A selection of our favourite Italian- and Italian-American-inspired cocktails. Many of our cocktails at the Dover are strained into frozen glasses. Put the glass(es) in the freezer for 30 minutes before serving, removing them just a minute or so before pouring your drink(s).
The Dover martini
Our take on a timeless classic, developed by our head of bar, Pietro Lucchese.
Serves 1
75ml vodka – we use Konik’s Tail
3 drops orange bitters
1 splash dry vermouth, to spray or rinse the glass – we use Cocchi Extra Dry
1 orange twist, pared off with a peeler or paring knife, to garnish
Pour the vodka and orange bitters into a mixing glass, add ice all the way up to the top and stir gradually, moving the ice in a continuous circular motion. Once the ice starts to melt, add fresh ice to fill the glass back up to the top. Taste as you go: the drink should taste very clean, and will take time to chill down and dilute to deliver the very pure taste of the spirit.
Swirl or spray half a shot of dry vermouth all around the inside of a frozen martini coupe, pour out any excess, then strain the martini into the glass and garnish with the orange twist.
Eastside
Zesty and zippy, this is another Dover original formulated by Pietro Lucchese.
Serves 1
3 cucumber slices
3 mint leaves, plus 1 leaf extra to garnish, but only if you don’t have dehydrated lime
50ml gin – we use Bombay Sapphire
25ml fresh lime juice
20ml simple 1:1 sugar syrup, made with 20g caster sugar dissolved into 20ml water
1 slice dehydrated lime, to garnish (optional)
Muddle the cucumber slices in a cocktail shaker – this means giving them a light bash, which you could do with a pestle or the back of a spoon. Clap the mint leaves between your hands to release their oils, then add to the shaker, too.
Add all the remaining ingredients apart from the dehydrated lime (if using), then add ice to the top of the shaker. Shake and strain into a chilled glass, then strain again into a frozen coupe – the double strain will ensure the cocktail is smooth. Garnish with a slice of dried lime or a mint leaf, and serve
Bicicletta
An early version of a spritz, a cocktail that is now popular not only in Italy, but all over the world.
Serves 1
50ml Campari
50ml dry Italian white wine – ideally pinot grigio
40ml soda water
1 orange slice, to garnish
Put all the ingredients in a wine glass, fill to the top with ice, stir and serve.
Godfather
A 1970s classic, named after the film.
Makes 1
40ml scotch whisky (we use Johnnie Walker Black Label)
20ml amaretto
Add both spirits to a frozen rocks glass, add ice, stir and serve.
New York sour
20ml aquafaba (AKA vegan foamer)
50ml bourbon – we use Maker’s Mark
20ml fresh lemon juice
20ml simple sugar syrup
Port wine, to float
3 drops Angostura bitters, to finish
Put the aquafaba in a large shaker tin, add the bourbon, lemon juice and sugar syrup, then dry shake (ie, without ice) to aerate the drink – the whipping creates tiny bubbles and ensures a smooth froth. Add ice to the shaker, shake again, then fine strain into a sour glass. Add a port wine float and finish with neat drops of the bitters on top.
