The sidecar is a classic sour cocktail made with brandy (traditionally cognac), orange liqueur, and lemon juice. It is usually served in a coupe, cocktail, or martini glass with a lemon garnish, often with a sugared rim to balance the cocktail’s sourness. 


Classic Sidecar Cocktail Recipe

There are several separate bars and bartenders who claim to have invented and named the sidecar cocktail. In one version of the story, the drink was created during World War I in Paris for a man who rode up to Harry’s New York Bar in a motorcycle sidecar. In another (from the book *Harry’s ABCs of Mixing Cocktails*), the drink was invented by bartender Pat MacGarry at Buck’s Club in London, who may have named it after the leftover cocktail in a shaker often served in a little cup next to a larger drink. In yet another version, the Ritz Hotel in Paris invented the cognac cocktail. Whatever the origin, the sidecar recipe is now considered a classic cocktail recipe and fundamental knowledge for any aspiring bartender.

The sidecar is a classic sour cocktail made with brandy (traditionally cognac), orange liqueur, and lemon juice. It is usually served in a coupe, cocktail, or martini glass with a lemon garnish, often with a sugared rim to balance the cocktail’s sourness. 


There are several separate bars and bartenders who claim to have invented and named the sidecar cocktail. In one version of the story, the drink was created during World War I in Paris for a man who rode up to Harry’s New York Bar in a motorcycle sidecar. In another (from the book Harry’s ABCs of Mixing Cocktails), the drink was invented by bartender Pat MacGarry at Buck’s Club in London, who may have named it after the leftover cocktail in a shaker often served in a little cup next to a larger drink. In yet another version, the Ritz Hotel in Paris invented the cognac cocktail. Whatever the origin, the sidecar recipe is now considered a classic cocktail recipe and fundamental knowledge for any aspiring bartender.

What Is the Origin of the Sidecar Cocktail?

Classic Sidecar Recipe

The sidecar is a classic sour cocktail made with brandy (traditionally cognac), orange liqueur, and lemon juice. It is usually served in a coupe, cocktail, or martini glass with a lemon garnish, often with a sugared rim to balance the cocktail’s sourness.