Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco · bar
Persian Art Deco arches, hand-painted murals, and a long mahogany bar unchanged since 1941 set the scene for SF's most storied martini institution. Herb Caen called it 'the Holy Shrine of the Dry Martini', the gin martini is still the whole point, served cold and unadorned without ceremony. Arm yourself with cash, pull up a stool and don't ask for vodka.
Rye, sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters — a proper classic on Zam Zam's short list.
Classic gin and Rose's lime, bracingly cold and unapologetically retro.
Bone-dry gin martini served cold — the bar's whole reason for being since 1941.