NYC-inspired cocktail bar Cato to open in London
Cato will open in Covent Garden in November, with ex-Nipperkin head of bars Angelos Bafas onboard as managing partner.
The bar comes from hospitality group Bart & Taylor – from Aiste Bart and Andrew Taylor – who own and operate restaurants and bars in the UK such as Trickle, Adam & Eve, and Mr Fox.
Bafas, meanwhile, who has just left his post as group head of bars at Creative Restaurant Group (overseeing cocktail menus at Nipperkin, Nijū, Huno, and Kioku by Endo) will be the bar’s managing partner.
Cato will be located at 17 Mercer St in London’s Covent Garden area.
The bar is named after Cato Alexander, who is often referred to as ‘America’s first celebrity bartender’ by cocktail aficionados. Drinks will be centred around provenance, seasonality and minimal waste.
Bart and Taylor said: “We’re thrilled to bring Cato to Covent Garden, with an innovative concept that celebrates the craft of bartending while making world-class drinks approachable and inclusive.
“By focusing on seasonal British ingredients, supporting small producers and bringing the julep back into the spotlight, we want to create a space that not only serves incredible drinks but also builds community and inspires bartenders.”
The space will take up 2,200 square feet with room for 100 covers. It will be separated by three distinct spaces: House of Julep, Lower Cato and Cato’s Study.
House of Julep will focus on swift and approachable service, with drinks including Smashes, twists on classics and cocktails on tap, and Juleps – the drink Alexander Cato made famous in the 1800s.
Cato’s Julep will be made with homegrown mints and herbs sourced from the bar’s in-house growing system. Moreover, the bar is aspiring to be the first self-sufficient bar for herbs and fruits. It will look to grow its herbs and fruits in-house as much as possible, and when not, to purchase them from local urban allotments and family-run farms.
Lower Cato will offer a menu made exclusively with British spirits and produce, with each of the 12-14 serves on the list inspired by a different New York neighbourhood and its cultural influences.
Cato’s Study will then serve as a laboratory and masterclass space, where pop-ups and R&D projects will take place around a 10-cover communal table, as well as an industry library.
Bafas added: “Cato is a very special project that has been in the making since I first met Andy and Aiste five years ago.
“Our aim is to bring memorable flavours and experiences to life using humble, local ingredients. By reviving old-school, almost forgotten, techniques we aim to show how simplicity and creativity can transform the way people experience flavour through drinks.”
Bafas will be tasked with bringing the bar to life in his role of managing partner. He will be supported by Bart and Taylor group’s beverage manager, Yaw Asante.
Bafas also recently helped the founders of Brother Marcus to open an Eastern Mediterranean-inspired bar in Soho, called Kamara.
He has also released his debut book this year, titled Hyper Drinks.
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