43 Classic Drinks to Order at a Bar
From the Negroni to the Cosmo—and everything in between—traditionalists will appreciate these timeless cocktails.
You know the old saying, "if it aint broke, don't fix it"? That goes double for a good cocktail. Don't get us wrong, we love an inventive modern cocktail as much as anyone, but when you get right down to it, some things are classics for a reason. After all, the flavors of the margarita, the Manhattan, the martini (and its many variations) have stood the test of time... and, even better, can be readily ordered up in just about any bar.
The classics themselves run the gamut from spirit-forward sips (think: the Old Fashioned and Manhattan) and simply shaken favorites (cosmos, gimlets) to sparkling variations (there's a champagne cocktail for every taste) and tropical tastes (we do indeed love a piña colada). So whether you're brushing up on your at-home mixology menu or looking for a go-to order for your next cocktail hour, you'll never be sorry to have the recipe for one of these classics in your back pocket.
Old Fashioned
There may be no better test of a bartender's mettle than ordering an Old Fashioned. The recipe is simple:
- 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 sugar cube or 1 tsp sugar
- Orange twist garnish
Put sugar in glass. Cover it with dashes of bitters. Add whiskey and stir until sugar dissolves. Add ice, stir again, and serve. (If the barman starts shaking the ingredients or muddling fruit, have your next round at another bar.)
Margarita
Cloyingly sweet margarita mixes have given this drink a bad name. A well-made version is a fresh mix of lime juice and tequila, with a hint of sweetener:
- 2 oz silver tequila
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 1 oz lime juice
- Salt for the rim
Since this recipe includes fresh juice, it should be shaken. Serve over ice in a glass with a salted rim.
Cosmopolitan
The cosmo became almost ubiquitous in the '90s thanks to the TV show Sex and the City, but this spin on the martini remains just as tasty today as when Carrie Bradshaw made it famous.
- 1.5 oz citrus vodka
- 1 oz Cointreau
- .5 oz lime juice
- .25 oz cranberry juice
Build all ingredients in a shaker tine with ice and shake. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with lime wheel or zest.
Negroni
A favorite of bartenders all over the world, the Negroni is a simple three-ingredient cocktail:
- 1 oz gin
- 1 oz Campari
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
Stir ingredients with ice.
Moscow Mule
Popular for good reason, the Moscow Mule is one of the most refreshing things to sip on a hot summer day. Its suggested vessel, a copper mug, also just looks sharp.
- 2 oz vodka
- 4 to 6 oz ginger beer
- .5 oz lime juice
Squeeze lime juice into a Moscow Mule mug. Add two or three ice cubes, pour in the vodka, and fill with cold ginger beer. Stir and serve.
Martini
James Bond was wrong—whether you drink it with gin or vodka, stirred is the way to go when ordering a martini.
- 3 oz gin or vodka
- .5 oz dry vermouth
- Lemon peel or olive
Stir ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into chilled martini glass. Squeeze oil from lemon peel into the glass or garnish with olive.
Mojito
Originating in Cuba, this refreshing rum-based drink is filled with mint and lime—a perfect combination for sipping by the pool or beach. If you're craving a little literary cred, the mojito was also said to be a favorite of author Ernest Hemingway.
- 3 mint leaves
- 2 oz white rum
- .75 oz lime juice
- .5 oz simple syrup
Muddle mint into a shaker tin, then add ice and rest of ingredients. Shake to chill and strain into a highball glass with ice. Top with club soda, if desired, and garnish with mint.
Whiskey Sour
Perhaps the most refreshing whiskey cocktail, this is an old reliable favorite.
- 2 oz whiskey
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 egg white (optional)
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake (bartenders use this "dry shake" to incorporate the egg white). Add ice and shake again. Strain over ice in a rocks glass.
French 75
Created during World War I, the name of this drink was supposedly inspired by the fact that taking a sip of it feels like getting shelled with a French 75mm field gun, a powerful piece of artillery.
- 2 oz gin
- 2 dashes simple syrup
- .5 oz lemon juice
- Champagne
Shake gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice with ice. Strain into a champagne glass. Top with champagne.
