The Best New Bars Openings: June
The Chelsea Courtyard, Chelsea
Tucked away in a courtyard between two beautiful Victorian buildings, The Chelsea Courtyard is a hidden gem offering al fresco drinking and dining. A showcase for The Chelsea Gardener flagship store, this summer The Chelsea Courtyard has been overhauled with plants and foliage and seasonal menus have been introduced to welcome the warmer months. Set back from the road in a secluded large outdoor area, it’s both a vibrant suntrap and a cool shady area to relax and – should the weather take a sharp turn – guests can enjoy a cocktail indoors. A new cocktail menu has a particular focus on botanical ingredients, with each one inspired by The Chelsea Gardener. Signature drinks include: ‘The Chelsea Gardener’ (Kettle One vodka, mint, cucumber and ginger beer) and ‘The Zesty Barbie’ (flamed lemon zest-infused rum, red vermouth and lime and orange liqueurs).
151 Sydney Street, Chelsea, SW3 6NT
Visit TheChelseaCourtyard.com
Rochelle at the ICA, St James’s
A new installation in the form of a sake bar has just been unveiled at Rochelle Canteen at the ICA. Considered by many to be one of the most influential artists of his generation, Rirkrit Tiravanija’s artwork inspects the social interactions of everyday activities. His sake bar will be his first and only permanent artwork on display in London. Housed within the bar’s alcove, the space comprises a bespoke sake bar, seating and tables crafted in Rirkrit’s studio in Chiang Mai, set within a painted sunrise and sunset scene. Visitors can immerse themselves entirely in the work by ordering from Rochelle Canteen’s specially curated menu of Japanese-inspired dishes and cocktails, before finding a seat in the installation itself. Fin Spiteri and team have selected sakes to enjoy by the bottle, carafe and glass. To accompany, owner Margot Henderson and head chef Ben Coombs have created a Japanese-inspired menu. Dishes include aubergine and mapo tofu with rice, salt-grilled sea bass with pickled ginger and daikon, carrot and burdock salad.
The Mall, St James's, SW1Y 5AH; available every Friday throughout June
Visit ICA.art
Murder Inc, Fitzrovia
Murder Inc is the latest offering from the team behind The Cocktail Trading Company in Shoreditch. Taking inspiration from the gangster noir era of the 1940s and 50s, the décor and style of the bar mixes industrial New York with mid-century glamour. The drinks at Murder Inc. still have the tongue-in-cheek theatricality that The Cocktail Trading Company has become known for, but with a more refined sense of style. Featuring evocative cocktails like the notorious ‘Death In The Afternoon’, an on-tap blend of Pernod Absinthe, agave-ginger sherbet and Moët champagne, and the ‘Diablo II’, a combination of Patron Silver, salted galangal, cassis, rooibos beer and ‘demonic overtones’, the drinks are sophisticated yet striking, and often darkly funny.
36 Hanway Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 1UP
Tayēr & Elementary, Shoreditch
Internationally renowned bartending duo Alex Kratena (‘World’s Best Bar’ Artesian) and Monica Berg (Oslo’s Himkok) have launched Tayēr + Elementary just off Old Street roundabout. This highly anticipated venue features two distinct bar concepts: at the front of the building is Elementary, a bright all-day casual bar serving simple, seasonal drinks and snacks. Located behind a striking, concrete partition wall is Tayēr, a progressive bar with an elevated offering. Sitting within Tayēr will be creative studio Outthink, which will become a communal table for evening service. Collaborations will be at the heart of the bar: Alex and Monica are working with a variety of experts from within the food and drink world to create bespoke ‘house’ products. Collaborators include London brands Jarr Kombucha, Partizan Brewery and Kanpai Sake as well as the ground-breaking Copenhagen based Empirical Spirits.
152 Old Street, Shoreditch, EC1V 9BW
Visit Tayer-Elementary.com
Fugitive Motel, Bethnal Green
Fugitive Motel is a new craft bar and kitchen in east London. Serving specialty coffee from local roasters Climpson & Sons each morning alongside a selection of freshly baked pastries, the all-day café with co-working space rolls into the evening with drinks at the bar, including kombucha on tap, and speciality sourdough pizza from noon until late. Taking its design influence from 50s-style West Coast motels, the 140-cover space is decked out in mid-century pastel colours and an abundance of plants. The bar showcases 14 craft beer lines on draft from a range of local breweries, as well as low- and no-alcohol beer options permanently highlighted on draft alongside one another. A concise collection of refined and natural wines and a ‘Spritz and Kickz’ menu rounds off the drinks list. Makes ours a ‘martini prosecco’.
199 Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, E2 0EL
Visit FugitiveMotel.Bar
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