Behind the fascinating black door with the gold bird lies one of The City’s best, hidden cocktail bars. I don’t use the term ‘best’ lightly here, coming from this part of London I have scaled the bars in the area and Nightjar is unlike any other. With a cocktail list which serves up cocktails of a bygone era and some of the most unique spirits on the market, Nightjar breaks the mould when it comes to an eye for detail and outstanding cocktails so it’s no wonder they have won World’s Best Bar on a number of occasions. It could be the exclusivity of the place, or the sexy speakeasy ambiance but here’s one thing for sure, their cocktails pretty much define what a cocktail should be. I can’t quite put it into words myself but just know this, when you visit Nightjar the possibilities are quite endless.
Just in time for Summer, Nightjar are offering up a series of creative cocktails which use unusual fruits and flavours to evoke tropical themes. Having launched mid-May, the new cocktails are the first to have launched under the direction of new bar manager, Martina Breznanova. We were lucky enough to bag an invite to the launch of the inventive new cocktail list and were blown away by the execution, the attention to detail and inventiveness. In true Nightjar fashion they’ve used a combination of unique flavours and challenging spirits and everything possible to drift you away into a tropical sensory Heaven. The new menu is made up of four main sections, interweaving history with innovation throughout. Pre-Prohibition, Prohibition and Postwar, all of which are filled with the groundbreaking reinventions of bygone cocktails, whilst the Signature section fully embodies Nightjar’s invention and creativity.
The Tiki style drinks which feature on the new menu focus on the more tropical and exotic flavours from around the world. We recommend;
The Lei Lani Volcano;
This Tiki style drink includes tropical ingredients such as banana bread beer and coconut blossom nectar served over peanut butter ice.
From the updated classics menu we chose
The Mayflower;
Originating from a bygone era, The Mayflower is a unique take on The Flowing Bowl (1892) which swaps out herbal Kummal for Mozart Dry chocolate spirit infused with dill pollen. This stunning cocktail is served with real dried roses.
From The Post War Era;
Cocktail a La Louisianne;
Evoking the true spirit of New Orleans, this cocktail pays homage to its musical roots and also the voodoo culture. Served in a cloud of patchouli and Palo Santo smoke, this cocktail is reminiscent of the intoxicating smells of rituals and ceremonies. Made with Johnnie Walker Gold | Mancino Rosso Amaranto | Benedictine | Orange Liqueur | Agnus Castus Berries | Nightjar Bitters | Absinthe.
So whether it’s to just satisfy your curiosity and experience some stunningly made drinks, or to soak up the ambience of this unique bar and admire the theatrics of each crafted creation, Nightjar is most certainly the bar for you.
Just to get an idea of what Nightjar are about, they have kindly offered up a recipe for Cocktail a La Louisianne for you to try yourself;
– 45ml Johnnie Walker Gold
– 30ml Mancino Rosso Amaranto
– 5ml Benedictine
– 5ml Grand Marnier
– 1 pinch Agnus Castus (Monk’s Pepper)
– 2 dashes Absinthe
Stir and serve in a cold coupette
Nightjar
129 City Road
London, EC1V 1JBT
0207 253 4101
Bookings: info@barnightjar.com
Live Music every night from 9pm