16 Types of Cocktail Glasses Every Bar Cart Owner Needs

By
Maria Sabella
Maria Sabella
Maria Sabella

Maria Sabella is an E-Design consultant and has spent the last six years working in the interior design and staging industries, as well as writing digital content focused on home-related topics.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Published on 01/25/23
different cocktail glasses

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The bar cart has made a huge comeback in recent years and has become a popular decorative and practical accent for at-home happy hour. When it comes to styling your bar cart and serving up delicious drinks, the right cocktail glasses are essential. Whether you're a budding mixologist or a seasoned pro, keep reading to learn about the 16 most commonly used cocktail glasses that every bar cart owner needs.

  • 01 of 16

    Martini Glass

    martini glasses

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    Best for: martini, cosmopolitan, and any cocktail served straight up

    Perhaps the most famous of all the cocktail glasses and a must-have for every bar cart owner—a martini glass features a tall stem and a cone shape with a wide mouth that enhances flavor and aroma. Use it for any cocktails served straight up, shaken, or stirred.

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  • 02 of 16

    Highball Glass

    Highball glass with a stirrer

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    Best for: Bloody Mary, mojito, or any drink served with ice

    A highball is a versatile tall cocktail glass that has a simple shape and is the perfect choice for any drink that's served with plenty of ice or toppings, such as a Bloody Mary. It's also a great glass for non-alcoholic beverages, making it an all-around useful bar cart addition.

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  • 03 of 16

    Coupe

    Coupe glass with a lime slice

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    Best for: champagne cocktails, Manhattan

    Serve elegant champagne cocktails as well as straight-up champagne or Prosecco in a coupe. This sophisticated glass has a tall, thin stem and a bowl-shaped top that's sometimes adorned with a gold rim for extra detail.

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  • 04 of 16

    Copper Moscow Mule Mug

    Copper Moscow Mule mug

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    Best for: Moscow Mule

    This hammered copper mug is synonymous with a Moscow Mule cocktail and is a cocktail classic no bar cart should be without. The reason for the metal mug is that it keeps a drink extra cold, making it a great pick for any cocktail served with lots of ice.

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  • 05 of 16

    Margarita Glass

    margarita glass

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    Best for: margarita, drinks with a salted rim

    There isn't a cocktail glass that's more fun and festive than a margarita glass. It's best known for its tall stem that keeps it nice and chilled and the wide rim that's perfect for a thick layer of salt and a juicy slice of lime.

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  • 06 of 16

    Flute

    Two flutes filled with champagne

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    Best for: champagne cocktails

    For a timeless addition to your bar cart that you'll reach for over and over, get a set of flute glasses. Use these tall stemmed glasses for champagne, Prosecco, and mixed brunch drinks such as a mimosa or bellini.

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  • 07 of 16

    Collins Glass

    Cocktail with a lime slice

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    Best for: Tom Collins, Long Island iced tea, non-alcoholic cocktails

    Similar to a highball, a Tom Collins (named after the cocktail) is a tall and narrow tumbler that's a versatile vessel for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. It has enough height to hold plenty of ice and its simple shape also makes it a good everyday glassware option.

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  • 08 of 16

    Hurricane Glass

    Pina Colada in a hurricane glass

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    Best for: fruity cocktails

    When you think of an umbrella drink, chances are you picture a hurricane glass. It features a curved design with a wider bowl bottom and a short stem. The tall shape makes it large enough for a tropical piña colada or daiquiri—the medium-sized rim is just large enough for a straw, an umbrella, and some fruit.

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  • 09 of 16

    Julep Cup

    Mint Julep cocktail topped with mint bunch

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    Best for: mint julep

    As the name suggests, this metal cocktail cup is made to serve a mint julep, the iconic southern cocktail filled with lots of ice and plenty of fragrant mints. The metal cup keeps it extra cool, which makes for a refreshing drink on a hot summer day.

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  • 10 of 16

    Old Fashioned Glass

    Whisky in a rocks glass

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    Best for: drinks on the rocks

    An old fashioned glass is a glassware classic used to serve any drink on the rocks, such as whisky. It is sometimes also referred to as a rocks glass or a lowball, and you'll see plain glass versions as well as intricately carved old fashioned.

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  • 11 of 16

    Goblet

    Goblets filled with gin

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    Best for: gin cocktails

    A gin goblet is one of the largest cocktail glasses and its size and shape serve a purpose—the tall stem keeps your gin ice cold, while the oversized bowl can hold lots of ice and allow the aroma of the drink to shine.

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  • 12 of 16

    Shot Glass

    Whisky shot glasses

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    Best for: serving shots and measuring liquor

    No bar cart is complete without shot glasses, both for measuring liquor and drinking purposes. A shot glass holds about 1.5 ounces of liquid and is a commonly used unit of measure when it comes to mixing cocktails.

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  • 13 of 16

    Snifter

    Cocktail in a snifter glass

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    Best for: whisky, bourbon, mixed drinks

    A snifter glass has a short stem and a round bowl that's wider on the bottom. It's designed to serve spirits straight up as its shape intensifies their aroma, but it can also be used for various mixed drinks.

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  • 14 of 16

    Sour Glass

    Whisky sour cocktail on a tray

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    Best for: whisky sour

    This elegant glass is best known for its signature namesake drink, a whisky sour. A cross between a coupe and a martini glass, this sleek bar cart addition features a tall stem and wide rim that help keep the drink chilled and allow for a smooth sip.

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  • 15 of 16

    Punch Cup

    Punch in glass mugs

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    Best for: holiday punch, mulled wine, Sangria

    Enjoy seasonal cocktails such as spiced mulled wine in the winter and fresh and fruity Sangria in the summer in a punch cup. This glass mug is designed with a glass handle that's perfect for handling a hot drink and is wide enough to hold fruit slices and cinnamon sticks.

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  • 16 of 16

    Mason Jar

    Cocktails with orange slices in mason jars

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    Best for: any mixed alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktail

    A mason jar's best quality is its versatility. From canning to everyday drinkware, it's also a fun vessel to serve summery cocktails or mocktails filled with plenty of ice and fresh fruit slices.