“The first thing I want as soon as I feel springtime start to come on is a Gin Basil Smash,” says Josh Conley, owner of Memphis’ Bar Limina, which opened in May. Four months later, his own take on the modern classic feels right at home in every season.
Conley’s drink, which he describes as a “soft sour,” actually skips the basil. To make it, he infuses black tea into the gin, calls on a Champagne-based syrup and—in lieu of the herb—adds a “pinch” of arugula leaves to the tin that injects a dose of peppery, vegetal flavor to the cocktail.
Across the country, other bars make use of the leafy greens, too. At Rose Marie in Brooklyn, arugula-infused tequila meets the herbal tones of génépy in the Sun Green, a refreshing, layered cocktail topped with freshly grated pepper. At Real Charmer in Los Angeles, arugula grounds a mix of black peppercorns, olives, rosemary and dill in the maximalist Meze Martini.
Though arugula hasn’t historically been a popular cocktail ingredient, its modern-day rise meets the moment: In a landscape where jalapeños, habanero and other chiles are in everything from Margaritas to Martinis, arugula channels a similar pepperiness, without the heat. Its herbaceousness, meanwhile, makes a good match for botanical liqueurs. For Conley, arugula’s aromatics play a role, too. He remembers that at a past job, “when we’d bring in a big shipment of arugula from the farms, it was so intensely peppery and fragrant that you could smell it outside.”
To try the trend yourself, Conley recommends that regal shake technique: throw the leaves right into your tin. For a stronger flavor, however, consider muddling the arugula first; Matthew Biancaniello uses this method for his peppery Gimlet riff. Conley says the ingredient pairs best with earthy, vegetal spirits. “I’ve had great success with arugula and agricole,” he says. “There’s something about doubling down on those grassy flavors.”
