Hottest bar openings in December 2015

A cocktail venture focused on “doctor’s orders”, a Seinfeld-themed dive bar and a drinking den with a mysterious menu all opened their doors last month.

A diverse array of bars opened around the world last month

A former family-owned grocery in Kentucky transformed into speakeasy-like space where musical inspirations run throughout, while Glasgow welcomes an eccentric establishment inspired by an adventurer’s travels.

Meanwhile a bar inspired by Charles Dana Gibson – the American artist who allegedly inspired the creation of The Gibson cocktail – opens in London, and a new drinking den in Cape Town omits spirits from the menu, requiring guests to select their cocktail based on other ingredients in the drink.

Click through the following pages to discover some of the hottest bars to open around the world in December 2015.

Butchertown Grocery, Louisville, Kentucky

In the early 1900s, the building was home to a family-owned grocery called Gunkel’s, to which the bar’s name offers a tip of the hat. Now transformed into a speakeasy-like space, musical inspirations run throughout – from co-owner and My Morning Jacket drummer Patrick Hallahan’s deftly designed stage for performance art, to acclaimed bar director Marie Zahn’s cocktail list of 18 Tom Waits-inspired drinks.

Zahn, previous head of Meat, St. Charles Exchange, and Proof on Main, is hailed a cocktail savant, and her impeccably balanced drinks have made her one of Louisville’s best-known bartenders. The cocktail list includes such creations as Between a Pawn Shop and a Chapel, with bourbon, demerara, house bitters, orange oil and frankincense; Detective Up Late, with Bonal, coffee-infused Cynar, soda, and lemon oil; and Cigar Chewing Charlie, with Tequila, chichicapa, lemon, orgeat and bitters.

First Aid Box, London, UK

The team behind drinks consultancy agency Salts of The Earth and Brixton’s The Shrub & Shutter expanded into Herne Hill with First Aid Box, a health haven themed on nutrition and “doctors orders”. This all-day apothecary-themed cafe-cum-cocktail bar has built a menu based on raw, carefully-sourced ingredients and offers a split cocktail menu made up of ‘doctors orders’ and ‘against doctors orders’. If you’re in need of healing, the Blueberry and Quinoa might set you right, with Fair Quinoa Vodka, fresh blueberries, yoghurt powder, royal honey, fresh lemon and seltzer. However if you’re looking to retox rather detox, try Thirst Aid: Star of Bombay, Vida Mezcal, green chartreuse, sage, pineapple, and ascorbic acid, all served in a drip bag.

George’s Bar, Melbourne, Australia

A homage to the life and times of ‘Seinfeld’ character George Costanza, George’s Bar actively encourages its imbibers to “be more like george”. Decked out with quotes and imagery from the popular sitcom series, the themed bar offers cocktails such as The Summer of George, “freshly squeezed granny smith apples with your choice of spirits with a splash of bitters”, and The Hand Model, “Jack Daniels whiskey smashed with creaming soda, lemon, finished off with a cinnamon powder & George’s chick pea brine for some Festivus body”. The bar even has a thumb’s up from Jason Alexander, the actor who played Costanza. He tweeted: “That’s right — I may not have an Emmy, but I got me a bar in Melbourne, Australia. G’day, mates.”

Coin Laundry, London, UK

Nestled in Exmouth Market, Seventies-inspired multi-level venue Coin Laundry is a kitsch affair – this retro bar offers and nostalgia galore with old-school tableware, pinball machines and board games such as Kerplunk and Mouse Trap. The drinks menu is total throwback: you’ll find Snowballs, Grasshoppers and Soda Stream cocktails along with modern cocktails offering a nod to the decade. Expect pisco, Sherry, and Babycham delights, and a modern take on “proper” comfort food – think chicken kievs and profiteroles.

The Trading House, Glasgow, UK

Reminiscent of the East India Trading Company, The Trading House serves up eccentric atmosphere with decor inspired by an adventurer’s travels. The bar offers an extensive drinks menu comprising a quintessentially Bristish G&T list, Champagne, wine, craft beers, ales and ciders – and, of course, cocktails. Choose from a selection of Long, Short, Martinis, Mojitos, Flutes and even Medicine Cases – a sharing choice of either Bacardi Carta Oro Rum, Bombay Dry Gin or Ketel One Vodka with Manzana Verde, apple juice, blueberry purée, jasmine syrup, lime, lemon. Live music fills the venue with daily evening gigs and lazy Sunday afternoon sessions.

Outrage of Modesty, Cape Town, South Africa

Aussie bartender Luke Wearty of Operation Dagger in Singapore teamed up with local cafe House of Machines to open this one-of-a-kind establishment, which tosses the accepted approach to cocktails out the window. The spirit used in each cocktail is omitted from the menu, and there are no branded bottles; instead spirits are made in-house and stored in glass vials. Studded with local ingredients and South African flavours, the menu commands you to choose a drink by selecting flavours you enjoy rather than selecting based on a preconceived idea of what gin or whisky taste like. An example is The Berry & The Bee, containing wild blackberries, pelargonium, fennel pollen and perfumed honey. The bar is intimate, seating just over 20 people, and is booking-only – so get your reservation in quick.

Kensington Street Social, Sydney, Australia

British Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton’s first Australian venue, Kensington Street Social, is a bar-restaurant split across two levels within The Old Clare Hotel. The hotel’s beverage director Matt Fairhurst has curated a playful list of cocktails, which include Kensington Street Social’s Fruit Looped Cereal Killer cocktail; vodka, ‘Fruit Loop milk’, apricot and Aperol served in a milk carton. Pictured above is Rye Society, containing butter-washed rye, marmalade, Earl Grey, lemon and egg white, served with a bergamot perfume which the guest sprays over the drink. Favourites from The Clare will also be present, including the Kahuna Colada – a combination of pineapple rum and Batch Brewing’s coconut brown ale.

The Gibson, London, UK

Described as an “Edwardian time machine”, the bar’s focus is of course on the Gibson cocktail, a variant on a Martini made with gin, vermouth and an onion which dates back to the early 20th century. The bar’s design takes inspiration from cocktail heritage, intended to reflect the story of Charles Dana Gibson, the American artist who allegedly inspired the creation of the cocktail. Owned by Marian Beke, former head bartender of London’s award-winning Nightjar, the bar sees Rusty Cerven, former senior mixologist at The Connaught Bar, at the helm as bar manager.