Once the – you’ve guessed it – ticket hall for the original St Pancras train station, this was first unveiled as a bar in 2011, part of Harry Handelsman’s hugely ambitious (and very welcome: it might have been demolished) transformation of George Gilbert Scott’s red-brick Victorian masterpiece into the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.
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Now here’s one of London’s truly great spaces. Sophie KnightĪddress: La Goccia, 1 Floral Street, London WC2E 9FB Website: .uk We also loved La Goccia’s signature fried chicken, served with a dipping pot of creamy lemon sauce.Ī great spot to know about in central London where you can slip away from the crowds. Make sure to order the coccoli, fluffy balls of dough to dip in taleggio cream or gorgonzola dolce. There are plenty of Italian small plates using the ingredients sourced from the family farm in East Devon. The bar menu is an ode to the adjoining Petersham Nurseries restaurant. Or, if you prefer a classic cocktail, chat to the bartender for your favourite tipple. Those with a sweet tooth should order the Dark Chocolate Martini which doubles up as a pudding, a mix of Vestal Vodka, oats, dark chocolate and hazelnut. The Apple Star was our favourite: a refreshing, sweet-but-sour short drink containing JJ Whitley Gin, apple cordial, lime and Amaretto. It's the cocktails that steal the show - ingredients change depending on the season, and the mixologists use lots of fresh spices, fruits and edible flowers. Printed menus hand-tied with string contain carefully crafted cocktails (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) as well as plenty of wines and beer. Take a seat on a leopard-print bar stool with gnarled metal legs inspired by tree branches, or in an alcove lined with velvet sofas and distressed leather chairs. Francesco Boglione’s art collection of contemporary botanical paintings lines the walls, the sleek bar is made up of hundreds of hand-dipped bronze leaves, and there are dried flower displays and foliage on almost every surface. Enter through a red velvet curtain for interiors inspired by the horticulture roots of the family. In the heart of Covent Garden, this cosy drinking den is the latest venture from the Boglione family, founders of Petersham Nurseries. Sarah AllardĪddress: Red Room at The Connaught, Carlos Place, London W1K 2AL Website: .uk
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This is a hidden treasure we highly recommend keeping up your sleeve to impress your most discerning pals. You don’t need to be an art or wine buff to appreciate this stylish space. Comfort food disguised as elegant bar snacks includes Ratte potatoes smothered in a creamy, truffle mayo, salmon sashimi on top of sticky rice, and tangy, slightly spicy Gochujang chicken oysters we’d happily go back for. It’s not about nibbling on salad leaves while you’re sipping on the strong stuff, which makes Red Room’s menu a delight.
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‘Rose’ is the bar’s take on a Negroni – mellow, berry-infused vodka replaces the gin and a sprig of Amaranthus sitting neatly inside the ice cube adds a fragrant hit while you sip. ‘White’ – one of Red Room’s signatures – will be a hit with Martini fans, with hints of lemon and a smooth, clean finish. Six wine-themed cocktails – designed by Director of Mixology Agostino Perrone – serve as an extension of the red-hued works adorning the walls. This isn’t a place where a glass is plonked in front of you – rather, glasses are decanted and served from custom made marble trolleys. The team knows a thing or two about the tipples on offer, and are more than happy to help navigate the list. Wine, of course, is the focus here, with glasses of some of the world’s best bottles available to try – made easier thanks to a snazzy Coravin system that preserves bottles for longer to allow servings by the glass. He aimed to create a space that feels like you’re relaxing in the living room of an art collector with plump sofas, curved walls and a soft colour palette of pastel pinks, creamy neutrals and greens lending the perfect canvas to the pieces on display.Īs for the art, you’ll find an all-female lineup – Louise Bourgeois’ ‘I Am Rouge’ sits proudly above the marble fireplace, alongside works from Jenny Holzer, Trina McKillen and young Vietnamese artist Ti-a Thuy Nguyen. Red Room is the first bar to open at The Connaught in over 10 years, a move made even more exciting when you consider that the hotel’s main bar has been named the best bar in Europe twice as well as winning the World’s Best Bar 2021.īryan O’Sullivan – whose past projects include The Painter’s Room at Claridge’s and The Berkeley Bar – is the man behind the striking interiors. Behind a velvet curtain in the depths of The Connaught sits Red Room – a wine bar serving up red-themed artworks, an impressive wine list and inventive cocktails.