One of our favourite cocktail-tastic events this month – Martinis & Movies at One Aldwych9 May-30 June: Italians Do It Better
69 Colebrooke Row goes on tour at this eagerly awaited pop-up venture featuring some of the finest talents in Italian taste. Giorgio Locatelli, Accursio Craparo, Viviana Verese and Norbert Niederkofler are among the Michelin-starred chefs who will be showcasing their culinary skills in this stunning Grade II-listed building while Tony C and his team will be serving up the finest cocktails in Salvatore Calabrese’s former bar. Don’t miss it. Bar open daily from 6pm; restaurant from 7pm.
50 St. James’s Street, SW1A 1JT. pretadiner.com.
10 & 24 May: Life Drawing With Mia Gubbay
Have fun sketching models posing with props from the cabinet of curiosities and enjoy free Hendricks gin and nibbles at the same time. 6pm starts 7pm. £10.
11 Mare Street, E8. T: 08444 771 000. thelasttuesdaysociety.org.
11 & 12, 17 & 18, 25-27 May: Martini Movies
The most glamorous way to watch your film is in the comfort of the lush screening room at One Aldwych. Your evening starts with a Grey Goose Martini or Le Fizz cocktail to enjoy whilst watching the film starting at 6.30pm, followed by a three-course dinner after the screening at 8.30pm. 11 & 12 May: Moneyball; 17 & 18 May: Hugo; 25, 26 & 27 May: The Help. (Sunday screening 5pm, dinner 7pm; 25 & 26 May dinner 7pm, screening 9pm). Tickets £42.50.
One Aldwych hotel, WC2B 4BZ. T: 020 7300 1000. onealdwych.com.
12, 19 & 26 May: Bombay Sapphire ‘Ginbilee’ Masterclasses
According to those in the know, Her Majesty is rather partial to a drop of gin. So what better way to toast the forthcoming Jubilee than with a celebratory G&T infusion? Learn how to give your own spin to a classic combo at one of these small interactive classes hosted by Sam Carter. As well as getting the lowdown on gin, you’ll learn how to make five G&T infusions before getting behind the bar to create your own.
From 2.30pm-5pm. £19.52 per person including gin and tonic on arrival, your drink, recipe and a bottle of Bombay Sapphire to take home.
Rib Room, Jumeriah Carlton Tower, Cadogan Place, SW1X 9PY. T: 020 7858 7250. facebook.com/bombaysapphire.
Create your own cocktails at Bombay Sapphire’s Ginbilee classes12, 19 & 26 May: Cocktail Masterclasses
Spend two hours tasting and picking up tips on how to make the perfect cocktails, then get behind the circular bar to make your own. Stani Visciano and the team makes sure the classes are informative, friendly but most of all, fun. 12 May: Al Fresco; 19 May: Club Tropicana; 26 May: Fashionista. 10am-12pm. £60 per person including coffee and pastries, class, cocktails and certificate, plus one-course lunch in the adjoining restaurant.
Fifth Floor Bar, Harvey Nichols, 109-125 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7RJ. T: 020 7235 5250. harveynichols.com.
12, 22 & 26 May: Grey Goose Taste By Appointment
What could be a better thrill in the taste department than having a fab bespoke cocktail created for you? Your session starts with a Grey Goose Le Fizz cocktail and continues with an introduction to ‘taste’, followed by a few fun taste experiments to push your palate to the max. After a hands-on cocktail masterclass and amuse bouche, you’ll have a one-on-one consultation with Joe McCanta who will mix up your own unique cocktail recipe. Sessions take place at: 12 May: Redhook, 89 Turnmill Street, EC1M 5QU. 3pm-7pm. £75 (optional three-course meal, £25). 22 May: Bread Street Kitchen, One New Change, 10 Bread Street, EC4M 9AB. 6.30pm-9.30pm (optional three-course meal, £30). 24 May: Century, 61-63 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 6LG. 1pm-4pm. £75. (25% of the ticket price goes to the Elton John Aids Foundation).
For bookings and further details, see greygoosetaste.com.
Joe McCanta creates bespoke cocktails at Grey Goose Taste By Appointment13 May: Rooftop Cinema Club at Kensington Roof Gardens
One of the most stunning rooftops in London opens for films throughout the summer. 13 May: Educating Rita. 8.45pm. Tickets £22 includes snack of fish and chips, burger or hotdog prepared on the barbie.
Kensington Roof Gardens, 99 Kensington High Street, W8 5SA. T: 020 7368 3993. roofgardens.virgin.com.
14, 21, 24, 31 May: ‘Pin-Up’ Vintage Hair & Make-Up
Ladies, get glammed up like a super-sexy 1950s siren whilst enjoying cocktails and cake. From 7pm. £10 for hair or make-up, £15 for both.
Drink Shop Do, 9 Caledonian Road, N1 9XX. T: 020 3343 9138. drinkshopdo.com
14 & 28 May: Monday Night Film Club
These popular film nights in the City get your week off to a glamorous start. 14 May: Superman. 28 May: Kill Bill: Vol. 1. Please call for times. £15 per person including cocktail on arrival, film and nibbles.
