It’s absolutely no secret that we love a Martini. Always have. It’s a proper drink in our opinion. And as fun to make as it is to drink. And lucky for us our dear friend Alice Lascelles (award-winning journalist for the FT How To Spend It) has just published the most beautiful book dedicated to this supremely simple serve.
We’ve got a copy - it’s utterly beautiful with over 60 recipe variations, anecdotes and a smattering of history thrown in too. So to celebrate both her and the classic cocktail - we’ve asked Alice to choose her favourite London Cocktail Week bars to enjoy a Martini in. Trust the expert - she definitely knows…
See her choices as a bar guide HERE.
Lyaness, Southbank
Lyaness founder Ryan Chetiwardana is always at the leading edge of cocktail trends – taste the Martinis of the future while lounging on the plush baby blue banquettes and admiring sweeping views of the Thames.
Nipperkin, Mayfair
This pocket-sized basement bar in boujis Mayfair does exquisite twists on the classics, splicing Japanese flavours such as yuzu and wasabi with seasonal British ingredients. Try the Radishes & Koji, made with gin, yuzushu and sake vermouth.
Amaro, Kensington
This classy little bar from ex-Savoy bartender Elon Soddu, has one of London’s finest selections of aperitifs and amari, which find their way into signature creations such as the Declan Martini made with Boatyard Gin, bittersweet Cocchi Americano and mezcal.
Satan’s Whiskers, Bethnal Green
Where do bartenders head on their night off? To this neighbourhood bar in Bethnal Green, which combines friendly neighbourhood vibes and top-flight, but unfussy, cocktails with a killer hip-hop playlist. The menu changes daily, so be up for anything.
Henri at Henrietta Hotel, Covent Garden
The latest London outpost from Paris’s super-chic Experimental Cocktail Club is just the place of a stylish sharpener – I loved the Eugenie Martini made with Tapatio tequila, olive leave-infused vermouth and Muyu Vetiver liqueur.
Happiness Forgets, Shoreditch
When it comes to Hoxton cocktail bars, this candle-lit speakeasy is the OG. Bartenders known the classics like the back of their hand, but they also do some great riffs on favourites like the Espresso Martini. Romantic, friendly, fun and also not too spenny.
Gothic Bar, Kings Cross
This cathedral-like bar just a stone’s throw from Kings Cross is the place to head if you like cocktail hour with a bit of theatre. Martinis are stirred with the house vermouth bend and then spritzed, table-side, with your choice of one of five artisan eaux-de-vies.
Bar with Shapes for a Name, Dalston
It’s the size of a shoe-box but this Bauhaus-inspired bar has amassed an international following, thanks to the mixological wizardry (and beautiful hand-made ice) of its wildly creative founder Remy Savage. There’s no website – so go feast your eyes on their Instagram.
Club Soda, Covent Garden
This brilliant no/lo bottle shop in Covent Garden also has the best selection of temperance drinks in town, as well as a bar where you can sample their wares – if you’re on the hunt for a non-alc Martini alternative then start here!
'When it's Martini Hour, you need a guide and there is no one better than Alice Lascelles.'
Jay Rayner
Alice Lascelles writes about cocktails for the Financial Times.
Her new book, The Martini: The Ultimate Guide to a Cocktail Icon (Quadrille 2024) is out now (RRP £18.99).
Instagram: @alicelascelles
