Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Where to Get Cocktail Glasses


chefboy24

Recommended Posts

hey all.

buying new cocktail glasses professionally for my restaurant.

the only ones i have found that i feel elegant enough for my dining room are the spiegelau "grandissimo" cocktails or the riedel "vinum extreme" cocktails.

both are unfortunately 8.5 oz capacity

i am looking for something super elegant, thin rum, rounded (not V shaped), clarity, and maybe 6 oz-ish capacity.

i love bar milano's glasses, pegu's, d&c, pdt, etc etc.

where can i get these glasses?

Also! I would like my captain waiters to pour martinis tableside..... Am wondering where I can get martini/cocktail carafes (like the ones at bar milano), so waiters aren't walking thru a packed dining room with filled to the brim cocktail glasses.

thanks in advance!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you've admired the stemware or accoutrement at another restaurant, then call and ask the manager what make and model they are and who they purchased their things from. I know that at least here in PA where I have to consider such things, certain lines of glassware might be sold by anyone from one of the liquor purveyors to a salesperson that carries both the glassware as well as the china and silverware, to having to order online directly from the supplier. Depends who carries it where you are. Try and find out who the places that have the nice stuff are buying from. Ask for a catalog. Often the same shape glass comes in several volumes/sizes. Figure out what you want. Ask for samples. Play with the glassware. Put it through your usual washing process (eithe by hand or through the dishwasher) and see how it holds up. Sadly, the elegant pretty things often shatter in a thousand shards if you merely look at them crosseyed from across the room. There's plenty of very nice glassware that can stand up to the sort of abuse it will have to take in a commercial environment. The Riedel "Restaurant Series" or the Mikasa "Open Up" series of glassware can all stand up to some drumming on the tables. careless knocking over and dropping and still look and feel like fine lead crystal in the hand.

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe at Bar Milano that they are using glassware that is custom made for them.

Pretty sure PDT and a few others others started with rather expensive stemware; now it's probably Libby's.

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right. Most of the expensive, fancy cocktail glassware around (Riedel, Spieglau, etc.) is too fragile for bar use -- all the moreso because it is more expensive to replace. Everyone I know who started out with this stuff eventually switched to a less expensive, sturdier glass.

--

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right. Most of the expensive, fancy cocktail glassware around (Riedel, Spieglau, etc.) is too fragile for bar use -- all the moreso because it is more expensive to replace.  Everyone I know who started out with this stuff eventually switched to a less expensive, sturdier glass.

Exactly - charging $12 - $15 for a cocktail doesn't really help if that $11 stem needs to be replaced fairly regularly.

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I buy from thrift stores, but when I find the occasional Libbey coupe, I snap it up as quickly as possible. Not only do they look more elegant than many other glasses on (or off) the market, they are thick and sturdy. The thickness also helps because when you pre-chill them long enough, they stay colder longer than thinner glasses.

You can get cases of them pretty easily (eg from Amazon).

nunc est bibendum...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the non-professional shoppers:

I've found some standard 5 oz V glasses at Ikea that are actually pretty durable and inexpensive. I keep looking for coupes but can never find them anywhere (I don't want to buy a case of em) for reasonable prices in a size that is sane.

edit:

Found them on their site: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80091949

6 for $10

Edited by MattJohnson (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the non-professional shoppers:

I've found some standard 5 oz V glasses at Ikea that are actually pretty durable and inexpensive.  I keep looking for coupes but can never find them anywhere (I don't want to buy a case of em) for reasonable prices in a size that is sane.

edit:

Found them on their site: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80091949

6 for $10

Not sure where you're located but try restaraunt or bar supply stores. I know there's one in Houston that will sell glassware by the dozen or (if you ask nicely) even by the half-dozen. As far as I can recall they carry the full line of Libby stuff, including the glasses shown here. I would imagine there's a place like this near you if you look hard enough.

Andy Arrington

Journeyman Drinksmith

Twitter--@LoneStarBarman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the non-professional shoppers:

I've found some standard 5 oz V glasses at Ikea that are actually pretty durable and inexpensive.  I keep looking for coupes but can never find them anywhere (I don't want to buy a case of em) for reasonable prices in a size that is sane.

edit:

Found them on their site: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80091949

6 for $10

Not sure where you're located but try restaraunt or bar supply stores. I know there's one in Houston that will sell glassware by the dozen or (if you ask nicely) even by the half-dozen. As far as I can recall they carry the full line of Libby stuff, including the glasses shown here. I would imagine there's a place like this near you if you look hard enough.

