Espresso Spritz Cocktail Recipe

The Espresso Spritz is a refreshing low-alcohol cocktail made with freshly brewed espresso, coffee amaro, pineapple juice, vanilla syrup, and Prosecco. This bittersweet and slightly fruity spritz gets served over cracked ice and is garnished with espresso beans, fresh mint, and a slice of pineapple. 

Akin to an Espresso Martini, this drink blends espresso with a coffee-flavored liqueur. Here, coffee amaro is utilized as an herbal and bittersweet option that combines elements of fresh coffee beans, herbs, and spices.

This cocktail is a signature on the menu at Good Guy’s, a spritz-centric bar in New York City co-owned by veteran bartenders and Attaboy owners Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy. At Good Guy’s, the cocktail is simply called the Espresso + Prosecco. 

Why the Espresso Spritz works 

Ross and McIlroy lean on ingredients that highlight the fruity notes present in brewed espresso. The tart and tangy notes in the fresh pineapple juice play off the tropical fruit and citrus notes present in coffee. In lieu of simple syrup, vanilla syrup is used here to highlight the aromatic qualities of the coffee as well. While store-bought or homemade vanilla syrup is preferable, unflavored simple syrup can be used as well. 

When choosing an coffee liqueur, it's important to pay extra care as it's the primary alcoholic ingredient in this drink. J. Rieger Co.’s Caffè Amaro is a great option for its balanced, coffee-forward flavor profile with pronounced sweet and herbaceous notes. Prosecco provides extra backbone, adding effervescence and citrus notes. 

This recipe was developed by Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy; the text was written by Lucy Simon.