Where to drink
London shows no sign of the summer slump as we head towards June, with a variety of bars and clubs launching in all corners of the capital. Jason Atherton’s rise to the top continues quite literally with his new bar at City Social. Situated on the 24th floor of Tower 42 on Broad Street, it boasts a stunning panorama. However, the interior is also a sight to behold – a handsome, dark, masculine room with classic parquet flooring, leather booths, brass art deco desk lamps, and ceiling panelling so well polished they add a second dimension of spaciousness to the room. The drinks menu doesn’t disappoint: Bar Manager Gareth Evans has orchestrated a punchy, playful array of cocktails, with the addition of a couple of sharing options.
From City Social you could very well catch a glimpse of Werewolf; a new nightclub situated in the former ABC Cinema site on Piccadilly Circus. Taking cues from the more envelope-pushing burlesque and cabaret joints, but keen to blaze its own trail, the stage will play host to both static and dynamic works of human art, illuminated by a cutting-edge intelligent LED lighting system with creative light mapping and 3D projection screens. The design nods to American excess, with homages to classic 1980s B-movies like The Warriors, Escape From New York and Big Trouble in Little China. The space is massive, spread over two separate rooms with two extensive bars to avoid any crowding issues. It’s also hot-wired with a VOID, one of the loudest, clearest sound-systems in London.
Nearby in Mayfair, Cartizze opened on cobblestoned Lancashire Court. Its interior, executed by Fabled Design, is a plush, streamlined vision combining dip-dyed oak panelling, classic Roman accents and a New Marquina fireplace. Richard Woods is the man behind the bar. Winner of Bombay Sapphire’s competition for the World’s Most Imaginative Bartender in 2014, cocktails on the menu include a Truffled Liquorice Sour and an Olive Oil Gin Fizz. More accessible options include a blood orange Bellini and a Sgroppino.
In Holborn, The House of Peroni, a five-storey ode to the eponymous beer, is open for business on leafy Lincoln’s Inn Fields until 31st May. The hybrid bar/museum/restaurant/cultural centre is inspired by the year 1963, and is replete with striking art installations from visionary designers, a cocktail bar helmed by mixologist Federico Riezzo, a restaurant run by Bottega Wapping, and a series of immersive workshops detailing everything from barista skills to silk scarf printing.
Tim Badham is the founder of London lifestyle concierge, Innerplace. www.innerplace.co.uk @innerplaceLDN