Autumn is rising and with the fall comes the chill, so no more pub gardens and street drinks, you’d be best off finding an establishment where beer is the drink of heathens and our excuse of a summer can be forgotten with a sophisticated sip of something a little more enigmatic. Mine’s a Flaming Mo…
The Bar at The Dorchester
The Dorchester is the grand old man of the cocktail scene, focusing on forgotten classics from the vaults of its rich history. It’s signature drink, Dorchester of London, was created in the 30’s by the legendary bartender, Harry Craddock, but for my money the Martinez is the one to go for. After all, vermouth is king and the Martinez is loaded with Punt E Mas (meaning, point and a half) and The Dorchester Old Tom Gin, with the addition of Boker’s Bitters to make it snap. If you’re one for the grand occasion and the sweeping statement then The Dorchester will definitely be your thing.
69 Colebrooke Row
69 Colbrooke Row couldn’t be further from the traditional hotel bar and has always been something of a mystical force on the London cocktail scene. Bartender, Tony Coniliaro is the radical alchemist who took the traditional methods behind cocktails and shouted ‘you’re not my real dad!’ at them whilst simultaneously ripping up the rule book- and all while looking particularly dapper. If you’re serious about your drinks, you have to visit and what’s more they offer cocktail master-classes. So, even if your idea of mixology is one part Robinson’s, four parts water, there’s hope yet.
Lounge Lover
The cocktail bar belonging to flash restaurant, Les Trois Garcons, Lounge Lover couldn’t be more appropriately named if it tried. Once inside an immediate necessity grips you to flash cheesy smiles, while schmoozing around like you’re Baloo the Bear, or someone just as jazzy. And, that’s a good thing by the way. It’s all so, nice. We’re back to the illusion of a hotel bar with this one and although the drinks might lack some of the grandeur of the previous bars, the aesthetics more than make up for that. Try the Prince of Wales- Hennessey, Grand Marnier and Champagne over lemon soaked sugar cube.
Franks Café and Campari Bar
Moving away from the up-market and below the £10.00 a drink mark, Frank’s Café and Campari Bar takes us south of the river to the high-rise Peckham car-park that it calls, home. Wow. The views make this one of London’s most impressive pop-ups and peering over the city with a White Russian in hand you could almost come over all sentimental. However, contradiction alert! It’s a summer thing and it will soon be closed until next year, so get there quick.
Purl
Anybody who’s been to New York and grappled with a travel guide will know all about bars like Please Don’t Tell (with the entrance in a phone booth) and The Back Room (cocktails in teacups and bottles in brown paper bags) and although London’s speakeasy scene isn’t as famous, maybe it’s because they’re just too well hidden? Purl is the cocktail bar evading the temperance league in a subterranean Marylebone basement full of cloak and dagger design with an impressive menu. A faintly gothic original, it employs the modern methods that combine smoke, fire and liquid nitrogen- pulling drinks from hats and disappearing rabbits in the blink of an eye. Secret knocks and Masonic handshakes optional.
