I didn’t come to Vancouver specifically in search of a good martini, but somehow, they kept finding me: Diminutive pours to cap off a long night, savory riffs with a whisper of the sea, and bartenders finding unexpected ways to chill them down. Who knew this cosmopolitan British Columbia city known for its lush green spaces and pristine seafood was also turning out some of the most creative martinis around?

Conveniently, one waited for me downstairs. At the sleek Fairmont Pacific Rim overlooking Coal Harbour, Botanist channels its namesake ethos into drinks and dishes shaped by Pacific Northwest botanicals and produce. Adjacent to the dining room that’s done up in climbing plants, warm wood tones and marble, a cocktail lab employs chemistry equipment for drinks listed on a menu adorned with hand-drawn botanical illustrations.

Botanist Marine Martini © Kelly Magyarics

But I was there for its signature Marine Martini, which stirs a dry gin blend with house-made vermouth and kombu, garnished with chive oil and a thin stalk of sea asparagus. Briny, vegetal and mouthwatering, it was an utterly perfect representation of the coastal setting and an auspicious start to a PNW-inspired tasting menu.

While Botanist has been on the scene for almost a decade, the city’s second outpost of Jeju opened just late last year, quickly becoming the most coveted reservation in town. Low-lit, minimalist and intimate, the buzzy spot serves Korean fare through a West Coast lens, using traditional flavors and a modern touch. Jeju’s philosophy is grounded in the Korean concept of jeong, which translates to warmth and “neighborly care.”

I definitely felt this concept from my perch at the bar, where my server gently coaxed me to order the Soju Martini to sip alongside spot prawn ceviche and charred eggplant resembling charcoal briquettes. The drink arrived in a blue and white ceramic cup set on a saucer with a pickled persimmon on a twig. Soft and both slightly sweet and earthy, it was like no other martini I’d ever had — in flavor or appearance. To chill it, my bartender slowly introduced cubes one at a time to the cocktail glass while stirring to fastidiously control the level of dilution.

Soju Martini at Jeju © Kelly Magyarics

And that wasn’t the only unexpected technique I discovered. The Keefer Bar, opened in Chinatown in 2010, is the OG that elevated the city’s craft cocktail scene. Dark, moody and inspired by a Chinese apothecary, the bar uses Traditional Chinese Medicine ingredients such as ginseng and chrysanthemum selected to affect your mood. Well, I was in the mood for a martini, here diluted with equal parts water and hydrosol, an herbal distillate that lends aroma and flavor. I loved its delicate notes and the accoutrement: a small bowl of pickled things, from daikon radish to enoki mushrooms, for a choose-your-own-adventure garnish that doubled as a bar snack.

At Keefer’s sister concept, June, a French brasserie opened in 2025, martini variants including the savory, smoky Burnt Gibson are stirred in a cocktail glass submerged in an ice bath for a perfectly calibrated chill. Just as impressive: All are available in both full-sized pours and half-sized mini-tinis. After sampling my fair share of gin and vermouth around town, I appreciated the option to indulge with the same precision, just with a bit more restraint.