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This Boston couple tried nearly 100 espresso martinis. Here are their top 5.
It started as a way to get to know their new home of Boston, but now they seriously judge and rank each cocktail.
Getting to know Boston when you’re not from here can be a challenge, but married couple Liana Juarez and Cristina Jiron, both 31, are attempting to acquaint themselves with the city in one very Boston way: By drinking nearly 100 espresso martinis.
Juarez, who’s in biotech, and Jiron, who works in property management for life sciences, have tried espresso martinis at 93 different restaurants and bars across Greater Boston and New England. If you count the coffee cocktails at restaurants they’ve visited on multiple occasions, their espresso martini total is even higher.
“The espresso martini is high on our list of favorite cocktails,” Jiron said. “It’s something we finish our dinners with and as we try to get familiar with Boston.”
The couple moved here six years ago after attending the University of Florida and working in Gainesville. Having no connection to New England, they used their love of food, drinks, and restaurants to guide them around the city.
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There are all kinds of other foods that could have been their fixation. Juarez actually prefers Negronis, and Jiron martinis with a twist. One time they went to the North End in search of the best tiramisu, but it turned into an espresso martini outing instead.
“We ended up tasting 10 different espresso martinis,” Jiron laughed.
When they realized how many espresso martinis they were consuming, they decided to take notes. Those field notes would soon turn into a rubric that Juarez and Jiron would use to rank each and every espresso martini they drank.
A few of the criteria they weigh for each drink includes use and taste of the coffee liqueur, balance of ingredients, the quality of the base spirit, and a persistent foam or crema. There is one rubric item that they can both agree is critical.
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“Weighted most heavily is exceptional coffee,” Juarez said.
More espresso martini news
The six and final criteria is often the point of contention between the two judges.
“To me it gets extra points if it has beans that can float on the foam,” Juarez said. “Christina disagrees — she says it’s purely aesthetic.”
On a scale from one to 10, 10 being the best, they then take their scores from each judge (usually just Juarez and Jiron) and average them out to get the final ranking.
The list as of December 2025 is pretty wide-ranging in terms of the neighborhoods, types of restaurants and bars, and even in the way the espresso martinis are made. Juarez and Jiron have ranked coffee cocktails as far as Provincetown, tried riffs that use Turkish coffee, and have ventured to other bars and restaurants that aren’t just North End’s Italian eateries.
And it seems they have accomplished their goal in getting to know the city. Juarez said they now bring friends along with them to take part in the exclusive judging rites. They’re recognized as regulars now by the staff at a few of their favorite espresso martini-making spots, and they even meet industry folks who share recommendations for the couple’s next espresso martini.
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“One of the great things that our list has given us … it’s a great conversation starter,” Jiron said. “It’s been a really cool and fun way to acclimate ourselves into the city.”
There are no signs of slowing down just yet, though. Juarez said they’re starting to share their list on Instagram under the handle espressosocietybos, and there are still plenty more espresso martinis and riffs of the cocktail to try around Greater Boston.
The couple was willing to share a small, but important part of the list with Boston.com: their top-5 espresso martinis, from fifth to their absolute favorite.
Where to get the best espresso martinis in Boston
5. Prima
Notes from Juarez and Jiron: “Great use of cold brew over espresso. Flavor profile is balanced, no fuss recipe, but done really well. Crema foam held well until the last sip.”
10 City Square, Charlestown
4. Mooo…. (Seaport)
Notes from Juarez and Jiron: “Crisp, elegant, balanced cocktail.”
49 Melcher St., Seaport
3. Wink & Nod
Notes from Juarez and Jiron: “Fun experience tasting the many variations crafted by the three bartenders tending this beautiful speakeasy-style bar. Their house espresso martini is so easy to love that it was mind-blowing the variations crafted to further elevate this delightful drink.”
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3 Appleton St., South End
2. The Street Bar
Notes from Juarez and Jiron: “Complex curation of ingredients. No detail is missed in balancing this beautiful cocktail that features a crisp Japanese vodka as its base spirit.”
1 Newbury St., Back Bay
1. Stanza dei Sigari
Notes from Juarez and Jiron: “Fresh coffee brewed for every cocktail, balanced beautifully with the vanilla vodka.”
292 Hanover St., North End
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