Espresso Tonic
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Cold tonic water topped with a fresh espresso shot — bitter and bubbly, with a foam crown where the crema hits the carbonation. A non-alcoholic afternoon drink that became one of the most-ordered specialty coffees of the 2010s.
Recipe by CameroxnWithAnXThe espresso tonic was born at Koppi Roasters in Helsingborg, Sweden around 2007 — baristas at the café were experimenting with cold espresso preparations and found that quality tonic water with its quinine bitterness paired surprisingly well with the bitter notes in espresso. The drink spread through Nordic third-wave coffee culture and reached global specialty cafés by the mid-2010s.
Method
Built
Glass
highball
Difficulty
Easy
🌱 Vegan🌾 Gluten-free
Upgrade your home bar
AdInstructions
- Fill a tall glass with ice cubes to the rim.
- Pour 100 ml chilled tonic water over the ice.
- Brew a fresh single shot of espresso (~30 ml) and pour it slowly over the back of a bar spoon onto the tonic — the layers will hold briefly.
- Drop in a thin slice of orange or a twist of grapefruit zest for citrus aromatics.
- Drink without stirring to enjoy the layering, or stir once if you prefer it homogeneous.