Minimalist Cocktails: Make Simply Stunning Drinks with Takuma Watanabe
There are minimalist cocktails. Then there are Takuma Watanabe’s minimalist cocktails. If you don’t know who we’re talking about, prepare to get schooled.
Takuma Watanabe is an absolute legend in the industry and the owner of several bars in New York, including cult favorite Martiny’s. And, before that? He was sharpening his skills in Tokyo. Japan demands respect for rituals, precision, and ingredients, and it’s this heritage that goes into everything Takuma does behind the bar. It’s mesmerizing to watch him in action, with every movement done on purpose and with calculated precision. And guess what? We were lucky enough to connect with him online.
Full disclosure, we didn’t meet him IRL (yet)—but we did binge-watch all the content we could find on Instagram and Grand Marnier’s Grand Encounters. And so, naturally, we had a few questions for him. Not to fangirl (ok, maybe just a little), but to get his take on one of 2025’s biggest mixology trends: minimalist cocktails. In this trend, simple drinks are taking center stage, and over-garnished (and unreasonably complicated) cocktails are taking a back seat (cue a collective sigh of relief).
So, if you’re here to find ways to make stand-out simple cocktails at home, you’re in good company.
In conversation with Takuma
Takuma chats about how holding back can actually get your creative juices flowing, how the right glassware can elevate the experience, why real ingredients are such a big part of minimalist culture—and so much more.
On ingredients and simplicity
Want to know the first rule for making great minimalist cocktails? Of course you do. It’s this: a good drink starts with what you put into it. The ingredients you choose to add (and to leave out) can make or break your cocktail. That’s because when you keep things simple, there’s no room for bad ingredients to hide. Takuma breaks down just how much thought goes into choosing ingredients when making simple cocktail recipes.
TM: What should we look for when choosing spirits or mixers?
Don’t be afraid to make your own mixes or syrups at home. Instead of buying margarita mix, use fresh citrus and agave/honey/maple syrup and it will automatically elevate the taste of the cocktail due to the freshness. When you can find organic, real ingredients, it will always improve the quality of the cocktail.
TM: Are there any Japanese ingredients you’d recommend for people trying minimalist cocktails at home?
Yuzu is a great Japanese citrus that can help to make cocktails balanced with a little extra sweetness.
TM: What’s one small change that can improve drinks at home?
Very clean, pure ice is something that can easily elevate a drink at home. Using filtered water is important when making ice at home to make the ice as pure as possible. You can play around with different types of water—bottled brands, hard water, soft water—to see how they affect your cocktails.
TM: What’s your final advice for anyone trying to make better drinks with fewer ingredients?
Nice glassware can always elevate a drink. Even without a garnish, having nice glassware makes the drink elegant on its own.
On technique and restraint
In minimalist cocktail making, precision is key. And so are things like understanding temperature, using your senses to see if a cocktail is ‘done’, and how the way you stir a Martini can change everything.
TM: How do you know when a cocktail is “done”? Any advice for over-thinkers?
It takes time to learn the exact timing of when a cocktail is “done”. But some key things to look out for: make sure the cocktail is the right temperature (this changes depending on the cocktail), smell the cocktail to confirm that the dilution is at the proper place, and taste to make sure that all the flavors are coming through harmoniously.
TM: One cocktail that best reflects your minimalist style?
A Martini. It’s something that is simple but takes time to perfect. Practice stirring ‘smoothly’ to create a great Martini. If you’re making noise (or can hear the spoon clinking on the glass as you stir), then you need to keep practicing. If you stir and make a noise, it causes aeration, which makes the Martini lose the texture you’re looking for. A Martini seems like a simple cocktail, but it requires a lot of technique and finesse, so I encourage people to keep practicing their stirring if they want to perfect their Martini-making skills.
TM: Are there any lessons from your travels that home mixologists can learn from?
Try new spirits and flavors both in food and drinks to help grow your palate. In order to master new types of cocktails and flavors, you have to be open to trying new drinks and foods. Because of my background growing up in Japan, I do lean towards Japanese flavors because it is my comfort. But I get a lot of my inspiration from new foods and cocktails that I regularly try. It helps to keep me creative and excited about creating new cocktails with unique ingredients and flavor profiles.
On making simple cocktail recipes shine
A twist on the Negroni or Margaritas made with top-shelf ingredients? Sign us up! Takuma shares two of his favorite simple cocktail recipes that you’ll want to try at home.
TM: Can you share a simple cocktail recipe that shines because of the ingredients?
A Negroni is a very simple drink that’s easy to make at home. A twist on the Negroni that I love to make is the Kingston Negroni with rum, Campari and sweet vermouth. My preference is to use Appleton Estate 8-year Jamaican rum, or if you want to be a little fancier, they have vintage special editions—I like the 20-year aged. Another favorite to make at home that can be very easy is the Margarita. My twist is to use Mayenda Reposado with Grand Marnier instead of triple sec, and using Meyer lemon instead of the traditional lime. It feels like a more elegant Margarita.
On creativity and confidence
Do you have friends on the way, but your bar cart is looking a little sad? We have some good news. Creativity through restraint is basically the core of minimalism, so consider yourself challenged.
TM: When you’re working with just a few ingredients, how do you keep things interesting?
I suggest using elegant and delicate glassware—this can make any cocktail at home feel like you’re at a sophisticated bar. Have a variety of ice trays with different shapes and sizes to elevate the look of any cocktail that is served on the rocks. Utilize garnishes from your kitchen – any herbs, fruits, citrus, and get creative!
TM: Minimalist cocktails are getting more popular in bars and at home—why do you think that is?
Keeping it simple can make it easier to learn how to make a well-balanced cocktail. It allows home bartenders to perfect the technique behind classic cocktails, which makes them feel more confident to then put their own twist on things. When you complicate a drink with too many ingredients, it makes it harder to make a balanced drink—especially for home bartenders who may not be as experienced.
On culture and influence
Takuma’s approach is influenced by two cities: Tokyo and New York. He shares what he’s learned—and how you can channel that same energy at home.
TM: What can home bartenders learn from Japanese and New York cocktail culture?
From Japanese cocktail culture, I learned that you must master making classic cocktails before experimenting with new ingredients and flavors and making your own version of it. To make a well-balanced cocktail, you need to perfect the technique of the classic cocktail before putting your own personal spin on it. From New York cocktail culture, I learned how to make quality cocktails in a very fast-paced environment.
Final thoughts
Let’s face it—life is moving at a rapid pace, drinks are being overpoured, and AI is blurring the lines of reality. It’s good to be reminded that there’s comfort (and great cocktails) to be found in being real, slowing down, holding back, getting creative—and learning how to stir a Martini with the quiet confidence of Takuma Watanabe.
About Takuma Watanabe
Takuma Watanabe brings a calm intensity to the world of cocktails. Originally from Tokyo, he began as a barista before moving into bartending under the mentorship of Shuzo Nagumo at Code Name Mixology. That foundation shaped his move to New York, where he spent eight years at the iconic Angel’s Share, quietly building a reputation for steady confidence and layered creativity.
Today, Takuma is the co-owner of Martiny’s, an award-winning, three-level bar in Manhattan that blends Japanese hospitality with New York culture. In 2024, he was named Bartender of the Year at the Spirits Business Awards and Best Bartender in North America at the Shaker Awards and was a semi-finalist for the 2025 James Beard Awards.
Known for his understated brilliance, Takuma continues to raise the bar in global cocktail culture, one precise pour at a time.
