When I was a young and impressionable sales executive I worked for a wine and spirits wholesaler that did booming restaurant trade thanks to its really talented wine team. And during this time, being young and curious, I ended up in more than a few sessions learning about Sake. I’ll be honest – I’ve loved Sake ever since. And in the last few years, we’ve been seeing all the early signs that it’s about to hit the big time here in the UK. But in a category that’s so uniquely entwined with one culture, where flavours and styles can differ so widely, and where the text on the bottle is often written in an alphabet we can’t decipher – where do you even begin? I have a few ideas…
Read more...
|
Monica Berg and Alex Kratena of London’s Tayēr + Elementary have launched Kyara a new project in Barcelona. The new venture is based at the new SLS Barcelona in the Port Fòrum neighbourhood of the Catalan capital, taking a unique mixological approach.
Read more...
Published: 03 January, 2025
A new report from CGA by NIQ, the first of 2025, contains some good news for the UK’s beleaguered hospitality industry, as bar sales surged by 20.5% over the pre-Christmas week.
Read more...
Published: 13 December, 2024
The Mason’s Arms provides a warm, historic setting with a strong emphasis on traditional British pub drinks.
The bar, crafted from reclaimed church panels, offers a range of local ales and ciders, served through specially designed taps that reflect the pub’s heritage. Guests can enjoy outdoor drinks in the summer, with service provided through a garden hatch. The drinks menu includes tankards of Black Velvet served from a 1920s pewter oyster bar, sourced from an antiques market in the south of France.
Read more...
Published: 11 December, 2024
Muse, the new bar at RSA House, highlights British ingredients with creative cocktails focusing on wild, traceable botanicals.
Read more...
Published: 09 December, 2024
Dynamic Vines has opened its first wine shop and bar, offering an extensive selection of organic and biodynamic wines from small, sustainable European producers.
Focusing on independent winemakers who prioritise terroir, the bar removes corkage fees to make its wines accessible for in-house enjoyment. Fraher & Findlay’s natural-toned design enhances the laid-back tasting experience, with wines displayed horizontally to encourage customer engagement. An ever-evolving menu offers premium by-the-glass options and regular tastings introduce new producers. Membership perks include discounts and UK-wide delivery, making this a local haven for exploring seasonal, minimal-intervention wines.
Read more...
Published: 22 November, 2024
Entrepreneur, cheese enthusiast and media personality Jessica Summer has opened her first shop and bar in the London Borough of Harrow.
Read more...
Published: 14 November, 2024
Launching this month, Zum Barbarossa is Soho’s newest speakeasy, offering an intimate underground cocktail experience. The drinks menu is the centrepiece, with expertly crafted cocktails such as the Spicy Rose Paloma, Hot Honey Highball and Tommy’s Spicy Mezcalita. Other highlights include the Banana & Pineapple Daiquiri and the rich Zespresso Martini. Each drink has been designed by top mixologists to provide bold and exciting flavours, while the refined small plates, including caviar and dressed oysters, complement the drinks offering. In this atmospheric basement venue, the focus is squarely on delivering an exceptional cocktail experience.
Read more...
Published: 13 November, 2024
Opened in October, Cahoots Postal Office in Borough Yards takes visitors on a 1940s-themed cocktail journey in an old-fashioned post office setting. Signature drinks – such as Par Avion featuring Grey Goose vodka, and Signed, Sealed, Delivered made with Bombay Sapphire gin – are served through a unique pneumatic tube system that delivers cocktails directly to tables. The playful, interactive experience is aimed at cocktail enthusiasts seeking an immersive and theatrical venue in one of London’s historic locations.
Read more...
Published: 12 November, 2024
Now open in its new home on North Street, The Coal Shed Brighton continues to bring London-level gastronomy to its Sussex counterpart as part of a much-needed revamp of the city’s downtown shopping district. Considerable work has gone into relocating and upscaling the Brighton restaurant, which is part of the same group behind The Salt Room and Burnt Orange. In its newest guise, the restaurant boasts an expansion to The Coal Shed’s signature over-fire beef cooking offer, while guests are greeted at the door with a dedicated cocktail bar. For the first time, the bar will be open seven days a week from noon till late.
Read more...
Published: 09 October, 2024
Last month saw the opening of Café François, a modern-day French canteen in Borough Yards from the team behind Maison François. Drawing together influence from Paris’ classic cafés, the contemporary delis of California and stylish bistros of Montreal, founder François O’Neill has created a menu that pays homage to affordable French classics while also embracing the global influences that have shaped French cookery outside France. On the drinks side, a short, inventive wine list leads the charge, curated by wine director Daniel Illsley, with a strong message of sustainability throughout its playful selection of cool and original bottles. A considered cocktail list is also available, focusing on the classics.
Read more...
