Walk into any Capital Grille and you’ll see it at the bar: a large glass jar full of pineapple slices soaking in vodka. That’s the Stoli Doli, the chain’s signature cocktail, and one of the simplest well-known drinks in American steakhouse dining. It’s just pineapple-infused vodka, shaken very cold and served straight up.
What The Capital Grille Serves
The Capital Grille describes it as Stoli vodka infused in-house with fresh pineapple for days, served straight up. Sources disagree on the timing: one cites twelve days, while a Sarasota Magazine profile said the vodka sits with the fruit for at least five. Either way, it isn’t a quick infusion.
A third-party menu site (reviewed May 2026) lists it at about $15, matching an older Dallas listing. Prices vary by location, so check with your restaurant.
Why It’s So Popular
The Stoli Doli tastes nothing like a vodka martini, even though that’s essentially what it is. After days in the jar, the vodka picks up the pineapple’s natural sugars and aromatics. It becomes softer, rounder, lightly sweet and very fruity, with the harshness of straight vodka mostly gone.
That’s also the danger. It drinks easily, but a 3-ounce pour is almost two standard drinks.
Why Home Versions Disappoint
- Underripe pineapple. A green, firm pineapple adds acidity and very little flavor. Use a golden pineapple that smells sweet at the base.
- Not enough time. One or two days gives you vodka with a hint of pineapple. You need five or more.
- Not cold enough. At the restaurant it’s served ice-cold. A warm Stoli Doli tastes like boozy juice.
The Infusion
Peel and core a ripe pineapple, cut it into spears or chunks, pack it into a large jar and cover it completely with vodka. Refrigerate. Infusing in the fridge gives a cleaner, fresher flavor than leaving it at room temperature.
Start tasting on day four. It’s ready when it tastes clearly of ripe pineapple, is noticeably sweeter and has a light golden color. Five to seven days is usually right. Past twelve days, the fruit starts to break down and the flavor can taste stewed.
Strain it through a fine strainer, then a coffee filter if you want it perfectly clear. The fruit absorbs a lot of vodka, so you’ll get back less than you started with.
The Serve
Fill a shaker with plenty of ice, add 3 oz of the infused vodka and shake hard for 15 seconds. You want it ice-cold with a thin layer of froth. Strain into a martini glass straight from the freezer.
Some people garnish with a small piece of the infused pineapple. Be careful: it’s very strong. For a convenient shortcut, store the strained infusion in the freezer and pour it straight into a chilled glass.
For a Party
One bottle makes about eight drinks. Put the jar on display, as the restaurant does, during the infusion days. Then strain and freeze the vodka in a bottle. Keep a tray of martini glasses in the freezer and serve as people arrive.
The Mocktail Version
The mocktail has to keep the drink’s structure: cold, served up, fruity but dry. Fresh-pressed pineapple juice provides the fruit. Verjus (unripe grape juice) adds sharpness and dryness that stands in for vodka, and a pinch of salt makes the pineapple taste fuller. Shake it very hard. Pineapple juice foams when shaken, giving you a thick, silky head like the real thing.
Serving
It’s a steakhouse aperitif. Have it before a dry-aged strip or with a shrimp cocktail.
Enjoy responsibly — must be 21+.
