14 Cocktails Everyone Will Be Drinking In 2025

One of the best things about our foodie landscape is that it's always changing and sometimes the hot new things seem to come out of nowhere. One day, we're all drinking perfectly normal drinks, and the next, everyone on social media has boba in their tea. Then, we seemingly woke up to the trend of viral, drinkable boba cakes, and it just goes to show how difficult it is to predict the future. It is, after all, a weird place.

But that's exactly what we're going to do here, and we're going to take a look at what cocktails are going to be all the rage in 2025. We reached out to some industry experts who have their fingers on the pulse of the cocktail scene, and spoke with mixologists, bartenders, food and beverage executives, bar owners, and brand ambassadors to see what's on trend to take over social media, your favorite restaurant menu, and your home cocktail bar.

And honestly? It's pretty wild. There's a mix of old favorites and new innovations that are going to be everywhere in 2025, and best of all, there's something for everyone. Whether you love sweet or savory, simple or elaborate, elegant or simply fun, the year is going to have something for you.

If you love a classic dirty martini, we have some really good news for you: Martinis are going to be massive in 2025. Several of the experts we consulted called out the martini as being the cocktail that will define the year, and according to Olivier Rassinoux, vice president of restaurant and bar at the Patina Restaurant Group, martinis have been trending and will continue to do so. Why? Versatility: Rassinoux says that no matter what kind of cocktail you prefer, there's a martini for you.

Mark Bystrom agrees. He's the beverage manager at Salon Salon in New Orleans, and shared with us the fact that one of their best-selling cocktails of 2024 was the Espresso a la Meterie. That's a mix of espresso, cognac, limoncello, and coffee liqueur, and it's also a great example of just how versatile the martini is. That's true for savory and sweet drinks, and it's the former that are going to be particularly big, and that's according to Seaworthy (New Orleans) Lead Bartender Dylan Braud. In addition to favorites like their espresso martini, they're also serving up savory ones, too, like the Seaworthy Martini with mezcal, vermouth, and olive brine. Delicious? Perfect with oysters? We think so, too.

There's a good chance that when you hear the term "cocktail," you're going to automatically think of alcohol. Interestingly, though, some of our experts see 2025 as a year when one alcohol-free trend continues to gain in popularity.

That's the mocktail, and according to VinoVoss AI Sommelier Master Mixologist Nikki Bonkowski, mocktails are going to be all the rage. She told us: "People are leaning towards health-conscious hangouts. Drinking and staying out late are becoming a thing of the past, but for those that are in an environment with alcohol, mocktails are becoming a fun way to play with flavor while staying sober."

Gone are the days when the sober person at the bar only had water and soda to choose from, and mocktails are getting serious. Lisa Beaumont is the beverage director at Ladyhawk in West Hollywood, and she told us that she's seeing a rise in savory mocktails. Both she and Anson Stahl, bartender at San Francisco's The Post Room at Beacon Grand, told us they're seeing an increased demand for mocktails made from locally-sourced, foraged, seasonal, ingredients. Stahl predicts a growing emphasis on creativity as well as ingredients: "Bartenders experimenting with these elevated beverages will likely put a big emphasis on the presentation of them as well, [with] things like edible garnishes, smoke infusions, and more.

When it comes to cocktails and mixed drinks, sherry might not be the first thing that comes to mind. That might change in 2025, though, and that's according to Daniel Azarkman. He's the owner of El Lopo, a venue that's bringing Spain to San Francisco. He told us that Manzanilla sherry is becoming increasingly popular in the creation of cocktails, and he also explained why this particular sherry works so well.

Manzanilla sherry is associated with a single location: It's all aged in the Spanish town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The riverside town sits on the Atlantic side of the Strait of Gibraltar, and the aging process adds a tinge of saltiness to the sherry and makes it wonderfully unique.

"Though it makes an awesome Bloody Mary or Dirty Martini, the use of salinity in general doesn't have to be limited to savory beverages," Azarkman explained. "Sometimes it can just make other flavors pop the way salt does in ice cream, so it can also do a lot for more spirit-forward cocktails where the aromatics need to be heightened." Who would have thought you'd be adding a bottle of sherry to your cocktail bar?

Tiki drinks have a surprisingly long history: They go all the way back to the end of Prohibition. Several of the experts we spoke with predict that these bright, colorful, fun drinks are going to be massively popular in 2025, and it makes sense. What's more social media-worthy than a classic piña colada in a cool mug?

VinoVoss AI Sommelier Master Mixologist Nikki Bonkowski explained to us, "Consumers want fun, and Tiki provides a drink and a show. They also allow creativity to shine, allowing bartenders to show off a mixology skill set that bar guests are more likely to appreciate." Nora Furst agrees. She's the brand ambassador for Straightaway Cocktails, and told us that she sees the popularity of Tiki drinks coming as there's an overall shift in drinking culture. Customers and professionals alike are looking to infuse fun not only into drinks, but into the whole experience of going out to a bar.

