Different Types of Drinkware for Restaurants, Bars, & More
When it comes to choosing restaurant drinkware, you need to consider what will be on your drink menu and how the drinkware will be used. If you're opening a bar, you'll want to ensure it's stocked with the proper glassware, though for fine-dining establishments, you'll need to focus on high-quality glassware that elevates your table settings. Full-service restaurants that also have bars can benefit from investing in drinkware for both the bar and table. While choosing drinkware for your restaurant can be overwhelming, knowing the different types of drinkware can help you figure out which ones best suit your needs.
Drinking Glasses
Commonly used as a drinking glass in most foodservice establishments, tumblers can be used to serve water, soda, or other types of non-alcoholic beverages. In addition to restaurants, tumblers are also popular in hospital and university cafeterias. They feature a flat bottom and can be constructed of glass or plastic.
Used to hold hot tea, hot chocolate, or coffee, mugs and teacups are necessary in coffee shops and tearooms. These cups are handled, so the drinker can safely hold the beverage without burning their hand. They're typically constructed of heat-safe materials and come in various sizes to accommodate various beverage types.
Juice glasses are smaller than regular drinking glasses, specially designed for serving beverages such as orange, apple, and grape juice. Depending on the glass, they usually hold anywhere from 5 to 20 ounces of juice and are made of glass or crystal.
Goblets are ideal for serving water in fine-dining establishments. One of the most elegant types of glasses, goblets can effortlessly enhance presentations on table tops. They feature a wide bowl with a short stem and are occasionally used to serve beer.
Wine Glasses
Specifically made for serving red wine, red wine glasses have a wide bowl and delicate stem. This design helps enhance the flavor and aroma of certain red wines: merlot, pinot noir, and cabernet. They consist of two different styles – Bordeaux and Burgundy – with Burgundy glasses featuring a larger bowl.
Available in various shapes and sizes, white wine glasses are, of course, used to serve white wines. Like red wine glasses, white wine glasses are designed to bring out the flavor and aroma of white wines such as pinot grigio and riesling. They have an elegant appearance that enhances the presentation of the wine.
Stemless wine glasses can serve both red and white wines. These glasses aren't equipped with a stem – a design that lowers their center of gravity and increases their resistance to tipping. These glasses are available in several styles, ensuring you can find one that matches your restaurant's needs.
Champagne flutes have a slim design with a long stem, though some styles are stemless. They're specifically designed for serving sparkling wines and mimosas. These glasses are commonly seen in flute and tulip variations, but operators looking for a vintage feel may be interested in champagne coupes.
Beer Glasses
One of the most popular vessels for serving beer are pint glasses. Pint glasses typically hold 16 ounces, though you can find glasses in capacities from 10 to 20 ounces. These glasses are versatile in use and can be used for most beer types.
Also called beer steins, beer mugs are ideal for serving wheat beers, The handle enables a steady grip while preventing body heat from warming the beer. They're available in various sizes ranging from 81⁄2 to 42 ounces.
Designed to enhance the taste and aroma of flavorful beers, stemmed beer glasses have a unique appearance that'll impress your guests. They typically feature a wide bowl that facilitates comfortable sipping, while the short stem gives the glass a goblet-like look.
With a shape that's narrow at the bottom and wide at the top, pilsner glasses help show off the carbonation and clarity of German pale lagers, as well as the cloudy appearance of weizen and hefeweizen beers.
Liquor Glasses
Commonly used as a drinking glass in most foodservice establishments, tumblers can be used to serve water, soda, or other types of non-alcoholic beverages. In addition to restaurants, tumblers are also popular in hospital and university cafeterias. They feature a flat bottom and can be constructed of glass or plastic.
Used to hold hot tea, hot chocolate, or coffee, mugs and teacups are necessary in coffee shops and tearooms. These cups are handled, so the drinker can safely hold the beverage without burning their hand. They're typically constructed of heat-safe materials and come in various sizes to accommodate various beverage types.
Juice glasses are smaller than regular drinking glasses, specially designed for serving beverages such as orange, apple, and grape juice. Depending on the glass, they usually hold anywhere from 5 to 20 ounces of juice and are made of glass or crystal.
Goblets are ideal for serving water in fine-dining establishments. One of the most elegant types of glasses, goblets can effortlessly enhance presentations on table tops. They feature a wide bowl with a short stem and are occasionally used to serve beer.
Wine Glasses
Specifically made for serving red wine, red wine glasses have a wide bowl and delicate stem. This design helps enhance the flavor and aroma of certain red wines: merlot, pinot noir, and cabernet. They consist of two different styles – Bordeaux and Burgundy – with Burgundy glasses featuring a larger bowl.
Available in various shapes and sizes, white wine glasses are, of course, used to serve white wines. Like red wine glasses, white wine glasses are designed to bring out the flavor and aroma of white wines such as pinot grigio and riesling. They have an elegant appearance that enhances the presentation of the wine.
Stemless wine glasses can serve both red and white wines. These glasses aren't equipped with a stem – a design that lowers their center of gravity and increases their resistance to tipping. These glasses are available in several styles, ensuring you can find one that matches your restaurant's needs.
