The 6 best gin cocktails every girl should try
The 6 best gin cocktails
every girl should try. Ready for a night on the tiles but not sure
where to start? We’ve done the hard work for you and scoured
London’s hippest bars for the most quaffable gin cocktails out
there. Read on for our go-to favourites, from champagne classics to
crisp cocktails and fabulously fruity numbers. Ready, steady, get
shaking…
The cocktail: The Gibson Martini
The venue: The Gibson Bar, 44 Old Street, London EC1V 9AQ
Dubbed an Edwardian time machine for its intimate atmosphere and vintage décor, The Gibson has a cocktail list to die for. It opened in 2016 with former Nightjar manager Marian Beke at the helm, and is now celebrated as one of the world’s best bars.
The innovative cocktails come served in anything from teapots to a thermos, with garnishes ranging from a chocolate flapjack to a feather. It would be rude not to start with the very drink the bar is named after – the Gibson Martini. Tanqueray London Dry Gin, pickling spice, Mancino Secco and a twist of lemon zest go into this 1930’s classic, which is served in a stainless steel martini glass and garnished with a pickled onion.
The cocktail: Moët Be Seated Now
The venue: Mr Fogg’s gin parlour, 1 New Row, London WC2N 4EA
Gin lovers beware – Mr Fogg’s has over 200 carefully selected gins, which could potentially leave you in an agony of indecision. Thankfully the team behind the bar know their stuff, and they’ll be more than happy to guide you to a cracking choice. Kick back on an embroidered, Victorian-style chaise long and tuck into a Moët Be Seated Now. It’s a delicious mix of Hendrick’s gin, homemade jasmine pearl tea syrup & fresh lemon juice, topped with Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial N. V. Champagne.
The cocktail: Beyond The Sea
The venue: Nightjar, 129 City Road, London EC1V 1JB
With its speakeasy vibe, playful drinks list and live jazz, this sophisticated subterranean Shoreditch venue is a cocktail-lover’s heaven. There’s no hovering at the bar here – service is at candlelit tables, so you’ll need to book ahead.
Try Beyond The Sea, a bizarrely delicious combination of Gin Mare gin, oyster leaf infusion, yuzu bitters, grapefruit juice, sherry blend and plankton air. Confused by the last ingredient? Frothy foam is created with powdered plankton, mixed with water and an emulsifier. It sounds unusual, but when it comes to killer cocktails, these guys know what they’re doing.
The cocktail: Medallion
The venue: Swift, 12 Old Compton Street, London W1D 4TQ
This celebrated Soho venue offers two distinct bars. The dimly lit downstairs is fitted out with leather booths, Art Deco detail and hosts live jazz on weekends, while the mirrored ground floor bar is bright and buzzy. Get your night off to a sparkling start with a Medallion, a heady concoction of lemongrass gin, grappa, lemon sherbet, mint and absinthe. Go grab your girls and go grab some gin cocktails.
The cocktail: Lady Day
The venue: Bar Américain, 7 Sherwood Street, London W1F 7ED
This classic American bar is bursting with art deco glamour. The moody lighting and velvety bar stools make for a fabulously opulent feel, and the tables are scattered with popcorn aplenty.
The cocktails here are as delicious as they are unfussy. Start your night with a Lady Day, a fantastically fruity combination of Bombay Sapphire Gin, blackberry puree, raspberry liqueur, ginger ale, apple and lemon juice.
The cocktail: The Turf Club
The venue: Seymour’s Parlour, The Zetter Townhouse, 28-30 Seymour St, Marylebone, London W1H 7JB
This cosy cocktail bar is a sumptuous drinking den, housed inside a gorgeous Georgian townhouse. The claret-coloured walls are lined with paintings, and the interior is simply stuffed with quirky knick-knacks and antiques.
Legendary mixologist Tony Conigliaro is behind the cocktail menu, and it doesn’t disappoint. Sink into a plush velvet sofa and order up a Turf Club, a carefully balanced cocktail of Old Tom Gin, Dubonnet, grape reduction, Peruvian bitters and grass essence. It’s a potent mix, but boy does it work!