"With a nod toward embracing the moment and leaning into the transportive drinking experiences, I believe we will continue to see tropical cocktails lead the charge in classics that pack a punch and deliver a dream," she said. While 2025 might not bring you to white, sandy beaches and faraway places, at least we can bring a little of that tropical flavor home with us.

A rise in the popularity of pickled cocktails is another prediction that comes to us from VinoVoss AI Sommelier Master Mixologist Nikki Bonkowski, who says that savory cocktails are going to be huge. Remember when Matthew McConaughey's pickle margarita had the internet in a frenzy? It turns out that he was absolutely on to something, and that something is a trend that's just going to keep gaining momentum.

The idea of mixing pickles and alcohol might seem deeply offensive to some, but it's not a new idea. The Pickleback has been around since it went mainstream in 2006, and drinking pickle juice along with vodka goes back a long way in Eastern Europe. Even pickle-lovers have to admit it's a funky combination, but Bonkowski says that's precisely why it's going to be even more popular. "Creating fun and funky drinks are going to be all the rage," she told us, and pickle margaritas? That's definitely funky.

Several of our experts said that split-base cocktails are going to continue to get more and more popular, and what do we mean by split-base cocktails? Let's say you love a classic Sazerac. That typically calls for rye whiskey, but you can easily give it a flavor upgrade by using half the amount of whiskey and making up the difference with cognac. This, though is about more than just flavor.

April Wachtel is a mixologist and the founder of Cheeky Cocktails. She told us, "I suspect that lower ABV, spirits-based cocktails will be a major trend in 2025, as more people embrace mindful drinking and prioritize wellness." In addition to experimenting with new flavor combinations in full-alcohol drinks, she explained that it gives the option of using — for example — an ounce of gin and an ounce of nonalcoholic gin for a lighter drink.

That idea was echoed by Olivier Rassinoux, vice president of restaurant and bar at the Patina Restaurant Group. He told us that he predicts classic drinks — such as a Negroni — are going to find renewed popularity as bartenders start serving low-alcoholic or nonalcoholic versions. He gave us an example: "Take a margarita. Using Almave Blanco — a nonalcoholic agave spirit — with a light orange liqueur and lime still gives you the iconic flavor without the full alcohol punch. The result? A lighter drink that still tastes great."

The market for ready to drink cocktails has been steadily on the rise. In 2020, for example, the market value was just around $1.2 billion. The following year, that rose a whopping $489 million, and that's a number that's projected to just keep going up. It makes sense: We all love convenience.

We spoke with Chad Giannini, executive vice president for Patco Brands. He gave us some interesting insight into the market, and he agreed that it was going to continue to grow. He also added that there was one particular segment that was particularly popular, and those were the classic cocktails and nostalgic flavors. They were so popular, in fact, that Patco's Rancho La Gloria was going to be branching out from its usual margarita-centric product line and adding a ready to drink lemon drop martini. So, when anyone asks if you have anything to look forward to in 2025, you can now say that you do.

Giannini explained what was at play here telling us, "Nostalgic flavors have been resonating strongly with consumers, as trusted brands and familiar flavor profiles continue to perform exceptionally well." Also on the horizon? "Rancho La Gloria's upcoming Rocket Pop Margarita is a perfect example of how nostalgia can be leveraged to tap into this trend."

If you love a classic Aperol spritz, we have really good news for you. According to Nora Furst, brand ambassador for Straightaway Cocktails, the spritz is going to be one of the cocktails of 2025. And she's not just talking about the standard variety, either, and she says that botanical-forward spritzes, cocktails like the Spaghett, and savory spritzes — like ones that capture the flavors of pizza — are going to be wildly popular. We told you it was good news!

Furst also gave us some insight into why she sees spritzes trending in a big way in the upcoming year, and says that it's a part of the larger trend toward cocktails with lower alcohol content — but that's only part of it. "A parallel behavior to those looking to drink less is those looking to drink better," she explained. That means cocktails with fewer (or no) additives, traceability in sourcing, and healthier options. A spritz can easily check all of those boxes, and it also fits in with a trend noticed by Elm Street Cask & Kitchen Executive Chef Mike Lopez. He says diners are opting for simplicity in their orders, "increasingly prefer[ing] cordials that can be enjoyed on their own, without ... elaborate embellishments."

According to VinoVoss AI Sommelier Master Mixologist Nikki Bonkowski, 2025 is going to be the year that you're going to see a surge in popularity of some of the old gin classics. "There's a respectability in drinking and making these style drinks," she told us. "Bar guests enjoy when their drinks are being handled with care, and bartenders enjoy when their drinks are being consumed with care." She predicts that we're going to see classics like the French 75, The Last Word, the Negroni, and the Bee's Knees taking the place of many of the bourbon cocktails that have been dominating menus. 

