As a college town, Ames features bars galore within walking distance of many apartment complexes. While the staple at many of these bars is beer, some students may want a change of pace. A martini is a great way to relax with friends and still enjoy a drink or two. These are some of the great places in Ames to escape the typical bar scene and chill with the classic drink.

Martini basics

Whether you’re going out to a bar or staying in to enjoy martinis, there are some basics to think about while sipping on the drink. Here are a few thoughts on martinis, from www.martiniart.com.

A traditional martini is made with gin, vermouth and an olive. Vodka was introduced to the mixture later.

A cosmopolitan is not technically a martini, it is a cocktail in a martini glass.

It is vital that cold alcohol and glasses are used because you don’t want to sip on warm alcohol.

Shaken or stirred

There really is no one way that one is superior, it all depends on how you like your drinks. Shaking a martini breaks up the ice in the drink and makes it cloudy, but stirring allows the liquids to stay clear as no ice chips will be in the drink.

n Legend’s Bar & Grill

119 Stanton Ave. (seventh floor of Legacy Tower)

This sky-top restaurant features big screen TVs to watch the big game, but it also features a vast selection of martinis. Wednesday nights are designated martini nights, and any martini on the menu is only $3.50. The choice martini at Legend’s is the Ketel One Dirty Martini, which is made with Ketel One vodka, dry vermouth, olive juice and olives. They also feature a “Better than Sex” martini made with Bailey’s and a Blue Raspberry martini made with UV vodka.

n Café Beaudelaire

2504 E. Lincoln Way

Café Beaudelaire is a Brazilian restaurant with a twist. It features many Latin specialty drinks, as well as a house martini. Called the Raspberry Martini, the drink is simply vodka and raspberry liqueur; it’s then shaken with raspberries to increase the fruit factor. The Raspberry Martini is $6.75.

n Old Chicago

1610 S. Kellogg Ave.

Typically known for its vast selection of beer, Old Chicago isn’t normally thought of as a martini joint. However, the restaurant does feature a few martini specialties, especially around the Halloween season. The Pomegranate Cosmo is made with Ketel One vodka, pomegranate syrup, cranberry juice and a squeeze of lime. Old Chicago is also featuring a “Trick-or-tini” martini for the month of October to celebrate Halloween.

n The London Underground

212 Main St.

This bar looks like an English pub inside, complete with red phone booths. While this place is also well known for its imported beers, the London Underground features a very large selection of martinis. This bar also has a martini night on Wednesdays, where martinis are only $4 off of the menu.

n Brewer’s

2704 Stange Road

Brewer’s, another place to enjoy a good beer, features 30 to 50 martinis on its menu. Most of the martinis range from $6 to 8.

One of the most popular martinis at Brewer’s is the Melon Ball, which is made of vodka, melon liqueur, a little amaretto and fruit juice. The Chocotini and Raspberry Delight are also favorites at this bar.