THE JOURNAL
George’s Bar. Courtesy of George’s Bar
Where to cosy up on these darkening autumnal evenings.
The seemingly endless summer of 2018 is drawing to a close, and it’s time to bid goodbye to balmy evenings spent sipping spritzes al fresco. At this time of year, our thoughts will soon turn to cosier drinking spots: places to escape autumn’s bluster with a glass of something dark and strong. Here are six bars in which to raise a glass to the change of season.
George’s Bar at The Gilbert Scott
King’s Cross
Left: George’s Bar. Right: The Londonist cocktail. Photographs courtesy of The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel
Sink into a bottle-green leather banquette and take in the 19th-century splendour of George’s Bar. The grand space, at the Gilbert Scott in the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, was redesigned earlier this year, and there’s a new cocktail menu courtesy of chef Mr Marcus Wareing and bar manager Mr Dav Eames. Try the Bee Keeper, made with honey from Mr Wareing’s Kent farm, sloe gin, hibiscus and elderflower, or the Londonist, a British-style negroni comprising gin, cynar and orange bitters. Mr Wareing’s creative bar bites – think crispy pig’s head with piccalilli, or smoked potato and gruyère croquettes – are a delicious way to soak up the booze.
Euston Road, London, NW1 2AR
Dukes Bar
**Mayfair **
Left: Dukes Bar. Right: A Dukes martini. Photographs courtesy of Dukes
Impeccable martinis are a non-negotiable order at this Mayfair institution. They’re mixed tableside by legendary Italian bartender Mr Alessandro Palazzi, who uses ice-cold glasses, vermouth from London-based producer Sacred, London dry gin and a twist of Amalfi lemon (here’s director Mr Paul Feig’s guide to making one). With its leather armchairs and oak furniture, the bar has a reassuringly timeless feel. It’s easy to imagine former regular Mr Ian Fleming nursing a glass or two here on a grey autumn evening.
35 St James’s Place, London SW1A 1NY
Seymour’s Parlour
Marylebone
Left: Seymour’s Parlour. Photograph by Mr Darren Cheung. Right: The Rake cocktail. Photographs courtesy of The Zetter Townhouse
The burnished-red walls and antique furniture at this inviting bar house a museum-worthy display of curiosities, spanning fossils, old medicine bottles and Japanese ceramics. The cocktail menu, meanwhile – created by mixologist Mr Tony Conigliaro – is equally eclectic. The Last Laugh, a cockle-warming combination of Somerset apple brandy, cognac, caramel apple syrup and cedar bitters, is autumn in a glass, but don’t leave without trying the signature Royale Royale – a champagne réduction topped up with Perrier-Jouët.
28-30 Seymour St, London W1H 7JB
Bar Three
**Spitalfields **
Left: Bar Three. Right: A Whisky + Milk cocktail. Photographs courtesy of Bar Three
This underground bar beneath Blixen restaurant is a fitting place to drink during autumn nights. It’s the subterranean sister venue of Dalston’s Three Sheets, from cocktail-obsessed brothers Mr Max and Noel Venning. The menu is divided according to the strength of drink, from ‘free’ and ‘light’ to ‘medium’ or ‘full’, making a low- or no-alcohol night easy. Bar Three’s pre-batched French 75, a star of the menu at Three Sheets, is one of London’s finest drinks, while the Whisky + Milk is an earl-grey-infused bourbon cocktail with a smoky finish.
65A Brushfield Street, London, E1 6AA
Fitz’s
Bloomsbury
Left: Fitz’s Bar. Right: Four Queens cocktail. Photographs by Mr Jason Bailey, courtesy of The Principle Hotel
It’s easy to lose a few hours at Fitz’s, on Russell Square. Work your way down the creative drinks menu, starting with the herbaceous Four Queens, which blends wildflower honey, chervil and lemon balm with Irish whiskey; then moving on to the Word Of God, a potent mix of Lot 40 rye whisky, cynar and salt. The surroundings are as enthralling as the cocktails: take in velvet upholstery and stained glass windows in one glance; a giant glitter ball and a mural by street artist 2501 the next. Hungry? Golden hasselback potatoes topped with caviar and sour cream are a bite of pure happiness.
Corner of Guilford Street and Russell Square, London WC1B 5BE
Scarfes Bar
Holborn
Left: Scarfes Bar. Right: The High Wasted cocktail. Photographs courtesy of The Rosewood Hotel
If the prospect of one of chef Mr Calum Franklin’s golden-crusted pies from in-house restaurant Holborn Dining Room aren’t enough of a draw come autumn, the Rosewood Hotel is also home to Scarfes Bar. The roaring fire, the vast leather sofas and the soundtrack of live jazz – everything about this place encourages one to linger. There’s a focus on whisky on the menu, which includes illustrations of famous figures from David Bowie to Dr Who, each with a drink created in their honour.
252 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7EN
Raise the bar
