The Jell-O Shot Grows Up for Bar Menus

The trend in short: The Jell-O shot is shedding its frat-party reputation and showing up as a designed, cocktail-inspired menu item at bars and restaurants across the country. The gelatin hasn't changed, but the execution has: clarified jellies built around real cocktails, plated in stemware instead of paper cups, and priced and presented like a proper menu offering.

Who's Behind the Jell-O Shot Comeback

Brooklyn-based Solid Wiggles is the name most closely tied to this shift. Founded in 2020 by pastry chef Jena Derman and bartender Jack Schramm, the company makes cocktail-inspired jellies (including mango mezcal margarita, espresso martini, and similar flavors), available in both alcoholic and nonalcoholic versions. Its jellies are now served at more than a dozen New York City bars and restaurants, and the founders released a companion cookbook this June with a paired DIY jelly-making kit.

Why Jell-O Shots Are Showing Up on More Bar Menus

• Visual design is the differentiator. Solid Wiggles' founders cite visual artists as a reference for their jelly work, and much of the format's appeal comes from clarity and presentation rather than flavor alone.
• It's spreading beyond one bar. LA's Vandell serves off-menu jelly shots in small stemmed goblets, Portland's Oma's Hideaway rotates jelly shots that match its maximalist decor, and Chicago's Bub City has built a regional variation using Malört.
• It has a retail lane too. Home kit brands and food-focused social accounts are pushing the format into DIY territory, extending the trend beyond the bar.

What This Means for Bar and Restaurant Programs

For beverage-forward operators, this is a low-cost way to add a distinctive, photograph-ready item without building an entirely new program: the format works with an existing cocktail list, scales in batches, and travels well for events or private dining. It also gives operators a built-in nonalcoholic option, since the format holds up with or without alcohol.

Getting the texture and clarity right is what separates a novelty jelly shot from one guests actually want to order again. Paris Gourmet can help source the specialty ingredients behind a program like this, from gelling agents to spirits-adjacent flavor components.

Want the full story and more on how Solid Wiggles builds its jellies? Read the original feature here.

Frequently Asked Questions: 

What makes a Jell-O shot "elevated" instead of a novelty?

Clarity, presentation, and real cocktail recipes are the main differences. Elevated versions are built around actual cocktails, clarified so they look glass-like, and served in stemware or molded shapes rather than disposable cups.

Can Jell-O shots be made without alcohol?

Yes. Several producers, including Solid Wiggles, offer nonalcoholic versions using the same clarified-jelly technique, which makes the format usable across a wider guest base.