Shrunken, not stirred Why there's a new thirst for mini martinis

When it comes to cocktails, a new word has been added to the traditional order: as well as "shaken" or "stirred," drinkers are increasingly asking that their martini be "small."

- Chloe Mac Donnell

Rather than the customary martini serving, which starts from 150ml upwards, bars across the country are serving mini versions, starting from as little as 30ml, as drinkers aim to keep a clearer head and spend less.

At Rita's, a bar and restaurant frequented by Dua Lipa in London's Soho, downsized martinis hover around the 100ml mark. Rita's co-founder Missy Flynn says they are designed to be finished in three or four sips. "The mini version opens up the palette. It's like a starter drink before moving on to something else such as wine." With both millennials and gen Z showing less interest in drinking to excess, scaled-down martinis make sense.