Name: Cable Car Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients: 1.5 ounces Spiced Rum; 0.75 ounce Cointreau; 1 ounce Lemon Juice; 0.5 ounce Simple Syrup

-delicious cocktail made with rum, with a mix of sugar & cinnamon garnish

How to Make the Cable Car Cocktail
History
Ingredients
Variations
Final Thoughts & Recipe

OK, we have another fun variation for you today: the Cable Car! It’s a modern twist on the classic cocktail, the Sidecar, swapping out brandy for spiced rum to create a warmer, richer version.

Chris and Rob introduced me to this cocktail during our filming session, and its spice and flavor combination instantly won me over.

How to Make the Cocktail

In today’s video, Chris walks you through this modern cocktail recipe, breaking down how spiced rum, triple sec, and fresh citrus come together to create a modern riff on a classic, favorite cocktail.

chilled coupe glass with a cinnamon-sugar rim and orange twist garnish

History of the Cable Car Cocktail

This rum cocktail is a relatively recent addition to the world of mixology, created in 1996 by celeb bartender Tony Abou-Ganim at the Starlight Room cocktail bar in San Francisco– its invention came at the beginning of the modern craft cocktail movement after a sluggish decade of Lemon Drops and Cosmos.

Named after the city’s iconic cable cars (a public, vintage transportation system– just in case you’re not familiar), the drink is a tribute to San Francisco’s charm and a nod to the classic Sidecar cocktail.

By swapping out brandy for spiced rum and tweaking the ratios, Abou-Ganim crafted a drink that feels timeless yet fresh, much like SF itself.

Cable Car: A riff on the classic drink recipe, Sidecar, next to its liquid ingredients

Cocktail Ingredients

This variation on the original cocktail combines a few simple ingredients that still pack a punch and create its signature flavor:

Spiced Rum: The real star here is the rum, which adds warmth, depth, and subtle spice to the cocktail. It’s definitely what sets this one apart from the Sidecar.
Orange Curaçao: A slightly sweet orange liqueur that complements the spiced rum, Curaçao brings bright citrus notes that enhance the cocktail’s complexity and tie together its warm and tart elements. Note that this what the original recipe calls for, but we’ve switched it out with Cointreau today instead. You can choose your own adventure here.
Fresh Lemon Juice: Adding a necessary citrus element balances out the sweetness & spice with a tart, refreshing bite.
Simple Syrup (optional): A touch of simple syrup rounds out the flavors, especially if you’re using a particularly bold rum.
Cinnamon-Sugar Rim: For the final touch, add a sweet, aromatic element that enhances each sip (and looks good, too). Mix superfine sugar with ground cinnamon to create a festive garnish that perfectly complements the drink’s spiced profile. It really accentuates the vanilla notes in the rum, while downplaying the orange flavor of the Cointreau/Curaçao.

orange cocktail in coupe glass with a pineapple garnish

Variations

Being that this is already a variation of an iconic cocktail, you can see how easy it is to take an existing recipe and tweak it to create something new. That being said, there are a lot of interesting ways to play with the spice, citrus, and sweetness of this drink. Here are some starter ideas:

Tropi-Car: Swap orange curaçao for pineapple or passionfruit liqueur for more fruity flavors, adding a tropical complexity and brightness to the cocktail’s profile.
Smoked Cable: Add a splash of mezcal alongside the spiced rum (a “split base”) for a smoky depth that balances the sweetness.
The Green Line: Incorporate a dash of green Chartreuse herbal liqueur for added complexity. Can’t find Chartreuse? Use Heirloom genepy instead, or find another alternative in this article.
The Gold Track: Try using vanilla-infused spiced rum or a homemade orange-vanilla syrup to add layers of warmth and a creamy, aromatic sweetness to the cocktail.

bartender holding a golden orange drink in a coupe martini glass, behind a bar

Transport Yourself with a Good Cocktail

The Cable Car is a great example of a modern classic that balances bold flavors with a touch of sweet and sour. It’s a fun riff on the Sidecar, but the spiced rum and cinnamon-sugar rim make it stand out on its own.

I think this one is definitely worth a try, and I actually prefer it to a Sidecar because of the rum. But what do you think? Is it a winner, or do you prefer its predecessor? Do you have a variation you love? Let me know in the comments!