WALTZ | 28 Scrutton St, Shoreditch, London
At this serene, Japanese-style bar in Shoreditch, every cocktail is a mesmerizing—and intimate—experience. Owner and head bartender Gento Torigata cut his teeth in the iconic bars of Tokyo’s Ginza district, and here, he demonstrates his expertise through service that is beautifully choreographed, quietly attentive, and perfectly paired with Torigata’s curated jazz playlists. (The bar is named after “Waltz for Debby,” by American jazz legend Bill Evans).
Waltz owner Gento Torigata helms the bar, cutting custom ice cubes, curating jazz playlists, and mixing creative cocktails.
Drinks on the seasonal menu may include an umami-rich Gibson laced with sake and served with a side of tiny pickles; a matcha-and-honey old-fashioned served on an immaculate ice gem; and a creamy Alexander fortified with Nikka gin and black sesame. Each cocktail is crafted at the dreamy elm-wood bar, which is crowned by a surreal starry night mural, and served in paper-thin handmade Kimura glassware from Hokkaido.
In true Japanese style, the bar doesn’t take reservations, but a private table that seats up to eight can be booked in advance. No matter where you sip, the atmosphere is convivial and intimate—and as close as you’ll get to the Japanese cocktail experience outside of Tokyo. waltzbar.uk
A BAR WITH SHAPES FOR A NAME | 232 Kingsland Rd, Whitmore Estate, Haggerston, London
Yes, this minimalist East London bar really does have shapes for a name—a yellow triangle, red square, and blue circle to be precise. Such imagination is par for the course for creator and man-behind-the-bar Remy Savage, whose other inventive, design-driven spots include Bar Nouveau in Paris, Abstract in Lyon, and, soon, a cocktail bar in New York.
At this obscurely named newcomer, everything from the bespoke ice blocks to the jewel-toned jumpsuits staff wear is an homage to the Bauhaus movement. Comfortable and plush it is not (true to the architectural style, furniture is appropriately spare). But the color-blocked interiors and matching drinks delight nonetheless.
At the Bauhaus-inspired A Bar with Shapes for a Name, mixologist Maria Kontorravdis—dressed in a signature vibrant jumpsuit—clarifies vodka in a centrifuge.
One of Savage’s signatures is the crystal-clear Kazimir, a cocktail of vodka smoothed with silky apricot yogurt and spiked with absinthe, served over a pristine ice block with an iridescent cube trapped inside. A photogenic flight of three mini-martinis on a bespoke Bauhaus tray is a journey of sensory perception, encouraging guests to compare and contrast each drink with all their senses. There’s also Xscold, a twist on the spicy margarita that explores the cooling effects of menthol and eucalyptus. Adding to the atmosphere is the stylish crowd: Open until 4 a.m., the bar is a favorite last stop of the night among London’s fashion and club set. clubbauhaus.com
London-based drinks columnist Alice Lascelles
THE DOVER | 33 Dover St, Mayfair, London
The Dover’s sober Mayfair frontage is so discreet, you could easily walk right past it. But stepping through its heavy black curtain feels like slipping into an era when everyone and everything was unapologetically glamorous. Bathed in a warm amber glow, the New York Italian–style bar is the vision of founder Martin Kuczmarski, who took actress Sophia Loren as his muse. “I love her style,” he says. “I love her eating pasta: elegant, confident, and cheeky.”
As former COO of Soho House, Kuczmarski knows how to create a scene, and in the case of this sultry spot, the most important ingredient is a perfect martini. The Dover’s cocktail menu features nine of them, from a classic vesper to a citron version laced with bergamot liqueur. The classics, including an old-fashioned and a negroni, are also accounted for, and snacks are suitably decadent: mountains of crispy zucchini fritti with lemon and jalapeño aioli; crispy potato cakes with lemon crème fraîche and osteria caviar.
It’s all very sophisticated and seductive, with couples leaning in close across tiny low-lit tables and in-the-know regulars perched atop velvet stools at the bar (the best seats in the house). No matter where you sit, you’re guaranteed the kind of graciously assiduous attention that comes from a bygone era: As soon as the blush of frost fades from your glass, the white-jacketed tenders decant your drink into another, ensuring the perfect temperature until the very last drop. Even Ms. Loren would be impressed. thedoverrestaurant.com
A glamorous yet cozy hideaway in Mayfair, The Dover’s Pietro Lucchese serves up inventive signature cocktails and classics with a twist.
