocktail.

Can I make a dairy-free creamy Espresso Martini?

Yes, oat milk or coconut cream work really well in creamy variations.

What garnish works besides coffee beans?

Chocolate shavings, cocoa powder, caramel drizzle, or even crushed biscuits work well.

Inspiration

Cheers to Espresso Martini

Stories, planning tips, and cocktail inspo to keep the celebrations flowing.

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