Nightjar creates new menu for 15th anniversary
East London cocktail bar Nightjar is celebrating 15 years in the business with a menu based on the evolution of mixology through the ages.
Called Recalling, the menu launched this week (14 July) and is divided into four distinct cocktail ‘eras’: The Old School, Mid-Century Mixology, Modern Classics, and Nightjar Signatures.
The final section pays homage to the bar’s most popular creations throughout its 15-year history.
In all, the menu features 24 cocktails, all created as a collaborative effort from the whole Nightjar team.
Recalling is Nightjar’s first bound menu, with each cocktail receiving its own page with an illustration and detailed history.
Alongside the new menu, guests can enjoy a selection of non-alcoholic serves, house Martinis and Old Fashioneds, and a menu of vintage cocktails, made using antique spirits.
The opening section of the menu, The Old School, pays tribute to the ‘golden age’ of cocktails between 1899 and 1933. This features a ‘bright and fruit-forward’ riff on the Singapore Sling, which blends Ford’s Gin, Mount Gay Black Barrel rum, Fen Chiew Baijiu, jasmine and yuzu, Bénédictine, pineapple juice, and cherry beer.
Other serves include the Horse’s Neck with a Kick, El Presidente and Tia Juano.
Mid-Century Mixology was inspired by the post-Prohibition era of 1934 to 1980. This section features a Nightjar staple, which has been offered at the bar since its first menu. The Toronto is a ‘robust and smoky’ Old Fashioned made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, coffee and roasted pecan maple syrup and Fernet Branca, garnished with orange-blossom candyfloss.
Meanwhile, the Zombie is made with a blend of five rums, which is barrel-aged with re-fermented fresh pineapple juice. Other options include the London Mule, Champagne Bellini and a ‘surprisingly elaborate’ interpretation of a Harvey Wallbanger.
The next section, Modern Classics, moves from 1981 to 2021, celebrates the cocktail renaissance driven by bartenders including Dick Bradsell, Salvatore Calabrese, Dale DeGroff and Sam Ross.
Iconic serves from the eighties, such as the Bramble and the Breakfast Martini, coexist with noughties cocktails like the Old Cuban and Penicillin.
Meanwhile, the star of this section is an homage to the Naked & Famous, which blends Volcan Blanco Tequila, an olive oil fat wash, Montelobos Espadín, Aperol, a housemade ‘Chartreuse’, L’Aperitivo Nonino and fresh lime juice.
The Nightjar Classics section celebrates the bar’s history, including a drink created by founding bartender Marian Beke. This serve, the Name of the Samurai, features Nikka Whisky from the Barrel, Kay Sake Junmai Daiginjo, Akashi-Tai Umeshu, a rice popcorn tea infusion, rice mirin, galangal liqueur, and Japanese blossom smoke.
The era of Martina Breznanova is represented by Breakfast of Champions, while Tony Pescatori is summarised through the Pantapal, made with The Botanist Gin, fresh guava, Nightjar Kalamansi Liqueur and fresh lime juice.
Today’s bar manager, Sebastiano Cristofanon, has contributed the Pan Con Tomate, made with Ketel One vodka, BBQ tomato, cherry tomato water and a basil and mascarpone fat wash.
Co-founders Roisin Stimpson and Edmund Weil said: “This menu feels incredibly special. Not only does it pay tribute to cocktail culture and the legendary figures who have shaped it, but it also reflects Nightjar’s signature storytelling and creative approach to drinks.
“As we celebrate 15 years of Nightjar, we’re proud to have offered our guests a truly unique cocktail experience every time they walk through our doors. We’re excited to share this new chapter with our friends, family, and loyal guests and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Nightjar is part of the Speakeasy Entertainment group, which is behind London’s Oriole and Swift.
Earlier this year, SB took a deep dive into the importance of cocktail menu presentation.
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