Your guide to the best classic martinis around Baltimore

There’s nothing quite like a perfect martini.

No, I don’t mean espresso martinis. I’m talking about the James Bond-having, old-timey drink that’s having a resurgence partly thanks to girl dinner, and partly because of the Internet’s current obsession with all things olives and brine.

To me, the first sip of the ice cold, alcohol-forward cocktail evokes a better world. As Esquire once wrote, the martini is “the perfect antidote to modern life.”

There’s an art to balancing the boozy drink: Do you like it with vodka with a twist? Or are you partial to brine, making it “dirty,” with lots of accoutrements and gin? Do you like it stirred or shaken?

I’ve saved you the pain — and I went through a few rounds of pain — of drinking poorly made ones to bring you a roundup of the best classic martinis around town.

Peter’s Inn

• 504 S. Ann St., Baltimore

This decades-old Fells Point establishment is known for its delicious food, but also for its martini service. When you order it, you’ll receive a full glass, as well as a sidecar — an additional self-service pour of the cocktail. It’s your fancy two-for-one deal. The sidecar sits atop a bed of ice to keep cool, which is an essential asset for a good martini.

The service, which also comes as an option for their Manhattans, is to make diners “feel special,” said Peter’s Inn co-owner Karin Tiffany. “It’s a privilege to eat out and it’s expensive, and I love people to be happy.”

The cocktail itself comes with a glorious, oversized toothpick filled with a rotating list of pickled accoutrements, including caperberries, onions, olives and pepperoncinis. I like my martinis here “dusty,” which is slightly dirty, or with just a bit of olive brine.

Love, Pomelo

• 2933 O’Donnell St., Baltimore

Where Peter’s Inn leans into delightful, maximalist indulgence, this Italian restaurant’s cocktail, served ice cold in a coup glass and garnished with a single Castelvetrano olive, is simple and elegant. Co-owner Min Kim, whose team also owns Café Dear Leon down the street, said they’ve seen an uptick in people partaking in the drink, especially these last few months. “There’s a direct correlation with martini drinking and economic turmoil,” Kim said.

While there is an Italian martini on the menu made with an Italian vermouth, I recommend asking for a classic, which is made with Fort gin, Dolin vermouth and Castelvetrano olive brine and garnish. The buttery, meaty olive emphasizes the delicate olive flavors of the martini even more.

The Prime Rib

• 1101 N. Calvert St., Baltimore

Martinis at this traditional fancy steakhouse where Maya Angelou and other legends have dined never miss. I mean never. Much like the staff here — who wear bow ties and black suits as a gentleman plays the piano — the drink is classic to its core. The glass is pulled directly from a chiller of ice water, so ice chips cling to the rim to ensure the coldest taste of the drink. You can also customize your garnishes. I opted for three blue cheese olives and a twist of lemon to be “extra.” Sit at the bar if you don’t want to indulge in a couple-hundred-dollar meal and order a burger to sop up some of the boozy beverage instead.

Tavern at Woodberry Kitchen

• 2010 Clipper Park Road, Suite 126, Baltimore

Restaurateur Spike Gjerde is having a big year. After taking full control of Tavern at Woodberry Kitchen last year, he’s since opened two more concepts across town. However, at the James Beard Award-winning chef’s mainstay restaurant, the team recently launched a bespoke martini service where the choice is yours, down to the garnish. With three gin and vodka choices, two vermouths and seven styles of martinis — including a spicy version with their house-made fish pepper hot sauce — you can try dozens and dozens of martini iterations.

The Peppermill

• 1301 York Road, Lutherville

Travel north of the city and you’ll be delighted by the martini prices — $6! — at this restaurant. While I’m not one to get something just because of its low price, it’s certainly a draw when the cocktail usually runs around $15.

Often referred to as “God’s Waiting Room,” the establishment, open since 1982, has catered to an older crowd. But as they say, respect your elders, who in this case have long known the quality of cocktails here. On a recent visit, the remaining martini from the shaker was brought over in a plastic Jello shot-esque container to make sure each patron was able to drink every last remaining drop. Need I say more?

The Wren

• 1712 Aliceanna St., Baltimore

Known for their food and perfect pour of Guinness, the team at The Wren also makes their own blue cheese olives and pickled onion garnishes for martinis. But this stop has an added bonus for martini lovers since they serve the drink’s even more delicate cousin: the Gibson.

Gibsons, which are garnished with an onion instead of a lemon or olive, largely fell out of fashion before a more recent resurgence, so I was delighted to see this beverage prominently featured at the Fells Point pub. The beverage teeters between briny and savory, tiptoeing the line of becoming a meal in and of itself.