MUSE AT RSA HOUSE | 18 Adam St, Covent Garden, London
Tucked inside the Georgian-era headquarters of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), this new endeavor in Covent Garden brings a level of drama that Charles Dickens—a card-holding RSA member in his own day—might have dreamed up.
Ring the doorbell for entry into the elegant, high-ceilinged space, where plush sofas and art-filled walls channel the rarefied air of a private members’ club. At the marble-and-brass bar, Marcis Dzelzainis—a flavorsmith whose résumé includes such influential sipping spots as Dandelyan and 69 Colebrooke Row—shakes up eco-minded cocktails using small-batch and sustainably sourced British spirits and other local ingredients, along with his own house-made creations. The East of Eden is a standout, made with cucumber distillate, Sipello liqueur, apple juice from Townsend Farm, verjus, and rhubarb soda from Dzelzainis’s own line of foraged ingredients. thersa.org
WHISKEY & SEAWEED | Notting Hill Brasserie, 92 Kensington Park Rd, Notting Hill, London
Securing a table at chef Clare Smyth’s three-Michelin-starred West London restaurant Core is notoriously tough, but this adjoining bar wrapped in moody velvet and dark wood panels offers walk-ins a soupçon of her acclaimed cooking—and pairs it with the unique concoctions of master mixologist Vincenzo Ciaccio.
Ciaccio, who hails from Sicily, specializes in fresh and savory cocktails that make excellent complements to Smyth’s dishes. His signatures include the Garden Party—a verdant highball of tequila, pea cordial, chartreuse elixir, and soda—and a Bloody Mary made with vodka, tomato consommé, Fino sherry, and smoked water. Both pair beautifully with the bite-sized Caesar salad and Isle of Harris scallop tartare.
At Whiskey & Seaweed, unique concoctions have been crafted as the perfect pairings to chef Clare Smyth’s acclaimed cuisine at the Michelin-starred Core.
The bar’s glass-fronted whiskey cabinet, meanwhile, is an exploration of UK distilleries, reportedly containing at least one bottle from nearly every top-shelf maker in the kingdom, from Islay icons to up-and-comers like the Scottish Highlands’ Nc’nean. The build-your-own Irish coffee is another specialty, with a choice of whiskies, sweet or spicy toppings like dark chocolate and nutmeg, and aromatic essences such as marjoram or black cardamom. Consider it Smyth’s genius, perfectly distilled by Cicaccio’s flair for drama. corebyclaresmyth.com
London has no shortage of storied dining rooms, but few can match the pedigree of Cambridge House, Auberge Collection: Once the headquarters of the In & Out Naval and Military Club, the Palladian mansion has been the epicenter of London society since 1756. In its latest incarnation, the estate’s Georgian-era ballroom has been reborn as Major’s Grill, a brasserie-style chophouse where history and glamorous gastronomy meet.
With the highly anticipated opening of Cambridge House, Auberge Collection, comes a glamorous ode to midcentury dining from Major Food Group.
Created in partnership with Major Food Group—the New York City–based impresarios behind more than 50 restaurants and clubs worldwide, including hot spots like Carbone, The Grill, ZZ’s Club, and Torrisi—Major’s Grill will showcase all the hospitality brand’s hallmarks: theatrical dining, sophisticated cuisine, and polished service included. A martini menu will offer more than 10 note-perfect options; a curated wine list will carry rare cult vintages, including First Growth Bordeaux; and the grill will turn out prime cuts of meat and seafood. It all arrives at white-linen-covered tables via service captains in crisp dinner jackets—a nostalgic spectacle befitting of its storied setting.
This will not be mere dinner, but arguably Mayfair’s next great performance, proving once again, Major Food Group’s “unmatched ability to honor the past while bringing it into the future,” says co-founder Jeff Zalaznick—and it promises to reclaim 94 Piccadilly as the address where London society gathers until the last martini is quaffed.
