I Tried Martha Stewart’s Signature Cocktail at Her New Restaurant and It’s Just as Good as You’d Expect It to Be

Martha Stewart has done it all. She’s written countless cookbooks and starred in many programs dealing with everything from cooking to baking and even entertaining — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

In many ways, she’s the original lifestyle influencer and we all love her for it. Though the now 81-year-old has truly done it all, there’s one thing that she hasn’t done: opened her own restaurant. Until now.

Announced at the top of the year, the entertaining guru’s first restaurant — The Bedford by Martha Stewart at Paris Las Vegas Hotel — is now open and for fans of the star’s style, this is one you definitely need to see in person.

The restaurant, which was inspired by Martha’s home in Bedford, New York, is comforting and cozy with neutral colors, and features a menu made with local and seasonal ingredients. And while there’s plenty of interesting personalized finds on the menu — from delicious table-side carved roast chicken to table-side smashed potatoes with an optional caviar add-on — there was one cocktail in particular that jumped out at me instantly to try. And no, it wasn’t the Cointreau Kiss.

The Martha-tini is Martha Stewart’s signature martini on her menu at the new restaurant and it is made with Żubrówka bison grass vodka, dry vermouth, and a lemon twist. It’s a beautiful presentation that packs a potent punch (each martini is made with 4 ounces of vodka!) — much like everyone’s favorite domestic goddess. 

“Presentation is extremely important. Ingredients are extremely important,” Martha Stewart said about adapting her home recipes to the restaurant. Of course, that statement was evidenced in the entire menu, but especially in this beautiful cocktail. 

But why make this martini her signature cocktail? Because she’s a fan of them, of course. “I have a very large martini shaker and we just started making shaken martinis. I found this wonderful Żubrówka vodka, which makes that unusual taste.”

The unique taste that Martha is referring to is the bison grass that the Żubrówka vodka is infused with. So what exactly is this bison grass she speaks of? Well, it is, quite simply, grass that bison like to eat. That simple.

But perhaps trying Martha’s signature martini was extra meaningful to me because I have recently created my own signature martini. A few months ago, I helped create a spin on the dirty martini, the Dirty Aly (can you guess where the name came from?), which exists on the menu at MAD Bar & Lounge at NH Collection New York on Madison Avenue in New York City.

My own signature martini, however, is quite different from the Martha-tini. The Dirty Aly  involves muddled Castelvetrano olives, Monkey 47 gin, brine, and a vermouth rinse over the olives. Finishing touches involve a few drops of salt water and a garnish of  blue cheese, olive, and capers. Prefer vodka? You can always switch out the gin for a vodka version, using Grey Goose vodka. Either way, the outcome will be salty, savory, and very dirty.

So the million-dollar question remains: having tried both the Martha-tini and The Dirty Aly, which one do I like more? Obviously, I’m biased as one is named after me, but I really think each one appeals to different moods and occasions.

The Martha-tini for example, is bright and fragrant — thanks to the lemon twist and the bison grass vodka. Martha’s cocktail is clean and fresh while mine is, well … dirty. It’s salty and mysterious and delivers a more savory, umami taste. I, of course, have a place for both in my cocktail plans with having one to start the night with while the other will add a nice finish to it.

Overall, I believe The Bedford offers a unique ambiance hard to find elsewhere. Table-side presentation is such a Vegas institution — seen historically in restaurants for everything from prime rib to salads — and here, that major part of culinary culture is paid tribute to in several ways, including with the signature cocktail. The Martha-tini is shaken table-side, which just adds to the beautiful presentation. It’s also pretty incredible to have something in common with the Queen of Entertaining — which is now something I’ll brag about over dinner with friends for years to come.

For those who prefer more of a frozen, fruity sip with the dinner, the Frozen Pomegranate Martha-rita is also on the restaurant’s menu and it’s made with Casa Dragones Blanco tequila, Cointreau, pomegranate juice, and a salt and sugar rim and has happy hour written all over it. And don’t worry, there’s obviously plenty of Martha’s Chard, to be found, too.