Savoury cocktails are as old as the Dirty Martini, and as timeless as the brunch-buddy Bloody Mary, but mixologists are exploring further than before, with a variety of savoury-muddled ingredients being poured from their mixers and shakers.  

Just as any gastronome seeks the surprise and sense of innovation in culinary experiences, so too do the imbibers in their beverage options. And what’s clearer than a vodka tonic: sugar is out, and savoury is in… 

A timeline of trends
The 90s were for the sugary-sweet disco-esque ‘potions’ that were largely faux cordial-based and fashionably overly dressed with fruit-basket hats. The 2000s went back to the classics of cocktail history in methods of precision-pouring to recipe. The 2010s were of the citrus-and-sour-subscribed varieties, or blitzed icey fruit with an intention of “refreshment” purposes. 

And, on to the present, and a shift in the consumer’s schmick and vogue and desire for restaurants’ bar programmes to pursue more creativity, the emergence of the piquant expression in cocktail-making has seen results of wonderfully exciting savoury sips.  

 

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Culinary construction
The ‘Kitchen Cocktail’ has been a moniker for some time now – culinary cocktails constructed using kitchen methods and techniques of preparation and made by the kitchen. The move towards the savoury mix is seen to be closely bound with a growth in skill development by bartenders becoming more culinary-savvy, and now working in tandem with chefs. Kitchen ingredients from gardens and pantries are now being integrated into cocktails, and the results are yielding some amazing “food drinks”: think aromas of coffee and spices, umami from Parmesan or soy, brine from pickles, floral compounds of blossoms, vegetables and fruits in paired synergy, and exotic garnishes of caviar, truffle and saffron. 

Andrew Duff, General Manager at Eat Out 3-star restaurant La Petite Colombe (recipient of the Eat Out Patrón Mixology Award in 2023), elaborates: “Kitchen technology is providing us with more techniques to be able to extract different flavours from ingredients we never thought possible: smokers, to infuse cocktails with botanicals, and sous vide baths, used to infuse ingredients together, have yielded very unique flavours. It allows us to be more innovative with ingredients that are readily available to us and in season.” The restaurant’s cocktail of heirloom tomatoes concentrated into a clear and concentrated essence, spiked with Japanese saké and finangled with an infusion of garden botanicals is a creation that dances between umami, savoury and bright summer. 

 

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Creativity and complexity
Andrew expresses: “We want something bold, exciting and new. We want something we haven’t seen or tasted before.”  

Wikus Human of another Eat Out star restaurant, Zioux in Johannesburg, further explains: “as drinking culture has evolved, so has the palate. There’s been a broader acceptance of varied and sophisticated flavours, driven by a greater appreciation for gastronomy and a more adventurous approach to drinking. Overall, the journey from sweet and fruity to complex and savoury reflects a broader trend towards sophistication and innovation in cocktail culture.” There are few better examples of sophistication than the classic Martini – the most famously spun of the classics modified to create something familiar but new. Zioux’s “Wasabi Sake-tini” showcases warmth, floral efflorescence and citrus injection from wasabi-infused saké, elderflower syrup, cucumber and lemon.  

The opportunity for pairings
“Not everyone wants the traditional wine pairing with their menu – consumers want options, and we want them to make sense, and also ensure that non-alcoholic pairings aren’t an afterthought either,” says Andrew.

“Restaurants have had to expand their beverage menus and look towards more diverse offerings. The expansion of the beverage offering has meant a change towards refinement in the cocktails, showcasing different layers of flavour: sweet, bitter, sour, salty and umami delivered with subtlety, or with a length and complexity in expression for pairing,” explains sommelier Tadiswa Chikwanha of 2-star restaurant SALON in Woodstock. Using a dish on the menu to inspire the beverage needed for the pairing is a great place to start. SALON’s Mexican-inspired chipotle tuna Caesar dish pairs with their Saladito cocktail – a mingling that merges in tropical, smoke and spice from mezcal, roasted jalapeno and pineapple.  

The classics will certainly never go out of style, but for the curious consumer: If you have an imagination for the “spirited” or an intrigue that will certainly reward the inquisitive, the ‘savoury swagger’ is certainly here to stay.