While making the most of the extra day this leap year, February welcomed a time-travelling cocktail den and the first US outpost from Mr Lyan. Here, SB rounds up the month’s best bar openings.

Vermut in Cardiff features in our roundup of hot new bars

From “friendly neighbourhood” bar Surly’s in Melbourne to a time-travelling drinking experience in London, February welcomed a variety of new bars.

The year’s shortest month also saw London’s Lost Society open a new site south of the Thames and a surf-inspired drinking and dining destination opened in Santa Monica, US.

Also, find out more about a plant-based specialist in Bali and a Mediterranean-inspired drinking den in London.

Take a look through our gallery to find out more about the hottest bars that opened in February.

Missed our roundup of January’s best bars? Click here to see what you missed.

Silver Lyan, Washington

Award-winning bar owner Ryan Chetiyawardana opened his first US outpost in February – Silver Lyan.

The “opulent” cocktail den opened in the Riggs hotel in Washington DC, and is said to “re-imagine the traditional hotel bar”.

Designed in “tribute to the past, present and future” of the building it is housed in, Silver Lyan will serve up cocktails such as the HMS Resolute, which combines Fords Officers’ Reserve gin, fino, lacto-berry and falernum tea, and the Driftwood Margarita, made with Altos blanco Tequila, Empirical Spirits Pasilla Chilli, corn curaçao, Indian lime and roasted tattie salt.

Vermut, Cardiff

Welsh capital Cardiff welcomed a new drinking den dedicated to Spanish Sherry, wines from Montilla-Moriles and vermouth.

Vermut has been modelled on casual late-night venues found in cities like Madrid. It has the capacity to hold 30 people and will serve a varied selection of Sherry and vermouth, as well as a creative cocktail menu.

The new bar’s food offering will feature a menu of ‘para picar’, things to pick at, that has been designed to complement the drinks list.

Surly’s Bar & Garden, Melbourne

Opening on Preston’s High Street in Melbourne is “friendly neighbourhood bar” Surly’s.

The welcoming space serves an extensive menu of craft beers, wines and signature cocktails, and invites guests to bring in food from neighbouring venues.

Boasting a wood-panelled bar, Surly’s Bar & Garden offers a bright space with an extensive outdoor garden for patrons to work their way through the menu while soaking up the sun.

Lost Society Putney, London

South west London drinking den Lost Society opened its Putney outpost this month.

Lost Society Putney bring’s the group’s “impeccable decor and quirky style” to SW15, taking over a new space created by interior design firm Casa Jaguar Design.

The venue boasts a sensational “industrial glam” theme and offers open-plan setting, velvet furniture and a “trendy” colour scheme.

Surfer Rose, Santa Monica

Opening its doors in Santa Monica, California, is surf-inspired bar and restaurant Surfer Rose.

The vibrant drinking and dining destination will serve patrons “California beach-inspired cuisine and cocktails”, including pizzas, burgers and small plates.

The drinks offering at Surfer Rose includes signature cocktails such as the Watermelon Agua Fresca, made with mezcal, mint, watermelon and seltzer, and the Horchata Colada, which combines Rumchata, pineapple, coconut, cinnamon and whiskey.

Tanaman, Bali

Plant-based pop-up Tanaman opened in luxury Bali resort Potato Head Studios this month.

The beach-front resort welcomed the new drinking and dining destination, which is said to “pay tribute to family kitchens, street vendors and warungs”.

Utilising produce native to Indonesia, Tanaman will serve a plant-based take on Indonesia’s most loved comfort food, and drinks created by a team of in-house mixologists.

Maha Bar, Melbourne

Maha Bar has opened in Melbourne and aims to become the Australian city’s “expression of a meze bar”.

Serving up classic meze dishes such as spiced beef or eggplant buns, coriander seed crusted zucchnini and poached Portarlington mussels, the food offering encourages guests to “explore as many snack items as you can handle”.

On the drinks offering, imbibers will find twists on classic serves, such as the Pomegranate Sour, made with pomegranate, vanilla, citrus and egg white, and the Moorish Coffee Martini, which blends together espresso, chestnut, hazelnut and aleppo.

Barboun Shoreditch, London

Eastern Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and bar Barboun opened in London’s Shoreditch earlier this year.

The venue serves up a creative menu of dishes cooked over wood fire, such as beetroot fritters, crispy squid and Dolma, made with sun-dried aubergine, sour cherry, garlic yoghurt and bulgur wheat.

The drinks menu at Barboun includes cocktails such as 23, which combines Zacapa 23 Rum, hibiscus falernum, dry curacao, lime sherbet and Angostura Bitters, and the Zar, which is made with Don Julio Blanco Tequila, Italicus, Xanté, cloudy apple, lime, sugar and coriander.

Timeless Bar, London

Sneaking in at the end of February was London’s Timeless Bar, which launched on leap year day (29 February).

The latest venue from experiential operator Funicular Production, the Hackney haunt celebrates 100 years of iconic cocktails with its immersive time-travelling cocktail experience.

The new bar concept pays homage to a century of cocktails with a menu of “era-defining drinks” and a two-for-one cocktail offer from opening until close.