Tacoma’s Espresso Martini Week will get you hyped — and support a good cause
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, espresso martinis have earned their mantle on the modern American cocktail menu, and Tacoma’s restaurants are no exception.
In the general course, you’ll find them at all manner of bars — from casual sports to fancy cocktail lounges. But for two weeks this month, your coffee-cocktail sips at nearly 50 bars around Pierce County will achieve more than just a personal pick-me-up.
Tacoma Espresso Martini Week runs Oct 13-27, during which a portion of proceeds from featured drinks at participating bars will benefit Emergency Food Network, in turn supporting neighbors in need at 75 food pantries, meal sites and shelters around Pierce County.
This year’s fundraiser follows a successful first round last fall, spearheaded by Kate Garl, a veteran of the Tacoma hospitality scene and now a regional sales manager for beverage distributor RNDC. The idea started off simple enough: She loved espresso martinis, but some bars “did them better than others,” she explained, while others didn’t keep the right ingredients on hand.
While enjoying one at the lounge at Asado, among the participating venues, she and another liquor-brand ambassador toyed with a bartender competition: Who makes the best espresso martini? They ultimately decided the fundraising approach felt more beneficial to both the industry and the public.
“It kinda creates this little buzz … and a little camaraderie,” said Garl. “Espresso martinis are so popular anyways. People are drinking them. Why not give back to our community?”
The cocktail, believed to have been created in the ‘80s by London bartender Dick Bardsell at the behest of supermodel Kate Moss, was nearly forgotten until just a few years ago, in an apparent post-pandemic fervor for simultaneous stimulant (caffeine) and depressant (alcohol). The original recipe combined vodka, coffee liqueur, a wisp of sugar and a real pull of espresso, all shaken until frothy. Calling this vermouth-less concoction a “martini” is a bit of a misnomer — maybe that’s why bartenders have had fun with it in recent years. Recipes use various base spirits — gin, tequila, bourbon, rum — and add nuance through components like nutty liqueurs, bitter amaros, salt or cream.
Many modern iterations don’t feature espresso, instead opting for easier-to-source-and-shake cold brew coffee. Borghetti, 25% alcohol by volume, does incorporate the real stuff, brewed from both Arabica and Robusta beans. Most recipes use 1 or 1.5 ounces of the Italian liqueur.
At Bar Rosa, where Neapolitan-style pizza accompanies some of the city’s best cocktails daily, co-owner Meghan Seale said they’ll serve their go-to recipe with vodka, Borghetti, cold brew and a hint of sugar.
The Wine Spot in Edgewood took a nutty route with its Nutty by Nature with Borghetti, Crater Lake hazelnut vodka and Bumbu Rum crème liqueur.
At The Huckleberry Club, one of the owners, Magdalena Ramos, also works at Bluebeard Coffee. The bar’s recipe will incorporate that cold-brew, said Garl.
The Tacoma event is sponsored by Borghetti Espresso Liqueur, LALO Tequila and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. The latter, Austin-based brand is donating $2,500 to Emergency Food Network, said Garl, while participating bars agree to donate a suggested $1 to $2 from the sale of each drink.
Tacoma Espresso Martini Week
- Oct. 13-27: a portion of proceeds from each drink sale supports Emergency Food Network
- Follow instagram.com/tacoma_espresso_martini_week for updates
Hilltop
- 1111 Peterson Bros.
- Bar Rosa
- The Huckleberry Club
Sixth Ave
- Asado Cucina Argentina
- The Boom Boom Room
- Busy Body!
- Kingfisher & Rye
- La Ca Bar
- O’Malley’s Irish Pub
- Primo Grill
- Side Pony
- West End Pub
Proctor/Old Town/Ruston
- Bordeaux Wine Bar
- Macaluso’s Italian Restaurant
- Magoo’s Annex
- Proof (inside Anthem Coffee)
- Rosewood Cafe
- The Spar Tavern
- Woven Seafood & Chophouse
Downtown Tacoma
- Alfred’s Cafe
- The Camp Bar
- Chez Lafayette
- Devil’s Reef
- En Rama
- The Fish Peddler
- Indochine Asian Dining Lounge
- Johnny’s Dock
- McMenamins Elks Temple
- Miro Tapas
- Stink Meat & Cheese
- Wooden City
St. Helens & Stadium District
- Doyle’s Public House
- Indo Asian Street Eatery
- Parkway Tavern
- The Powder Room Champagne Bar
- Red Star Taco Bar
Central/South Tacoma
- The Mule Tavern
- The Tipsy Tomato
Dome/McKinley/South End
- Black Star Pub & Grill
- The New Frontier
- Top of Tacoma
- Thunderbird Restaurant
Fife/Puyallup/Edgewood/Milton
- Ms. Jane’s Fine Dining (at BJ’s Bingo)
- Bourbon Street Creole Kitchen
- The Coaster
- The Mill Steakhouse & Spirits
- The Wine Spot
Lakewood
- Foley’s on the Green
- Rollie’s Tavern
Gig Harbor
- Morso Wine Bar
This story was originally published October 8, 2025 at 5:30 AM.