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A cool spin on the Espresso Martini cocktail from a fetching Portland bar

A drink as an homage to a classic cocktail and gardener

By Mark Stock Published May 5, 2026

Ernesto's Garden Stroll cocktail. — Hey Luigi

Spring spells so many new beginnings, from garden starts in your yard to a new season of outdoor adventures. Presently, we’ve got backyards and beverages on the mind. In keeping in line with the ever-growing number of spring cocktail recipes out there, he’s another to add to the collection.

A number of great traits come together in the Martini glass here. There’s the nice addition of an Italian apertivo, not to mention the blast of foam at the end. It’s a pro-level cocktail you can make at home, with a little elbow grease.

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This one comes from esteemed Rose City bar Hey Luigi. It’s a nod to Top Chef alum and restaurant chef Gabriel Pascuzzi’s uncle and features a nice brightness to balance out the lower-toned notes of bourbon and coffee. Read on for details.

Ernesto’s Garden Stroll

A riff on the ever-popular Espresso Martini drink, this cocktail bears a great name and is inspired by the chef’s uncle, envisioned wandering through his garden, drink in hand.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces Espresso-infused Basil Hayden Bourbon
1 1/2 ounces Grind Coffee Liqueur
1/2 ounce Galliano Apertivo
Lemon foam for topping*

*Lemon foam: Combine 4 ounces simple foam, 6 ounces rich simple syrup, 3 ounces lemon juice, and 2 ounces water in an an iSi canister. Charge twice with NO2 chargers. Chill for 15-20 min before topping your cocktail.

Method:

Shake the bourbon, coffee liqueur, and apertivo in a cocktail tin with ice.
Double strain into a coupe glass.
Top with lemon foam and grated lemon zest.

Contributor

Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…

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