The Best Vintage Glassware Styles to Own Right Now, According to Cocktail Experts

When serving cocktails, the glassware is just as important as the drink. Coupes, Nick and Nora glasses, and other popular styles of cocktail glasses make drinks look gorgeous. But as cocktail culture develops, we're seeing more bartenders and home mixologists turn to vintage glassware styles to make drinks pop. The best vintage glassware can help elevate any dinner party or brunch, plus they add just the right amount of kitsch.

“Vintage glassware adds personality and story to your home bar and is one more great little attention to detail,” says David Kaplan, co-founder of world-renowned Death & Co. “We love spirits because every bottle has a story, and using vintage glassware extends that to the drinking vessel.”

Hunting for antique glassware at thrift stores and estate sales may be the most thrilling way to build a collection, but that approach can lead to mismatched sets. Thankfully, with the rising interest in vintage cocktail glassware, many modern glassmakers are taking inspiration from forgotten designs and producing modern sets that hearken back to days long gone. Here are the five retro glassware trends we're seeing everywhere, plus the best vintage glassware styles to own right now.

Etched Crystal Glass

Some of the best vintage glassware is etched crystal. Crystal is glass that has been strengthened with other added elements, often allowing it to be thinner than regular glass. Any size or type of crystal glass can have etching, and the variety of etched designs is endless. 

“There are beautiful etched Old Fashioned glasses, Collins glasses, coupes, and martini glasses in any styles in a variety of sizes,” Kaplan says. “Etched crystal glasses can be used for any drinks, but I prefer stirred drinks so you can see and enjoy the delicate designs as you imbibe.”

Viski Beau Crystal Lowball Tumblers

View on Viski.com

These popular lowball glasses from Viski are adorned with an art deco-inspired arc pattern. Their minimal and elegant design pairs perfectly with neat pours of whiskey, Old Fashioned cocktails, or any spirit served over a large block of ice or a spherical ice cube. We think these entertaining-ready glasses would make an elegant addition to the tablescape for an after-dinner dram for guests or a cozy cocktail by the fire.

The Vintage List Etched Crystal Cocktail Glasses

$90 at Food52

The coupe-style cocktail glass is a favorite among bartenders for a reason. It’s elegant, functional, and best of all, versatile. This set of crystal cocktail glasses from The Vintage List is available with two different styles of engravings, ovals, and spears. Both styles are subtle and stylish and will perfectly accent any Daiquiri or martini served in this glass. They'd also make an excellent Champagne glass or vessel for bubbly brunch cocktails.

Death & Co. 1910 Single Rocks Glass

View on Deathandcompanymarket.com

This set from Kaplan's bar is among the most striking rocks glasses on the market. Covered with a series of delicate and ornate etchings, these glasses from Death & Co. would look right at home in a high-end Manhattan bar during the golden age of cocktails. They are the perfect size and style for any Old Fashioned-style cocktail or a pour of fine bourbon on the rocks.

Hobnail Glasses

Unlike most well-known types of glassware, the term “hobnail” refers to the beaded design on the exterior of the glass instead of the shape. Hobnail glasses can come in multiple forms and can come in a variety of colors as well. Because of the diversity of form, Hobnail glass can be implemented across many styles of cocktails to give a drink a unique, vintage vibe.

Hawkins New York Hobnail Tumbler

View on Hawkinsnewyork.com

These Hobnail tumbler glasses from Hawkins New York are adorned with a simple beaded pattern and are available in multiple colors. They aren’t quite as tall and slender as a Collins glass, but can easily be used for any Tom Collins-style cocktails or refreshing mixed drinks like a gin and tonic.

Pottery Barn Jupiter Beaded Drinking Glasses

$8 at Pottery Barn

For a more pronounced and intricate pattern, these Jupiter hobnail glasses offer an elegant ringed pattern with varying sizes of beads. They’re available in a multitude of color options as well as in three different sizes. The short, 10-ounce option is the perfect size and shape for any cocktail served in a double rocks glass like a Negroni, while the taller sizes work well for drinks topped with soda or tonic water.

Hobnail Collection Beverage Goblet

$49 at Amazon $61 at Walmart

This set of beaded goblets provides a vintage twist on the classic wine glass. With a 13.32-ounce capacity, these glasses are a great alternative to a standard wine glass but also have the depth and volume to accommodate frozen drinks like a Piña Colada or classic Grasshopper.

Jadeite Glasses

Jadeite is a type of green, opaque glassware. Sometimes referred to as milk glass, this material can be used to make any style of glassware, but the defining feature of jadeite is its creamy, light green coloration. Jadeite-style glassware is also available in other colors of milk glass. “These are beautiful and my preference is to serve a Ramos Gin Fizz or frozen drink in them,” Kaplan says. These are some of the prettiest and most colorful kitchen items you can own.

Mosser Faceted Colored Milk Glass Tumblers

$78 at Food52

Handmade from vintage molds, these milk glass tumblers from Mosser Glass come in a variety of colors, including jadeite. With a 10-ounce capacity, these antique-style glasses should easily be able to hold most cocktails served on the rocks. They remind us of something we'd find in our grandmother's kitchen, and we love how sturdy and solid they are.