Published: 07 October, 2024
Bookings are now open at Margo restaurant – a new concept from Scottish restaurant group Scoop and headed up by Glasgow native Robin Aitken. Due to open this month in Glasgow, the new drinking and dining outpost is intended to be an evolution of Scoop’s first restaurant Ox and Finch, which has just celebrated its 10th birthday. Situated in the city centre, Margo will maintain a flavour-led approach with a focus on Scottish meat and seafood, while the drinks list will be led by cocktails designed specifically to complement Aitken’s food. Margo will also offer Scoop’s most comprehensive wine list to date, with classic fine wines sitting alongside natural and biodynamic bottles from small, independent producers.
Read more...
Published: 04 October, 2024
Cocktail bar and late-night lounge Luum will soon be opening its doors alongside two other entirely new concepts inside what was previously the Pantechnicon building. Meaning ‘earth’ in Mopan Mayan, Luum takes its inspiration from Mexican heritage and culture and has chosen to focus on mixology, with three signature concepts set to launch the venue with the wider theme of mother nature.
Read more...
Published: 11 September, 2024
Tooting welcomes a new bar this September with the opening of Good Measure, hidden beneath Daddy Bao Taiwanese restaurant. The former storeroom has been transformed into an intimate 15-seat cocktail bar, offering an array of Taiwanese-inspired drinks. Open on Fridays and Saturdays, 6-10.30pm, this walk-in-only venue is ideal for a pre-dinner tipple or a spontaneous evening drink.
Read more...
Published: 09 September, 2024
Clock House Tavern is set to be Peckham Rye’s newest old-school pub. Situated on the park, the restored pub spans two floors and features a traditional interior with oak panelling, antique mirrors and leather banquettes. Parched, the independent pub group behind local favourites such as The Montpelier and The White Horse, has led the revival of this historic site.
Read more...
Published: 06 September, 2024
West Sussex vineyard Kinsbrook has relaunched itself as an evening restaurant, opening late on Fridays and Saturdays. Diners can expect seasonal dishes from local produce, served in a picturesque vineyard setting. The restaurant accommodates 45 covers indoors and 30 outside, with service from 6pm to 10pm.
Read more...
Chef Jackson Boxer, in collaboration with the Experimental Group, opened Henri last month, bringing a Parisian-inspired restaurant to Covent Garden. This new venture blends Boxer’s London restaurant expertise with the Experimental Group’s global hospitality experience, featuring standout bars and restaurants worldwide. Designed by Dorothée Meilichzon, Henri combines French brasserie charm with British pub elements, showcasing botanical shapes and Art Nouveau accents.
The menu offers a range of snacks, entrées and charcoal-grilled dishes, including Parisian classics like Fried Pieds de Cochon and Seaweed Canelé. The drinks menu features cocktails inspired by French icons including the Marie-Antoine, blending rye, ginger syrup and peach bitters; and the Gaston, crafted with Cognac, byrrh and maple syrup. The wine list showcases exceptional French wines, perfect for long lunches and celebrations.
Read more...
JKS Restaurants, founded by Jyotin, Karam and Sunaina Sethi, is set to launch Ambassadors Clubhouse this summer at 25 Heddon Street in Mayfair. Named after Sethi’s maternal grandfather, a former Indian Ambassador, the restaurant draws inspiration from his summer house in Dalhousie and the founders’ Punjabi heritage.
The menu celebrates the cuisine of undivided Punjab, featuring classic dishes like Paan Patta Chaat, Mooli and Dahi Kebabs and Hariyali Rara Rabbit Keema. The drinks menu highlights tequila and mezcal cocktails, including ‘Punjabi Margaritas’ with north Indian fruits and chaat masala spiced salts. The 140-cover restaurant includes a 40-cover outdoor heated veranda and three private dining spaces, featuring interiors with classic Indian patterns and modern prints.
Read more...
Archive & Myth, a new cocktail den, has opened in London’s West End. Situated below Leicester Square, this hidden gem offers a unique escape with a drinks menu crafted by award-winning mixologist Jack Sotti. Highlights include full-sized creations like the Mizuwari, Whiskey Sour and Absinthe Frappe, plus miniature delights such as the Martini Mineraux and the Sazerac de Nata. The venue also features select bites from The Hippodrome’s Chop Chop restaurant. The venue, hidden behind a password-protected door off Cranbourn Street, leads deep beneath The Hippodrome Casino to a central bar with counter seating, plush fabric nooks, exposed brick and dark wood accents.
Read more...
Archive & Myth, a new cocktail den, has opened in London’s West End. Situated below Leicester Square, this hidden gem offers a unique escape with a drinks menu crafted by award-winning mixologist Jack Sotti. Highlights include full-sized creations like the Mizuwari, Whiskey Sour and Absinthe Frappe, plus miniature delights such as the Martini Mineraux and the Sazerac de Nata. The venue also features select bites from The Hippodrome’s Chop Chop restaurant. The venue, hidden behind a password-protected door off Cranbourn Street, leads deep beneath The Hippodrome Casino to a central bar with counter seating, plush fabric nooks, exposed brick and dark wood accents.
Read more...
