Tiny Enamel Cups Are the Drinkware You Didn’t Know You Needed Until Now

When Nick Dietrich started searching for plates and cups for his new cocktail bar, Manolito, he and partner Chris Hannah were partly driven by nostalgia. The bar, in New Orleans’ French Quarter, is inspired by old-school Cuban bars like the legendary El Floridita, where Cuban cocktail icon (and Dietrich and Hannah’s mentor) Manuel Carbajo Aguiar tended bar for decades.

They landed on Falcon Enamelware, with its durable, retro enamel plates and cups that Dietrich says evoke their memories and experiences in Cuba. “There is something very sentimental about enamelware,” Dietrich says. “Its weight and feel are something that is present in many people’s memories.”

Particularly appealing are Falcon’s 4-ounce enamel “mini tumblers,” perfect for serving what Dietrich has dubbed “snaiquiris”: a lower-proof alternative for when bartenders are invited to knock back a shot of whiskey or tequila. “Since we put a lot of emphasis on blended/frozen cocktails at Manolito,” Dietrich says, “often we will make a frozen daiquiri and divide it into three small enamel cups to toast with friends and family that visit.”

Even if you’re not divvying up your own drinks in threes, Manolito’s cups are a charming addition to the home, with their less-than-precious, campground-friendly vibe. Use them for espresso shots, salt and pepper on the table, an assortment of pre-dinner dips, little flower vases, or any number of kitchen tasks. They come in seven different colors (Manolito uses the classic white with blue rims) and look great as a mix-and-match set.

Plus, as Dietrich found, Falcon’s enamel pieces are durable, lightweight, dishwasher-safe, and easy to store. Buy a few, and just stack them.

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