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Hottest bar openings in March 2017

A bar waging a war on waste, another with a distinct Norse theme, and a watering hole boasting a floor-to-ceiling gin case – these are just some of the hottest bars to open across the globe in March.

Cocktails galore across the March bar openings

Looking for somewhere new to enjoy a cocktail or two? This month’s new openings will provide both inspiration and libations wherever you are in the world.

London has expanded its already enviable bar portfolio with several new bars, from Bōkan, which offers remarkable views across the city skyline alongside its nautical-themed cocktails, to the underground lab that is Matt Whiley’s new bar Scout.

Elsewhere in the world, Atlas in Singapore boasts an enormous hand-picked selection of gins held in a display case that stretches right up to the ceiling, while a bar in Tokyo is presenting guests with drinks made with everything from bacon to blue cheese.

Click through the following pages to discover some of the hottest bars to open across the planet in March 2017.

Missed our newest openings from February? Have a look at the list from last month.

Three Bottle Man

Taking its name from William Pitt, former British Prime Minister known for always carrying three bottles of liquor with him, this new bar in Sydney, Australia, opened its doors in late March. Jeremy Magan, general manager of restaurants at the Sydney Harbour Marriott, where the bar is located, said the notion of “three bottles” will carry further than in just the name.

“We’re always going to have three of everything,” he said. “Three vodkas, three rums, three beers, three ciders. The idea is that we’ll change them whenever we want, whether that’s every day or every month.”

The bar only serves Australian beverages, and all the food on Raphael Szurek’s menu is Australia-sourced too, and comprises breakfast and all-day snacks and breakfast.

Atlas Grand Lobby & Bar

Located in the striking Parkview Square in Singapore, known to many as “the Gotham building”, Atlas Grand Lobby & Bar opened its doors on 25 March.

With Roman Foltan, one of Europe’s leading bartenders, at the helm, this bar promises to be something fantastic. It took months of painstaking research to settle on the gin collection, which will be housed in a ceiling-high tower at the centre of the bar. Any gin lover would should include this on their “must visit” lists, if only to stare in wonder at the collection.

Flora

This upscale Mexican restaurant in Richmond, Virginia, celebrates dishes from coastal Mexico, particularly the Oaxaca region.

The food is complemented with a “fun and funky” list of cocktails presented on a menu reminiscent of a deck of tarot cards, with icons paired with each drink, including serves such as the Evil Kermit and Fake News.

Mjølner

The month ended with the opening of Mjølner on Thor’s Day (30 March) in Redfern, Australia. With its Norse theme, the bar specialises in meat (“cured, cooked and carved”) and a lot of whisky, with great cocktails available too.

The Hyde

London’s Paddington area has landed itself a “magnificent upgrade” with the arrival of elegant, upscale The Hyde, situated at The Royal Park hotel on the quiet Westbourne Terrace – a stone’s throw from Hyde Park and Marble Arch.

The bar exudes a quintessentially British feel with mahogany and rosewood furniture and an open fireplace.

The Hyde signature cocktail is a blend of calvados, salted butter hazelnut liqueur, Dubonnet and Laurent Perrier Champagne, but the cocktail list boasts a combination of classics and new “unique” drinks.

Most excitingly, the bar will also stock 24 “exclusive and rare spirits and cognacs”including Louis Royer Eloge – of which only 300 bottles were produced – and Old Mock 1916, a 100 year old Bourbon. Truly one-off bottlings – taste them before they’re gone.

Mixology Experience

Shuzo Nagumo has opened a new bar in Tokyo, continuing his unusual take on cocktails and their ingredients. Specialising in bizarre flavours and impressive presentations, his latest menu includes wasabi vodka, basil gin, foie gras vodka, and blue cheese Cognac.

Nagumo says he enjoys using ingredients that most people wouldn’t consider, making clever use of scents and spices too. His “Breakfast” cocktail, for example, involves bacon-infused vodka, egg, salt and “the faint flavour of corn”.

The Mule Bar

Salvatore Calabrese, one of the world’s most famous cocktail experts and known as the Maestro, is back, with a new bar in London’s Spitalfields, located underneath The Holy Birds. Working with his songs Gerry and Jon, the Maestro has concocted a menu of 50 cocktails that represent his 50 years in the drinks industry.

In a stylish bar that recalls the decor of the sixties, the menu will transport guests back through time as they quaff cocktails including Elvis’s reputed favourite the Blue Hawaiian, as well as the Pink Squirrel and Horse’s Neck.

Hilma

The award-winning hostel brand Generator has launched Hilma, an “edgy” new bar and restaurant in Stockholm. Borrowing from urban street food trends from around the world, combined with local touches, this inspiring new venue puts an emphasis on the social space common to all Generator projects.

Guests can enjoy regular poetry readings, DJ sets and theatre skits, while the bar also features a tattoo parlour and vintage games consoles. More than just cocktails here.

Bōkan

There are plenty of places to drink in London that give you views across the capital, and the newest is Bōkan, located on floors 37-39 of Novotel in Canary Wharf, complete with a roof terrace with panoramic views.

The bar is stocked with innovative cocktails that take inspiration from the Docklands and its trading history, with serves such as the Royal Captain (Hendrick’s gin, lavender-infused Mancino Vermouth Bianco, elderflower cordial, cold jasmine tea, grapefruit bitters and soda). Locally distilled spirits, as well as wine and craft beers, are also available.

Scout

In these times of worry about the environment, Matt Whiley has countered at least a little of the problem with Scout, an entirely waste-free cocktail bar in Hoxton.

Using only produce from the British Isles, and much of it found wild, the food and drinks max out every ingredient that comes through the doors. The menu will change with the seasons, making use of whatever is growing at the time. “If it’s not in season in the UK, we won’t buy it,” pledges Whiley.

As well as the bar, there will also be a 10-seater Laboratory in the basement where the menu changes daily as the team develop new drinks in real time.

The Borderline

In March, the DHP Family relaunched iconic live music venue The Borderline in London’s after an extensive refurbishment – and boy do we wish these walls could talk… The stage at this Soho stalwart has seen the likes of R.E.M, Muse, Rage Against The Machine, ZZ Top, PJ Harvey, Mumford & Sons, Rolling Stones, Oasis, Eric Clapton and more.

Back with a new programme featuring rising stars, international artists and significant underplays; the venue has replaced the usual plastic-pint-at-a-gig experience by introducing a sleek new cocktail lounge area.

Tucked away in the corner of the venue, the bar is a “grown-up” space with striking brushed brass fittings and surfaces, rich burgundy and teal textures – the perfect space to indulge in a pre-performance tipple.

The building itself dates back to 1976, and boasts a sleek new layout and design, with a flowing space from dance-floor to green room.

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