Where to drink
From the top floor of Centre Point to Japanese-Peruvian fusion mixology
AS NOVEMBER approaches, exciting new bars and clubs continue to open in London alongside established venues giving themselves facelifts.
Zinc, perched atop the Centre Point building on its 31st floor just below Paramount, looks poised to become the highest destination lounge bar in the West End.
Open Fridays and Saturdays, Zinc was designed by Studio Wick and the room features an outsized, serpentine chaise longue winding its way across the eastern wing of the lounge, fretworking along the walls, elliptical lights, and a Tom Dixon designed bartop crafted from, you guessed it, zinc. Bar Manager Gregory Ballester’s cocktails are excellent, house and electro DJs will be spinning the tracks and rumour has it Zinc has a very late night licence.
Close by on Winsley Street, pop-up clubbing concept Roxx has taken over The Code on top of Libertine. Launched by the a team from Boujis events and F1 Rocks, the three month pop-up will channel a rock ‘n roll attitude, giving revelers a taste of the backstage experience just off Oxford Street.
Roxx looks poised to breathe new energy into the scene with a fun, laid back vibe with an edge. Try the Roxxstar sharing skulls teeming with Champagne, passion fruit and crème de cassis and don’t miss the basement bunker complete with chauffer driven lift.
Also close by, Chotto Matte recently opened on Frith Street. The fun and lively Nikkei restaurant and bar (that’s Japanese/Peruvian fusion, not Stock Exchange) was designed by the architects responsible for The Ivy and Quo Vadis, and boasts a plethora of street art from Japan and the UK.
Drinkers should direct their attention to the curvilinear bar, cut from lava stone, on the ground floor where floor-to-ceiling windows fold down for a more al fresco feel. Bartenders focus on Nipponese-inspired mixology, relying heavily on sochu, sake and pisco.
Trader Vic’s was doing tiki before Mahiki – in 1944, to be specific. The London branch has been around since the 70s, and after over half a century of operations, the massive Polynesian-inspired bar in the Park Lane Hilton has received a nice little refit. There’s a new totem pole framed bar and a fresh colour palette chosen to bring a bit of Oceania to W1, and there’s an abundance of exotic ephemera – with a plethora of clam shells, boat wheels and carved wooden statues to add to the effect.
Tim Badham is the founder of Innerplace, London’s personal members only lifestyle concierge: innerplace.co.uk @innerplaceLDN