This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Top 10
The week in pictures
Thursday saw the star-studded launch of new live entertainment dining venue, Bunga Bunga Covent Garden. Sheridan Smith (pictured) treated celebrity guests including Donna Air, Joshua Kane, Levison Wood and Natalie Pinkham, to an exclusive one-off performance of ‘Don’t Rain on My Parade’ and ‘People’, as the headliner to an all-singing all-dancing evening in association with Martini.
Guests including Lottie Moss (far left) and Made In Chelsea‘s Georgia Toffolo (left) and Jess Woodley (right) sipped on Martini cocktails such as Don Silvio Bunga Martini Rubino vermouth, The King’s Ginger liqueur, homemade chamomile syrup topped with Martini Prosecco and Thyme for a Roman Bath with Grey Goose vodka, Martini Rubino vermouth, orange juice, lemon juice, home-made vanilla syrup & lemon thyme.
Last night non-alcoholic distilled spirit Seedlip kicked off an three-day Dry January takeover at The Bloomsbury Club Bar in London. Attendees were treated to a selection of five delicious twists on much-loved classic cocktails created by head of bars, Brian Calleja, while head chef Peter del Campo complemented the booze-free menu with light bites. In a backdrop adorned with Seedlip copper stills, planters and floral greens, guests crafted their very own take-home terrariums in recycled Seedlip bottles following a one-to-one masterclass by the lovely folks at London Terrariums.
Bar and restaurant Australasia in Manchester is adding a donation of £1 to each table bill, which will directly support The Tim Bacon Foundation. The discretionary donation will be added throughout January and will go to the charitable foundation, which was established in the name of the late Tim Bacon, restaurateur and founder of Living Ventures. Founded to help bring cancer treatment closer to patients in the UK, and to recognise Tim’s achievements and continue his legacy, echoing his legendary generosity of spirit.
During January, Brown’s Hotel have launched ‘Resolution Cocktails’ in their renowned Donovan Bar to celebrate (and break) the promises guests have made for the New Year. The cocktail range features specials such as Must Get Fit (pictured) – which involves guests shaking their cocktail behind the bar for 60 seconds, to ‘keep in line’ with their healthy regime. The cocktail combines Hendricks gin, lemon juice, lime juice, double cream, egg white, and gomme syrup topped with soda water.
Courvoisier continues its Toast of Paris International Cocktail Competition for the second year with ‘Le Jour et la Nuit de Courvoisier’. Courvoisier’s annual competition challenges the world’s top bartenders to push the boundaries of the Cognac category and capture the Paris Golden Age (1870-1910) through the art of modern mixology. Entry for submissions will close on 3 March 2017 and the global final will take place in May in Paris.
This January D&D London has launched its Blank Canvas campaign, a celebration of art by showcasing artwork throughout its restaurants and bars. Coq d’Argent is offering a cocktail list inspired by The School of Paris with creations in tributes to the works of Pollock, Picasso, Kandinsky and Matisse. Meanwhile, at the Royal Exchange, Threadneedle Bar have launched a range of cocktails inspired by the iconic works of Rene Magritte.
On Thursday, SB headed down to Cafe Pacifico in London’s Covent Garden for the The Tequila Masters 2017 in a drive to find and reward the finest Tequila brands on the world stage. An expert panel of judges tasted 30 Tequilas from categories ranging from agave to flavoured.
On Thursday, fashion design company Ralph Lauren opened Ralph’s Coffee & Bar in its European flagship store on Regent Street, London. Paying homage to the equestrian lifestyle long-synonymous with the iconic designer, the London venue is the first to open in Britain and will follow the success of RL Restaurant in Chicago; Ralph’s in Paris; Ralph’s Coffee in New York; and The Polo Bar in New York.
Seven international winners of the 2016 Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition will be heading to Mexico to compete in the grand final. The seven global finalists are Brice Martaud of Le Dandy, France; Nicola Ruggeiro of Katiuscia of People & Drinks, Italy; Fernando Fastuca of Liquid Club, Barcelona, Spain; Sudeera Fernando of Gold on 27 in Dubai; Nick Cozens of Eau De Vie in Sydney, Australia; Macario Vazquez of St. Regis Hotel in Punta Mita, Mexico; and Mike McGinty of The Voyage of Buck in Edinburgh, Scotland.
This week William Grant & Sons appointed Alwynne Gwilt (left) and Fabiano Latham (right) as UK brand ambassadors for its Scotch whisky brand The Balvenie and Icelandic vodka brand Reyka, respectively.The brand ambassador roles will see Gwilt and Latham focus on generating brand advocacy and bridging communication between the brands and whisky drinkers, bars, restaurants, retailers, distributors and press.
Black Moth Vodka has unveiled its latest cocktail creation just in time for Valentines Day. A Brit of Romance has been created by well-known UK mixologist Michael Stringer of Black Leaf Events, the cocktail combines Black Moth Truffle Vodka, Belsazar Rose Vermouth, Mozart chocolate bitters, Bob’s lavender bitters
and a orange peel twist.
In celebration of their new Guinness World Record award for the bar with the most varieties of rum commercially available – Cottons Restaurant and Salon de Rhum in Notting Hill is running a series of monthly free rum masterclasses from January 2017. Cottons has teamed up with some of its favourite rum brands to offer bar industry folk, rum fans and rum novices alike, a free 1.5 hour class where guests will get to smell, taste and learn about individual rums, as well learn how to mix (and drink) the ideal rum cocktail.