Hottest bar openings in May 2016
London led the way with last month’s hottest new openings, introducing a hipster hangout on a rooftop, a sandy underground ‘beach’ bar and the “world’s largest” Negroni selection.
One of our hottest bar openings last month was Notch in LondonElsewhere in the world there are gems to be uncovered; a surreal cocktail den inspired by exotic birds opens in Hong Kong, while in Brooklyn a new neighbourhood bar serves up a taste of Italy.
With summer just around the corner in Europe, a wave of pop-up concepts have started to spring up, offering post-work sunshine seekers tipples ranging from beer cocktails to frozen Margaritas and Aperol Spritz.
Click through the following pages to discover some of the hottest bars to open around the world in May 2016.
Notch, London
Summer returned to the rooftops of London’s Oxford Street with the opening of Notch. Styled in the vein of “Williamsburg warehouse meets Berlin yard sale”, the mix of reclaimed school science tables, Edwardian floorboards, bomb-proof lighting, scaffolding and rooftop swings offer the perfect backdrop to pop open a can of ready-made Negroni and munch on some Japanese street food. There are also jar cocktails, sharing drinks and an Uncle Wray’s Slushie Rum Punch make the menu worth exploring.
Ophelia, Hong Kong
The first of three Hong Kong-based bars designed by Ashley Sutton – the designer behind some of the most creative bars in Asia – is nothing short of surreal. The bar takes inspiration from an exotic bird shop, along with luxe 19th century opium dens, and follows a consistent peacock theme; a nod to a legend that a longtime shopkeeper in the city was gifted such a bird bearing a copper band with ‘Ophelia’ on it. No attention to detail is spared: 600,000 hand-painted tiles adorn the venue, crowned by intricate metalwork. The menu is no less impressive, a whirl of Asian herbs and spices, fruits and aromatics with signature drinks such as Le Plumage – a mix of Sagatiba Cachaça, blood orange, Gold Slab syrup, Shisandra Dram, lime, and chilli-infused charred pineapple with a green tea chocolate rim.
La Terraza, Number 90 Bar and Kitchen, London
Drink, dine and dance at this new canal-side Mexican pop-up in Hackney Wick. All summer the venue will be offering bottomless frozen passionfruit, strawberry and classic tommy Margaritas, delicious street food, Tequila, craft beer – and even the chance to enter a cricket eating competition. In addition, La Terraza will play host to a packed schedule of life drawing, yoga sessions, acoustic music and exclusive DJ sets, as well as an open air cinema programme.
La Terrazza at The House of Peroni, Dublin
The rooftop terrace pop-up hit Dublin in May for a two-week residency to showcase the best of modern Italian design, fashion, film, food and drink under the theme ‘For The Love of Italy’. Peroni Nastro Azzurro’s global brand ambassador, Dublin-based bartender Federico Riezzo, designed a cutting-edge menu of cocktails that featured Peroni Nastro Azzurro as a main ingredient, while the events schedule was packed with activity ranging from cinema screenings to weekend brunch.
Aperol Spritz Terrazza, Bird of Smithfield, London
Gruppo Campari launched this summer-long rooftop pop-up in London in partnership with local design studio Patternity. Here Aperol Spritz serves are paired with a mouthwatering menu of Italian small plates, and the bar also features a GIF photobooth for guests to enjoy. The space was created with after-work drinkers in mind, however a series of Aperol Spritz Socials will see London influencers present regular talks to keen bar guests.
77 Degrees, Austin
Myki Sand Bar, downstairs at Archer Street, London
Last month Archer Street brought the beach party to London’s Soho with the launch of its summery sand bar. Designed to recreate Europe’s chicest destination beach clubs, Myki Sand Bar features tropical palms, ceiling sails, a white and blue colour scheme, and, of course, sand. The venue will play host to various parties throughout the summer, before holding a ‘closing party’ to rival those of Ibiza, all the while serving up refreshing serves such as the Myki Sands cocktail with white rum, slated watermelon, pistachio, lime and mint, finished with a dash of soda and a watermelon slice.
August Laura, Brooklyn
One of Brooklyn’s newest cocktail haunts is an Italian-inspired bar named after co-owner Alyssa Sartor’s grandfather. The menu contains four classic Italian drinks and four originals, each of which has been crafted with meaning – You Always Remember Your First is a combination of limoncello, Lambrusco, and Primaterra Prosecco that offers a nod to the combination of red wine and sprite that marked Sartor’s first taste of alcohol.
The Negroni Bar, London
Campari invited cocktail lovers from across London to The Negroni Bar to sample the “world’s largest” Negroni selection. Located in Red Gallery, Shoreditch, the temporary bar boasted more than 30 different combinations and flavours. Highlights included the Carpe Diem Negroni made with Cocchi Barolo Chinato and Punico Zahare liqueur, and the Tu Vuò Fa’ L’Americano with sweet Vermouth and Pale Ale Beer.
Wallpaper* Bar + Kitchen, London
Harvey Nichols teamed up with design and lifestyle magazine Wallpaper* to launch this restaurant-cum-cocktail bar in a “concept space” Project 109 which lies within its menswear department. The menu features cocktails crafted by some of the world’s best bartenders, including Grocery & Grog Old Fashioned by Jack McGarry from the Dead Rabbit in New York; the Scented Negroni by Javier de las Meulas from Dry Martini in Barcelona; and the Paper Anniversary by Rémy Savage at Little Red Door in Paris.