And it makes sense. Customers today love seeing fresh, locally-sourced ingredients on the menu, and few spirits are as versatile as gin when it comes to adding herbs to cocktails. Zeke Gustafson, B&F manager at Aloft New Orleans Downtown, agrees. 

He told us that he sees the need for photo-worthy cocktails continuing to drive demand, and that's another thing gin cocktails have going for them. "Bold botanical flavors, matched with healthy, trending ingredients are going to be popular this summer," he told us. He named both the French 75 and the Gin Gimlet as go-to drinks, saying that while they're easy to make at home, professional bartenders will be experimenting with unique combinations that many people would never dream of making at home.

Similar to the way that VinoVoss AI Sommelier Master Mixologist Nikki Bonkowski sees classic gin cocktails having a moment in the sun during 2025, she told us that she also predicts classic rum-based cocktails will get their time to shine this year, too. While bourbon has been popular for a long, long time, she says that she sees a trend in which tastes are shifting to rum.

What's going to be popping up at your favorite bars? One classic cocktail you're going to be seeing more of the daiquiri, she says, but perhaps not in the way you're thinking. If you've wondered whether or not daiquiris are always served frozen, the answer is, "No." It's the non-frozen variety that's going to get some love in 2025, along with drinks like a rum-based Old Fashioned, the Rum Swizzle, and the Hemingway, which is simply rum, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and maraschino liqueur.

"Thinking outside of the box ... [to] playing on the side of inventive is going to be where trends are headed," VinoVoss AI Sommelier Master Mixologist Nikki Bonkowski told us, and added that one of the things she sees being big in 2025 are sous vide cocktails. What's that?

It is, in fact, exactly what it sounds like and there are a few advantages to using sous vide water baths to prep cocktails, starting with consistency. Infusing liquids with flavors at a consistent, hot temperature means intense, even flavors. If you're following a recipe, it takes the guesswork out of things as it also removes variables like fluctuating temperatures and evaporation, which might mean you get a cocktail that's more or less flavorful than you intended, or even unbalanced. And yes, you can also use the same process for infusing flavors into straight spirits like rum. Sous vide cocktails can also be made ahead and stored for later use, which could be a brilliant way for busy bars to serve customers a unique cocktail very quickly.

The world is an oftentimes terrible place, and it's filled with responsibilities, stress, questions, and dumpster fires. It makes sense that going out for a few cocktails should be a fun experience, and according to Straightaway Cocktails Brand Ambassador Nora Furst, 2025 is going to be leaning into the fun in a big way.

She told us that while she there is still going to be an emphasis on high-quality ingredients and high-quality drinks, she says that the professionals are "taking a more playful approach to cocktail development, bending the boundaries of tradition and utilizing a wide variety of techniques to create a drinking experience that is often wholly unique and novel." That includes cereal milk-washed cocktails that she says create drinks with "Saturday Morning Cartoon Vibes," and it's pretty amazing. Think of things like a gin and fruit cocktail that uses the milk infused with Fruit Pebbles, or an espresso martini with milk that's been infused with anything from Corn Flakes to Coco Puffs or Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It's time to put on Fraggle Rock and the footie PJs for some self-care!

Here's something to keep an eye out for in 20205: cross-branded collaborations. That's a prediction from Patco Brands Executive Vice President of Sales Chad Giannini, who told us that he's predicting we're going to see more of these collaborations, particularly in the ready to drink market. What, exactly, would that look like?

He gave us some examples, saying that it's entirely possible we'll see spirits companies teaming up with a coffee company to market a pumpkin spice martini, or with a soda company to release a paloma. Collaborative products are a win-win, and make sense for all parties involved. "These kinds of strategic partnerships not only amplify excitement around familiar flavors, but also build trial and trust by aligning with recognized brands," he noted. And the customers? We win, too. The sky really is the limit here, and Giannini says that going forward, we're only going to be seeing bigger, better, and bolder ideas.

If you think pickle cocktails sound strange, how about fat-washed and savory cocktails that lean heavy on the umami? The rise of these cocktails is another prediction from VinoVoss AI Sommelier Master Mixologist Nikki Bonkowski, who told us that something new and different is exactly what the industry is craving. "Humans have been drinking some form of alcohol for as long as we've been around, so consumers are craving a way to drink it that they haven't been exposed to before ... Finding ways to incorporate food into cocktails sounds scary," she admits, "but it's exactly what you didn't know you needed."

Fat-washed cocktails were first popularized with an Old Fashioned, and yes, the flavor of bacon fat does lend itself to drinks like the Bloody Mary. That's not the only option, though, and fat-washing can also be done with butter, avocado, coconut oil, truffle oil, and even cheeses. And yes, it might sound complicated, but it's a pretty easy process that you can do at home. Bonkowski says that it's just one way cocktails — particularly savory ones — are going to get a 2025 upgrade, and adds that there is one more secret ingredient that you're going to be seeing more of: miso. Blend it into a syrup, and take your drinks to the next level.