Prism, 147 Leadenhall Street, EC3V 40J. T: 020 7256 3888. harveynichols.com.
14 & 28 May: Ketel One Vodka masterclasses
Mini themed class expertly guiding you through the craft of mixing and shaking an array of cocktails with the team at Shaker Bar School. Discounts available in the upstairs bar if you stay on to continue the party. 7.30pm-9pm. Please call for prices and details.
Shaker & Company, 119 Hampstead Road, NW1 3EE. T: 0870 720 2877. shakerandcompany.co.uk.
14 & 28 May: Last Night a Speed Date Changed My Life
Who knows, you could meet your fellow cocktail lover at one of these light hearted speed dating events aimed at singletons in their 20s to mid-30s. A cocktail or two from the bar will definitely help you get into the spirit of things. Limited spaces available. 7pm-10pm. Tickets £13.
The Book Club, 100 Leonard Street, EC2A 4RH. T: 020 7684 8618. wearetbc.com.
16 May: Appleton Estate Bartender’s Challenge UK Final
It’s taken three months to narrow the list down to eight but this is where the hard work really starts… Guests become the judges at this interactive cocktail competition where the eight finalists will serve bespoke cocktails from their specially designed pop-up bars. Your vote counts as the winner will go on to represent the UK at the Global Finals in Jamaica later this year. Brand Ambassador Jamie MacDonald will also be on hand dispensing invaluable tips and informative masterclasses.
6.30pm-10pm. Apply for tickets via the Facebook page.
Museum of London Docklands, No 1 Warehouse, West India Quay, E14 4AL. appletonestate.com.
16 May: Sipsmith Distillery Tours
A welcome drink gets you in the mood before you tour the distillery and enjoy a tutored tasting of the spirits in the the portfolio. From 6.30pm-8pm, £12 per person.
27 Nasmyth Street, W6 0HA. T: 020 8741 2034. sipsmith.com.
16 & 17 May: Bedtime Stories at 40 Winks
Pack your nightwear for these popular Bedtime Storytelling sessions in one of London’s trendiest hotels. This month Cat Weatherill and Kasper Sorensen will have you shivering in your PJs with their tales of Murder and Mayhem. From 7pm; stories from 8.15pm. £25 including fruity gin cocktails and nibbles (seriously, sleepwear must be worn. The best outfit wins the coveted Most Glamorous Nightie Award with Benefit cosmetics worth £300…)
40 Winks, 109 Mile End Road, E1 4UJ. T: 020 7790 0259. 40winks.org.
17 May: Musical Bingo
What larks, you just know you’re going to have a good time with Jess Indeedy compering and bingo on the events menu. Especially as this version relies on music recognition instead of plain- old-fashioned number calling. When you’ve marked the tunes off on your card – claim your prize which might be anything from a bottle of champers to a bag of sweets. Big time fun guaranteed, particularly once you add a few cocktails into the equation. From 8pm. Tickets £7.
Drink Shop Do, 9 Caledonian Road, N1 9XX. T: 020 3343 9138. drinkshopdo.com.
20 May: An Evening of Cabaret & Burlesque
Ah, this is what we like, an evening of full-blown glamour. Cabaret and burlesque come back to The Savoy after 80 years and may we say, it’s looking as fresh as ever. Holly Penfield and Dusty Limits are your hosts with Vicky Butterfly, Laurie Hagen, Matt Hennem, Apple Tart and Ash Mukherjee providing the entertainment. Doors open 7pm; show starts 7.30pm. Tickets £25 per person.
The Beaufort Bar, The Savoy hotel, Strand, WC2R 0EU. Bookings: 020 7420 2116. savoy@fairmont.com.
Canaret evenings come back to The Savoy21 May: Life Drawing Classes with Morris
Unleash your inner artist at these popular life drawing classes with invaluable tips Morris. Includes a free glass of wine. Two sessions 6.30pm-8.30pm; 8.30pm-10.30pm. £10 includes all materials.
The Book Club, 100 Leonard Street, EC2A 4RH. T: 020 7684 8618. wearetbc.com.
25 May: Lunchtime Disco
Take the afternoon off people – it’s the Friday lunchtime disco! Bust your best moves while Jess Indeedy and guests DJs spin TGIF-tastic tunes. Midday-3pm. £3 in advance, £4 on the door. Cocktails will be served.
Drink Shop Do, 9 Caledonian Road, N1 9XX. T: 020 3343 9138. drinkshopdo.com.
23 May: A Literary Feast
Bompass & Parr team up with Hendrick’s gin in an evening of ‘delightfully peculiar dining extravaganza in a most majestic setting.’ Expect four literary-themed courses, culminating with an explosive dessert, all with matching Hendrick’s cocktails. 7pm-11pm. Tickets £50 – limited to 50 for the evening.
Brighton Fringe Festival. Visit hendricksgin.com and to book tickets, register at brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk.
