Cocktails in the City is returning – here’s everything you need to know
Raise a glass, or five: Cocktails in the City returns this week, which is your chance to drink unusual and high quality mixes from some of the best bars in London, all outdoors in Bedford Square Gardens.
There’s a festival-like atmosphere as bar tenders and mixologists set up stands in the Square. Some of the drinks are classics they sell at their bars, while others are made up especially for the festival. So you could end up trying the next big thing.
Cocktails in the City say the event is “celebrating London’s global reputation as a leading cocktail destination and the people that make it such an exciting place to be”.
So how does it work? “Guests can enjoy world-class drinks from some of the city’s most renowned, internationally recognised establishments. Visitors can participate in workshops, tasting sessions and games supported with award-winning street food and music to deliver a delectable festival of drinks.”
Tickets cost £22 and that includes a welcome cocktail. Like Taste of London, guests are invited to an afternoon or an evening session, and drinks are bought individually from the traders. Each trader has a non-alcoholic option, and this month some of the London bars appearing include Bourne & Hollingsworth, 0° Sky Bar, 8 at The Londoner, Alma Bar London, Baccarat Bar, Black Parrot and TT Liquor.
Tickets are available for Thursday between 5-10pm, Friday from 4-10pm, and Saturday from 12-4pm and 5-10pm.
Learn about the latest cocktail making trends, flavours and approaches, then cast your vote for your favourite, as well as your top bar; awards are given out each month the event runs throughout summer (Cocktails in the City returns again in September).
To whet your appetite, we asked some of the participants to give us a preview of what they will be serving.
Cafe Pacifico
Cocktail: One In A Melon
Ingredients: Lanique, Gin, Nectarine liqueur, aperitivo, prosecco, lemon sorbet, homemade citrus mist
Tasting notes: Watermelon and blanco tequila combined with fresh fruits and mint, perfect for a summer cocktail festival.
What they say: Carlos Londono of Cafe Pacifico: “We broke the record for cocktails served at the CitC Series in July and our twist on the watermelon margarita is always really popular. This time guests will also receive an additional complementary pipette of Vivir Reposado they can add to the drink, or simply enjoy it straight up.”
Baccarat Bar
Cocktail: Well baked highball
Ingredients: The Singleton of Glendullan 12 Year Old, fresh cherry soda, yoghurt whey, salted cherry ferment, plum kernel distillate
Tasting notes: A delicate combination of full-bodied sweetness with the refreshing swigability of a highball
What they say: Michal Maziarz: “We were happy to win best cocktail in September 2022 and to be returning this August. The style of our drinks offers familiar tasting notes but a lot of complexity resulting from the way that we prepare a lot of our homemade ingredients. At the event guests will be able to enjoy their drinks in our crystal glassware, which really adds to the sense of occasion.”
Bourne & Hollingsworth
Cocktail: A Rose a Day
Ingredients: Lanique, Gin, Nectarine liqueur, aperitivo, prosecco, lemon sorbet
Tasting notes: A delightful, fruity, floral twist on sgroppino
What they say: Richard Lopes from Bourne & Hollingsworth: “We wanted to create the perfect summer garden party cocktail with a refreshing citrus sorbet, lengthened with bubbles and a balance of floral and fruit notes coming from the lanique and nectarine with a very light bitter note to finish it all off from the aperitivo. A lot of guests enjoyed our oyster and cocktail sessions in July and we are looking forward to bringing them back this month.”