Manhattan
Created sometime in the mid-1800s, the Manhattan is one of the booziest classic drink recipes.
- 2 oz rye whiskey
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into chilled martini glass or cocktail coupe.
Spritz
Low on alcohol and high on refreshment, the spritz has been a crowd-pleasing favorite aperitivo for more than two centuries. Though it can be made with any amaro or liqueur as a base, by far the best known version is the classic Aperol Spritz:
- Equal parts Aperol
- Equal parts Cinzano Prosecco
- Splash of Soda
Mix all ingredients in a wine glass with ice and gently stir. Garnish with an orange slice.
Gimlet
The classic recipe calls for gin, but this drink is just as tasty if you substitute vodka instead.
- 2 oz gin or vodka
- .75 oz simple syrup
- .75 oz lime juice
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into cocktail glass.
Sazerac
If you like a drink with some bite, give this classic New Orleans concoction a try.
- 2 oz rye whiskey
- .5 oz simple syrup
- 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
- Absinthe
Rinse a chilled glass with absinthe and discard the absinthe. Stir the other ingredients in a mixing glass, strain into the chilled glass, and garnish.
Pimm's Cup
The first official Pimm's bar popped up at the 1971 Wimbledon tournament, and now more than 80,000 pints of the quintessential British summer cocktail are served to spectators every year. Here's the official recipe courtesy of Pimm's:
- 50 ml (about 1.75 oz) Pimm's No.1
- 150 ml (about 5 oz) lemonade
- Mint, orange, strawberries
- Cucumber to garnish
Pile all the ingredients in a tall glass, mix, and sip.
Aviation
This old school favorite with its unique floral notes (courtesy of creme de violette) almost disappeared for the early '00s cocktail renaissance brought it roaring back to popularity.
- 2 oz gin
- .5 oz maraschino liqueur
- .75 oz lemon juice
- .25 oz creme de violette
Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.
Vesper
You might think of a martini when you think of James Bond, but this drink is the true tipple of the iconic spy—the recipe first appeared in Ian Fleming's 1953 novel Casino Royale in homage to the Bond girl Vesper Lynd. While Bond takes his "shaken, not stirred," most stick to the rule that spirits-only cocktails should be stirred instead.
- 3 oz gin
- 1 oz vodka
- .5 oz Lillet blanc
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Tom Collins
Essentially a sour topped with club soda, the Tom Collins is a classic cocktail that's as easy and delicious to whip up at home as it is from your favorite bar. For a truly traditional version, opt for an Old Tom-style gin.
- 2 oz Old Tom gin
- 1 oz lemon juice
- .5 oz simple syrup
- Club soda to top
Build all ingredients in a glass with ice and stir gently to combine. Garnish with a lemon slice and a cherry.
Mimosa
We'd like to salute Frank Meier, the bartender at the Ritz Paris who in 1925 reportedly served the first mimosa. The recipe just might be the simplest cocktail ever created.
- 2.5 oz champagne
- 2.5 oz orange juice
Combine equal parts of the ingredients in a champagne flute.
Paloma
In Mexico, the paloma is just as popular as the classic margarita—and with a thirst-quenching combination of tequila, lime, and grapefruit soda, it's bound to become a summer favorite of yours too.
- 2 oz tequila
- .5 oz lime juice
- Grapefruit soda to top
Add tequila and lime to a salt-rimmed glass filled with ice. Top with grapefruit soda.
Last Word
We love an equal-parts cocktail, and the much-iterated Last Word more than proves the versatility of the formula—no wonder it's been a favorite of bartenders since the early 1900s.
- .75 oz gin
- .75 oz maraschino liqueuer
- .75 oz green chartreuse
- .75 oz lime juice
Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.
Sam Dangremond is a Contributing Digital Editor at Town & Country, where he covers men's style, cocktails, travel, and the social scene.
Lauren Hubbard is a freelance writer and Town & Country contributor who covers beauty, shopping, entertainment, travel, home decor, wine, and cocktails.
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