Martini, Negroni, Old Fashioned, Daiquiri, Manhattan, Sour, Margarita
The classics
Seven drinks that were worked out a century ago and do not need our help. Made to the specification, with the right glass, the right ice and the right garnish, every time, by whoever is behind the bar.
A classic cocktail is a recipe, not a suggestion. The measure, the dilution, the temperature and the glass were all settled by people who made thousands of them, and the only job is to do it the same way every time.
The Martini is six parts gin to one part dry vermouth, stirred for thirty seconds over block ice, strained into a frozen coupe, lemon twist. If you want it wetter, drier, with vodka, with an olive or dirty, say so and it will be made that way, but that is what you get if you say "a Martini". The Negroni is equal parts, stirred, over a hand-cut cube, orange. The Old Fashioned is a sugar cube, bitters, two ounces of rye or bourbon, stirred down, one big cube. The Daiquiri is rum, lime and sugar, shaken hard, nothing else.
The Manhattan, the Whisky Sour and the Margarita complete the seven. Each has a house pour we are happy to put our name to and a premium pour listed with its price; a Martini with the good gin is £15, and we will tell you whether it is worth it for the drink you are having. Classics are £8 before 7pm on weeknights, which is the quietest and best time to drink one.
What to expect
- Seven classics to specification
- Hand-cut block ice
- Frozen glassware
- House and premium pours, both priced
- £8 classics, 5 to 7, Tuesday to Thursday
- Made the same by every bartender
Prices and booking
Classics £12, or £8 from 5 to 7 Tuesday to Thursday. Ask for your spirit of choice; the house pour is good and the premium pour is priced on the list. Prices include VAT and nothing is added for service. The full list with every ingredient is on the menu; what is on this week is on the events page.
Questions about classics
Can I have a drink that is not on the list?
Almost certainly. The list is fourteen drinks because a short list is made well, not because we only know fourteen. Name it, or name the spirit and the mood, and whoever is on will make it if the bottle is behind them.
Book a table, or take the back room.
Forty seats, so Thursdays to Saturdays need a booking. The back room seats sixteen with no hire fee against a minimum spend; the whole bar is yours on a Monday. Eighteen and over after 5pm.