Whether it’s shaken, stirred, dirty, or dry, the martini remains one of the world’s most iconic and timeless drinks. While there’s debate about where the drink originated, San Francisco’s fingerprints are all over its rise, the precursor “Martinez” drink, borne from the Bay Area’s Gold Rush and saloon era. Now, the city is honoring this legacy with “The San Francisco Martini Trail,” a new, first-of-its-kind initiative celebrating San Francisco’s cocktail history and its modern mixology culture.
Stretching across the city’s diverse neighborhoods, from the Embarcadero’s waterfront to art-filled SoMa and the tree-lined avenues of The Richmond, the Trail invites visitors to sip their way through San Francisco’s most notable bars. “The Martini Trail is both a toast to San Francisco’s history and a taste of its future. This is where the martini found its swagger and where it continues to be reinvented,” Anne Marie Presutti, president and CEO of San Francisco Travel, said in a press release shared with Travel + Leisure.
Curated by San Francisco–based food, drink, and travel writer Omar Mamoon, the Trail also showcases the artistry of the city’s bartenders. Visitors can enjoy everything from gin-and-vermouth classics to innovative contemporary cocktails. Mamoon describes the trail as a starting point for visitors to explore San Francisco while inspiring them to craft their own adventures.
With 23 participating restaurants, the Trail offers a comprehensive range of cocktail styles and flavors. True Laurel, recently named one of North America’s 50 Best Bars in 2025, serves its signature Laurel Martini, a refined blend of London Dry and Islay gins, vermouth, and California bay tincture. Martuni’s, a beloved downtown piano-bar, takes a more playful approach with a colorful quartet of fruit-forward martinis, from sour apple and watermelon to pineapple and creamsicle. At Starlite, nostalgia comes alive in the Dirty 90’s Martini, crafted with Grey Goose Vodka infused with extra virgin olive oil and house brine vermouth. Together, these stops provide a self-guided tour of San Francisco, one drink at a time.
To learn more about The San Francisco Martini Trail and access its interactive map, visit sftravel.com/san-francisco-martini-trail.
