Where to go to enjoy National Mezcal Day this Thursday
As the days shorten, and the wind howls through London’s streets, why not head down to one of the city’s bustling bars for a warming glass of mezcal. This Thursday, to honour National Mezcal Day, bars throughout the city will be at the ready to introduce you to the many charms of Mexico’s second most famous – albeit far more illustrious – spirit. Here are just a few of the bars and restaurants you can indulge your mezcal mania.
Decimo at The Standard
Decimo at The Standard opposite King’s Cross station has an extensive mezcal list drawing on its Mexican roots, and some brilliant mezcal cocktails including the evocatively-named Desert Rose. Its mezcals vary from the approachable Derrumbes Salmiana (priced at £12 for 50ml) to the more complex Neta Bicuixe from Oaxaca (priced at £25 for 50ml), making Decimo a prime London spot for mezcal exploration. It even has its own “agave program” boasting over a dozen varieties focusing on traditional family producers who use “ancestral techniques” including native wild yeasts. We don’t recommend trying all of them in a single evening.
Argyle St, King’s Cross
Casamigos Bar at Percy’s
Percy’s, the new late night drinking, dining and dancing destination on Kensington High Street, has its very own Casamigos Tequila & Mezcal bar from the George Clooney- and Rande Gerber-founded brand. Percy’s signature Mezcal Margarita is expertly blended with Cointreau and lime, offering a smoky twist on the traditional favourite. The “secret” Casamigos bar is hidden at the back of the venue and is the first of its kind outside of America.
Kensington High Street
Side Hustle at NoMad London
Set in a former Police Station, Side Hustle is NoMad’s take on the classic British pub. The cocktails are overseen by Pietro Collina and center around agave-based spirits, including 40 different mezcals showcasing the flavours and traditions of Mexico. A highlight is the ‘Mescal Service’, served traditionally with citrus, sal de gusano and a choice of either savoury Sangrita, made with tomato, cucumber, beetroot and Tabasco, or the lighter Verdita, made with honeydew melon, pineapple, mint coriander and jalapeno. Side Hustle is also one of the only places in London to serve the rare Mescal Vardo.
Bow Street, Covent Garden
St James Bar
St James Bar has launched a new “Imagination” menu featuring the experimental and conceptual cocktails its mixologists came up with over lockdown. It includes an unusual mezcal cocktail made using Beluga Noble vodka, mezcal, crème de cacao blanc, cacao husk, citrus, pistachio and almond milk. Situated on the corner of Pall Mall and Waterloo Place, St James Bar in the Sofitel London St James Hotel is a quietly spectacular place to celebrate National Mezcal Day.
Waterloo Pl, St. James
La Bodega Negra
Soho’s hidden Mexican bar and restaurant La Bodega Negra has one of London’s best stocked agave bars, offering 20 different mezcals and 50 tequilas, even boasting its own agave Sommelier. Our top recommendations are its Alipus, Corte Vetusto, Leyenda, Ojo de Dios and Siete Misterios. One of La Bodega Negra’s signature mezcal cocktails is the Mezcalita, which blends 12.5 Ojo de Dios, triple sec and fresh lime juice, and served on the rocks and finished with worm salt. Delicious.
Moor Street, Soho
Isabel
Mayfair destination restaurant and club Isabel will be serving The Mayahuel cocktail, a bold, smokey drink made using San Cosme Mezcal Joven, Figue Liqueur Muyu Jazmin Liqueur and Peychaud Bitters 17. If that doesn’t take your fancy, it has a Mezcal list with no fewer than 19 varieties.
Albemarle St, Mayfair
Bar Dona
Swing by Bar Dona in Stokey any time after 6pm for live music and tequila. Set up by Thea Cumming & Lucia Massey, the brains behind both Dangerous Don, and London Mezcal Week, Bar Dona offers a great dance floor and a curation of the best artisanal Mezcals straight from Mexico.
Stoke Newington, Hackney
El Camion
Billed as a ”fresh Mexican grill that brings a little bit of Baja California to London”, El Camion is a popular late night venue and Mexican restaurant in central Soho. On the ground floor, enjoy delicious traditional Mexican cuisine, and then descend to the ‘The Pink Chihuahua’ basement bar for a drink and a boogie. From tequila-based cocktails, to gringas to mezcals, El Camion’s got you covered.
Brewer Street, Soho
Smokey Kudu
Neighbourhood cocktail bar Smokey Kudu, under the arches by Queens Road station in Peckham, is offering a ‘Smoke On The Water’ cocktail made with mezcal, watermelon, yuzu, rose, hibiscus and soda. The mezcal gives a deep and rich flavour that balances the sweetness of the watermelon and rose, according to the on-site mixologists.
Queen’s Rd, Peckham
Manthan
Manthan, chef Rohit Ghai’s Indian restaurant in Mayfair, has a new mezcal cocktail on the menu. The Menaka is made with wild hibiscus infused mezcal, madagascar vanilla, orinoco bitters, and peach & jasmine soda.
Maddox St, Mayfair