HAY Borosilicate Milk Jug

$36 at Design Within Reach

Although labeled as a milk jug, this jadeite pitcher from HAY is the perfect size and shape to use as a cocktail mixing glass when making a martini, Negroni, or any other stirred cocktail. It’s the perfect companion to any set of jadeite glasses, and it would look dreamy on an outdoor bar cart or patio table for a spring brunch al fresco. It could also double as a funky vase.

Material The Full Glass Set

View on Materialkitchen.com $65 at Saks Fifth Avenue View on Zola

This set of four tinted glasses is guaranteed to impress with its soft curves and versatile applications. Also available in a smoky haze and lilac colorways, these glasses from Material are strong, stackable, and most of all, elegant. After testing Material’s glassware, we can vouch for their versatility in serving everything from juice to seltzer to evening cocktails. 

Goblets

Goblets are a type of stemmed drinkware with a cup that is shaped like an upside-down bell. They can be made out of a variety of materials but are primarily made of glass. Although traditionally used to serve wine, smaller goblets can also be used to serve cocktails that are chilled and without ice, like the Manhattan or the Vieux Carre. Larger goblets can easily accommodate Aperol Spritzes and other similar high-volume drinks.

Williams Sonoma Vintage Etched Goblets

$20 at Williams-Sonoma

These delicate glass goblets are etched with a light floral pattern that evokes a cozy feeling like visiting your grandmother for the holidays. With a 9.25-ounce capacity, these goblets are perfect for punches, eggnog, hot buttered rum, and other holiday drinks. We think these would also make a great gift for newlyweds or a thoughtful gift for the party host.

Arhaus Seema Cobalt Goblet Glasses

View on Arhaus.com

If you’re looking for a more modern style of goblet, this set of Seema cobalt glasses is the way to go. Made from recycled glass in Mexico, these translucent blue goblets have a stout and curvaceous profile that separates them from the more traditional goblets on their market. They have a 14-ounce capacity, which makes them perfect for a refreshing gin and tonic.

Estelle Colored Glass Regal Goblet Glass

$100 at Estellecoloredglass.com $225 at West Elm

These goblets from Estelle will make anyone who drinks from them feel like royalty. These elegant, classically shaped glasses come in a set of six and are available in multiple colors. They are the perfect accompaniment when you want your guests to feel like they’re sipping their whiskey sours in the great hall of a royal estate. We think they'd also make a lovely addition to your growing colorful glassware collection.

Jax Glasses

Though not as prominent as other styles, the Jax glass is an emerging trend in the world of vintage glassware. These glasses are typically cylindrical and are unique for their usually translucent blue coloring and ornate engraving that often depicts stylized flowers, leaves, and fronds. Jax glasses are available in the size and shape of both highball glasses and double rocks glasses and can be interchanged for either in most circumstances.

Godinger Jax Highball Beverage Glasses

Orig. $40 $25 at Amazon

These highball Jax glasses from Godinger are a great example of the style. These tall, blue Jax glasses are engraved with a detailed pattern inspired by flora and fauna. Their shape and capacity make them perfect for serving a Tom Collins or any similar drink that would be served in a highball glass.

Sur La Table Jax Highball Glasses

$12 at Sur La Table

If you’re looking for something a bit more understated, these highball Jax glasses from Sur La Table are a great alternative to the Godinger set. Made from clear glass, these glasses sport a much more subdued style of engraving that gives these glasses a style that fits nicely between a clean modern highball and the antique flourish of a Jax glass.

Godinger Jax Drinking Glass

$65 at Amazon $19 at Wayfair

Similar to their highball Jax glasses, these Jax glasses from Godinger sport an ornate engraving and translucent coloring. With shorter walls and a wider base, these 11-ounce glasses can be used for any drink normally served in a double rocks glass, such as a margarita or Negroni.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of using vintage glassware?

Vintage glassware gives cocktails a unique look in comparison to modern glassware and can elevate a drink with an added sense of history and nostalgia. “In a business setting vintage glassware helps customers feel unique and special as they can have differentiated glass,” Kaplan says. “It gives them a bit more of their own experience.” 

What are some challenges with using vintage glassware to serve cocktails?

“Washing vintage glassware is the biggest challenge as it often requires hand washing and so it only works in very low volume establishments, or for use in your home,” Kaplan says. Another challenge with using vintage glassware is the non-standard sizing. Whether you’re collecting actual antiques, or purchasing newer vintage-inspired glasses, the capacity of antique-style glassware is sometimes too large to accommodate some modern cocktails.

Can I use vintage-style glassware for serving cocktails at home?

The home bar is the best environment in which to use vintage glassware. “In the home setting, you’re less worried about ensuring each guest has an equal pour of their drink so the varying sizes aren’t a concern,” Kaplan says. “It gives you a fun little talking point that you can share while you host. It adds texture and depth to your bar cart setup if it’s all on display.”

Our Expertise

• Dylan Ettinger is a Los Angeles-based writer who specializes in spirits, cocktails, and coffee with hands-on experience visiting distilleries and bars all through the US, Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean. He is also a long-time hospitality professional with over a decade of experience tending bar, and working in specialty coffee.