Every Sunday: Sunday Bloody Sunday
Bloody Mary’s rule at this leisurely afternoon affair devised to ease you gently out of the weekend and into a fab week ahead. Mix up BM’s just the way you like them at your table and chow down on a delicious menu including Boody Mary meatballs, and fillet of halibut with buttered spinach and Bloody Mary sauce. Park the kiddiwinks upstairs with the qualified nanny while you enjoy the grown up food and atmosphere. From midday-8pm.
Paradise By Way of Kensal Green, 19 Kilburn Lane, W10 4AE. T: 020 8969 0098. theparadise.co.uk.
Every Sunday: Art Decadent Tea
Tipsy tea cocktails accompany the expertly cut sandwiches, tea pastries and chilled champagne on the menu at the Beaufort Bar every Sunday between 2.30pm-6.30pm. £62.50 per person.
The Beaufort Bar at The Savoy, Strand, WC2R 0EU. T: 020 7836 4343. fairmont.com/savoy.
Every Sunday: the Sunday Blues Jam
Register your instrument and take part in the popular weekly jam session, or simply pitch up to enjoy the music along with a nifty selection of bourbon-based cocktails. From 7pm-1am.
The Blues Kitchen, 111-113 Camden High Street, NW1 7JN. T: 020 7387 5277. theblueskitchen.com.
Every Monday: Monday Wine Club
BYO bottle to go with the best steaks in town at Hawksmoor. Whether you keep it cheap and cheerful with a bottle of plonk or dig out that prized Barolo from your cellar, all you pay is £5 corkage (plus the price of your steaks, of course…)
Hawksmoor, 10 Basinghall Street, EC2V 5BQ. T: 020 7397 8120; 11 Langley Street, WC2H 9JG. T: 020 7420 9390; 157 Commercial Street, E1 6BJ. T: 020 7426 4850. thehawksmoor.co.uk.
Every Friday: Street Feast East
Our new favourite way to spend a Friday evening! Arrive feeling hungry and work your way around the various stalls where the food they serve is in the name, ie Big Apple Hot Dogs, Kimchi Kult, The Ribman and Mama’s Jerk Station. There’s a bar serving cocktails with beer from the Camden Town Brewery. If you want to go posh, book one of the two tables in the funky Car Wash Dining Room. For 12 weeks only. 5pm-12am.
Scalter Street, off Brick Lane, E1 6HR. streetfeast.com.
Every Friday & Saturday: The Fourth Wall
Who knows where the wandering bar will set up? The location changes every week but the decor, set up and drinks list stays true to the static outpost at Bourne & Hollingsworth in Fitzrovia. Sign up for alerts and you’ll get an email on Wednesday giving you clues for the chosen location for that weekend.
whereisthefourthwall.com.
Throughout the month: The Pot & Ketel One Cafe
Each month the basement bar at Shaker & Company is given a unique personality by a visiting drinks brand. May is the turn of Ketel One vodka. Expect fantastic vodka cocktails poured from beautiful copper kettles.
Shaker & Company, 119 Hampstead Road, NW1 3EE. T: 0870 720 2877. shakerandcompany.co.uk.
Throughout the month: Make your own gin at the Ginstitute
Start with a tour of London’s second smallest museum – a lovingly recreated Victorian Gin Palace, complete with historical artefacts, vintage cocktail books and cabinets filled with all manner of the juniper spirit. Then it’s upstairs for a tutored tasting before getting down to the serious business of making your own gin. At the end of the session, graduates will receive a full-sized bottle of their personal gin together with the recipe which will also be kept on file for re-ordering when it tickles your fancy. £100 per person includes cocktail reception, class at The Ginstitute, 70cl bottle of Portobello Road No. 171 gin, 70cl bottle of your bespoke gin and a martini – now, that’s what we call a bargain.
To check availability, call 020 7229 8016. portobellostarbar.co.uk.
Throughout the month: Cocktail masterclasses
The team at this iconic bar will teach guide you through the history behind mixed drinks and cocktail culture and teach you how to make a selecttion of classics and house specials. Mon-Fri 11am-4pm (for groups of up to 25); Sat & Sun 11am-1pm (up to 10 guests). Tickets £70 per person.
Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, South Bank, SE1 9PH. T: 020 7021 1600. harveynichols.com.
Throughout the month: Back To Cocktail School
Perfect as a teambuilding exercise or simply for a group of like-minded friends, these bespoke classes take in a tutored tasting of The Four Cocktail Golden Ages with bar manager Andrea Montague. The group is then divided up and the nominated rep has to make a cocktail worthy of the £50 bar tab* awarded as the prize. Bookings for 10-25 people; £40-£50 per head.
*To be used at a later date.
Callooh Callay, 65 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY. T: 020 7739 4781. calloohcallaybar.com
Throughout the month: Vodka: The Biography
Two hours of sensory overload focusing in the history of vodka, calling on Back To The Future, Star Wars, Madonna and James Bond for inspiration. Includes six expressions matched with food, accompanied by imagery, sounds and scents. £75 per person, including drinks and food.
Worship Street Whistling Shop, 63 Worship Street, EC2A 2DU. T: 020 7247 0015. whistlingshop.com.
