Prepare for Liftoff

Élephante’s cocktail program takes flight with an epic menu of espresso martinis

By Alison Bailin Batz / Photo by Debby Wolvos

When the team behind Élephante began planning for its Scottsdale eatery, the vision was to transport guests to the Italian Coast. “The Scottsdale restaurant marked our second Élephante restaurant, with our first outpost located in Santa Monica,” says Julien Calella, vice president of beverage for the brand. “At the Santa Monica location, we could barely make our Italian-inspired espresso martinis fast enough to keep up with demand.”

With its popularity continuing to rise as the Scottsdale restaurant neared its opening last year, Calella decided to devote a subset of the drink menu to the caffeinated cocktail. “We have three classic takes on the espresso martini on this menu, featuring the guest’s choice of Grey Goose Vodka, Altos Reposado Tequila or Ilegal Reposado Mezcal, each paired simply with espresso and vanilla,” Calella says.

Each classic is finished with three coffee beans, an homage to the Italian tradition of garnishing Sambuca with beans to represent health, wealth, and happiness.

“And then we have our more adventurous offerings,” Cannella says. “These are a more whimsical and avant-garde twist on tradition.” The more daring options include the Cannella, which translates to “cinnamon” and boasts Olmeca Altos Reposado Tequila, Licor 43, espresso, and cinnamon; Mocha, a chocolate-kissed take on the recipe with Ilegal Reposado Mezcal, Caffe Borghetti, espresso, creme de cacao, and vanilla; and Lavanda, a floral-inspired martini with Grey Goose Vodka, espresso, Orgeat Almond Liqueur, and lavender.

Guests may order either a single martini from the menu or opt for a trio of full-sized cocktails thanks to the Espresso Martini Flight ($56). The flight is available with the guest’s choice of the three classic recipes or the more adventurous options.

Élephante, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale; www.elephanterestaurants.com; 480.576.8168.