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A VinePair analysis using Ground Signal menu data puts the average U.S. Espresso Martini price at $14.38, ranging from $16.92 in Hawaii to $12.06 in Oklahoma. Tito’s is the most common vodka brand in 29 states.
A new state-by-state analysis puts the average price of an Espresso Martini in the United States at $14.38, with the drink costing $16.92 on average in Hawaii, the most expensive state in the country, and $12.06 in Oklahoma, the cheapest. The price map, published by drinks publication VinePair and built from menu data collected by the AI-powered insights company Ground Signal, charts how the cocktail’s on-premise cost varies across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
According to the report, Hawaii ($16.92) and New York ($16.03) are the only states where the average Espresso Martini costs more than $16. VinePair attributes Hawaii’s top price in part to the higher cost of shipping goods to the islands, while noting that Hawaii is the only state that commercially produces coffee. Nevada ($15.94), California ($15.57), and Washington, D.C. ($15.38) round out the five most expensive markets.
Only 15 states post an average price above the $14.38 national average, meaning most of the country pays less than the mean. On the affordable end, Oklahoma leads at $12.06, followed by South Dakota ($12.40), Iowa ($12.43), and a tie between Nebraska and Mississippi at $12.50. Mid-range states include Florida at $14.41, Illinois at $14.35, and Texas at $13.89.
Ground Signal also tracked which vodka brands appear most often in Espresso Martinis. Vodka is the spirit in roughly 90 percent of the country’s Espresso Martinis, according to the firm. Tito’s was the top brand in 29 states, Ketel One in 17, Stoli in five, and Absolut in one.
Why Cocktail Prices Vary by State
The spread between the most and least expensive states — nearly $4.90 per drink — illustrates how much on-premise drink pricing depends on local costs rather than the recipe itself. An Espresso Martini contains the same core ingredients everywhere: vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, and simple syrup. Differences in rent, labor, liquor taxes, and shipping therefore account for the price gap.
For consumers, the data offers a benchmark: a $14 cocktail in Missouri ($12.99 average) is comparatively expensive, while the same price in Massachusetts ($15.09 average) is a relative bargain. For bar operators and drinks-industry professionals — the audience for VinePair’s VP Pro platform — the numbers provide a reference point for menu pricing in their own markets.
The Drink Behind the Data
The Espresso Martini has become what VinePair calls one of the most popular cocktails of the modern era, a fixture at bars and brunch spots that pairs vodka, coffee liqueur, fresh espresso, and simple syrup. Its sustained demand is what prompted the price comparison: when a cocktail appears on menus nationwide, price differences across markets become visible to both consumers and brands.
Ground Signal, the data provider behind the map, supplies AI-powered analytics to beverage-alcohol brands to support on-premise sales. For this analysis, the firm surveyed bar and restaurant menus across the country to calculate each state’s average listed price.
“Hawaii leads the U.S. with the most expensive Espresso Martini on average at $16.92.”
— VinePair
Several details about the methodology remain unclear. Ground Signal surveyed menus across the country, but the report does not specify how many establishments or menus were sampled per state, or the exact time window in which prices were collected. State-level averages may also mask wide variation within states — a cocktail in Manhattan likely costs more than the New York State average of $16.03, just as rural Oklahoma prices may sit below that state’s $12.06 mean.
The report also does not say whether prices include tax or tip, or how venues serving multiple Espresso Martini variants were counted. The 2026 label reflects publication timing; whether prices are rising, falling, or stable compared with prior years is not addressed, as no historical baseline was provided.
Tracking Prices Through 2026
Drink prices tend to move with broader inflation, labor costs, and spirits taxes, so these averages may shift over the course of 2026. VinePair’s map is part of its VP Pro offering for drinks-industry professionals, and similar menu-data analyses covering other cocktails or categories may follow. Readers can compare their own state against the full table published with the original report.
Key Questions
What is the average price of an Espresso Martini in the U.S.?
The national average is $14.38, according to VinePair’s analysis of Ground Signal menu data. Only 15 states have average prices above that figure.
Which state has the most expensive Espresso Martinis?
Hawaii, at $16.92 on average, followed by New York at $16.03. These are the only two states with averages above $16.
Where is the Espresso Martini cheapest?
Oklahoma has the lowest average at $12.06, followed by South Dakota ($12.40), Iowa ($12.43), and Nebraska and Mississippi (both $12.50).
What vodka do most bars use in Espresso Martinis?
According to Ground Signal, vodka is used in about 90 percent of U.S. Espresso Martinis. Tito’s is the most common brand, leading in 29 states, followed by Ketel One (17 states), Stoli (5), and Absolut (1).
Why does the price differ so much between states?
The ingredients are essentially the same everywhere, so the gap comes from local factors such as rent, labor, liquor taxes, and shipping costs. VinePair specifically cites Hawaii’s higher shipping costs as a driver of its top-ranked price.
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