You're probably right. I was at Ikea anyway and was kind of surprised they actually had any 5oz glasses. I looked online after posting and found some libby stuff by the dozen for a decent price. Once I'm down a few glasses, I'll probably go that route.

Edited by MattJohnson (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the Death & Co bartenders says he's seen champagne coupes for sale at a tea shop on the Lower East Side on Rivington Street. I haven't checked it out for myself but I think he speaks of The Tea Gallery, which is on 131 Allen St., just off Rivington St., on the west side of the street. It's a Chinese tea shop.

"I'll put anything in my mouth twice." -- Ulterior Epicure
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also! I would like my captain waiters to pour martinis tableside..... Am wondering where I can get martini/cocktail carafes (like the ones at bar milano), so waiters aren't walking thru a packed dining room with filled to the brim cocktail glasses.

thanks in advance!!!

I've had problems with the little mini cocktail shakers I've used in the past for tableside pouring. After they go through the dishwasher (heated) a number of times, they stop fitting universally, so if you don't match the right top with the right bottom they leak. Huge pain, but maybe it wouldn't be an issue if they were washed by hand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the Death & Co bartenders says he's seen champagne coupes for sale at a tea shop on the Lower East Side on Rivington Street. I haven't checked it out for myself but I think he speaks of The Tea Gallery, which is on 131 Allen St., just off Rivington St., on the west side of the street. It's a Chinese tea shop.

Found them for $3.75 each at this very place. They seem exactly like the ones you see at PDT and Death and Co. Holds about 4-5 oz. I'd say. I washed them and am chilling some in the freeze.... Quite useful for home cocktailians in NYC. It's more of a housewares stop than a place to sit and drink a cup of tea, BTW.

Edited by kathryn (log)
"I'll put anything in my mouth twice." -- Ulterior Epicure
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Useful tip re Ikea, thanks.  It seems ridiculously hard to find a simple, unornamented 'V' glass with sensible capacity in stores.

Yeah, I've found this pretty frustrating myself. My wife and I just so happened to be at Bed, Bath & Beyond yesterday and they had a TON of glasses. Yet none of them were designed with smaller cocktails in mind.

"A woman once drove me to drink and I never had the decency to thank her" - W.C. Fields

Thanks, The Hopry

http://thehopry.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the Death & Co bartenders says he's seen champagne coupes for sale at a tea shop on the Lower East Side on Rivington Street. I haven't checked it out for myself but I think he speaks of The Tea Gallery, which is on 131 Allen St., just off Rivington St., on the west side of the street. It's a Chinese tea shop.

Found them for $3.75 each at this very place. They seem exactly like the ones you see at PDT and Death and Co. Holds about 4-5 oz. I'd say. I washed them and am chilling some in the freeze.... Quite useful for home cocktailians in NYC. It's more of a housewares stop than a place to sit and drink a cup of tea, BTW.

Isn't this place on Essex Street?

Edited to add - No, it isn't...but there is a tea shop that's at 145 Essex St., which also sells the same coupes at about the same price - $3.50 - looked like a 4 to 5 ounce glass.

I really would like to find the glasses they use at Pegu.

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Useful tip re Ikea, thanks.  It seems ridiculously hard to find a simple, unornamented 'V' glass with sensible capacity in stores.

Yeah, I've found this pretty frustrating myself. My wife and I just so happened to be at Bed, Bath & Beyond yesterday and they had a TON of glasses. Yet none of them were designed with smaller cocktails in mind.

No kidding. Other than the Ikea glasses, the smallest I've found in a retail shop is 9.5 oz. One of the biggest revelation I've had getting into cocktails is how a small one is so much better. They don't get warm, and you can have 2! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Finally! I was at Crate and Barrel yesterday and stumbled on some very nice (and also very affordable) cocktail glasses. If you live anywhere near a C&B, definitely stop by and grab a few...

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?...01&SearchPage=1

"A woman once drove me to drink and I never had the decency to thank her" - W.C. Fields

Thanks, The Hopry

http://thehopry.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finally!  I was at Crate and Barrel yesterday and stumbled on some very nice (and also very affordable) cocktail glasses.  If you live anywhere near a C&B, definitely stop by and grab a few...

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?...01&SearchPage=1

Great shape, but kinda big though, no? 8.5 oz is way bigger than I've grown accustomed to....

Christopher

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finally!  I was at Crate and Barrel yesterday and stumbled on some very nice (and also very affordable) cocktail glasses.  If you live anywhere near a C&B, definitely stop by and grab a few...

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?...01&SearchPage=1

Great shape, but kinda big though, no? 8.5 oz is way bigger than I've grown accustomed to....

Christopher

i would guess that is how much the glass weighs rather than how much liquid it holds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...