Champagne flutes have a slim design with a long stem, though some styles are stemless. They're specifically designed for serving sparkling wines and mimosas. These glasses are commonly seen in flute and tulip variations, but operators looking for a vintage feel may be interested in champagne coupes.
Beer Glasses
One of the most popular vessels for serving beer are pint glasses. Pint glasses typically hold 16 ounces, though you can find glasses in capacities from 10 to 20 ounces. These glasses are versatile in use and can be used for most beer types.
Also called beer steins, beer mugs are ideal for serving wheat beers, The handle enables a steady grip while preventing body heat from warming the beer. They're available in various sizes ranging from 81⁄2 to 42 ounces.
Designed to enhance the taste and aroma of flavorful beers, stemmed beer glasses have a unique appearance that'll impress your guests. They typically feature a wide bowl that facilitates comfortable sipping, while the short stem gives the glass a goblet-like look.
With a shape that's narrow at the bottom and wide at the top, pilsner glasses help show off the carbonation and clarity of German pale lagers, as well as the cloudy appearance of weizen and hefeweizen beers.
Liquor Glasses
One of the most popular vessels for serving beer are pint glasses. Pint glasses typically hold 16 ounces, though you can find glasses in capacities from 10 to 20 ounces. These glasses are versatile in use and can be used for most beer types.
Also called beer steins, beer mugs are ideal for serving wheat beers, The handle enables a steady grip while preventing body heat from warming the beer. They're available in various sizes ranging from 81⁄2 to 42 ounces.
Designed to enhance the taste and aroma of flavorful beers, stemmed beer glasses have a unique appearance that'll impress your guests. They typically feature a wide bowl that facilitates comfortable sipping, while the short stem gives the glass a goblet-like look.
With a shape that's narrow at the bottom and wide at the top, pilsner glasses help show off the carbonation and clarity of German pale lagers, as well as the cloudy appearance of weizen and hefeweizen beers.
Liquor Glasses
Liquor glasses are used to serve mixed drinks or small amounts of alcohol. Unless your establishment features an extensive cocktail menu, it's unlikely you will need all these glasses, as these are typically used to house specific beverage types.
Rocks glasses, also known as lowball or old-fashioned glasses, are short with a wide body. These glasses typically have a heavier base and are capable of holding large ice cubes. Along with the old fashioned, rocks glasses can serve white Russians, mai tais, and vodka sours.
Highball glasses, or Collins glasses, are one of the most versatile vessels bartenders use. This tall, narrow glass can house gin and tonics, Long Island iced teas, and mint juleps. Though highball and Collins are used interchangeably, highball glasses tend to be a bit shorter and wider, while Collins glasses are typically taller and more narrow.
Shot glasses are a necessity in any bar to serve small portions of straight liquor. Depending on the glass, these can hold anywhere from 3⁄4 to more than 5 ounces of liquor. These glasses are also sometimes used to assist bartenders in preparing other mixed drinks.
Martini glasses traditionally feature V-shaped bowls and are available in stemmed and stemless styles, though they can come in coupe designs. Typically used to serve martinis, these glasses are also seen in bars serving Manhattans and Cosmopolitans and can even be used to present small portions of desserts in fine-dining establishments.
Margarita glasses are vessels with a wide bowl and rim that sit on a tall stem. These glasses are popular in Mexican restaurants and are often found in different sizes to accommodate several servings of the drink. While the smallest of this glass type holds about 6 ounces of product, the largest margarita glasses can hold more than 50 ounces.
Designed with a weighted base, whiskey glasses are most known for serving whiskey sours, shots of whiskey, and liquor neat or on the rocks. They can also be used as a measuring tool for other drinks.
Hurricane glasses are tall, featuring a curved shape designed to highlight bright cocktails, including the hurricane cocktail for which it takes its name. They typically have flared rims that give space for bartenders to garnish the drink. These glasses can hold anywhere from 10 to 16 ounces.
Primarily used for hot drinks, Irish coffee mugs have a short stem and footed base. These mugs are clear for drink presentation, and some may feature a handle for easy holding.
Sherry and cordial glasses are used for serving small pours of fortified wine or liqueur. These glasses are similar in size to a shot glass and sit on a long stem. Sherry glasses can also be used to serve aperitifs and layered shots.
Generally used for brandy, cognac, or other distilled wines, brandy snifter and cognac glasses have a wide bowl with a tapered rim and sit on a small stem. These glasses may also be used to serve brown spirits such as whiskey, scotch, and bourbon.
Mixing glasses – or shaker glasses – are used to mix cocktails and can also be used to serve non-alcoholic beverages. Some glasses have markings to help indicate measurements.
Disposable Cups
Several types of establishments can benefit from adding disposable cups to their beverage service.
Foam cups are great for businesses with to-go coffee and tea service. These cups can comfortably house hot and cold drinks.
Plastic cups, which aren't insulated, are typically used for cold drinks. These are ideal for businesses offering water and soda to go.
Paper cups are a great disposable option for businesses. These can be used to serve a variety of beverages and can even be used for snow cones.
Operators can also purchase straws and lids for disposable cups. Plastic straws are popular in restaurants and bars, though businesses looking to be more environmentally conscious can buy paper straws. Plastic straws are not biodegradable like paper straws, yet tend to hold up better during extended drinking as paper straws are prone to becoming soggy.
