Cocktail

CG Restaurants & Bars extends Dirty Martini rollout with new Islington site

29-May-2015 By Noli Dinkovski

CG Restaurants & Bars is to open its first Dirty Martini bar in north London as part of a wider strategy to have 15 sites up and running by the end of next year.

Clapham venue the Loft to become sixth Dirty Martini site

16-Feb-2015 By Noli Dinkovski

CG Restaurants & Bars is to open a sixth Dirty Martini site in April after its acquisition of Clapham venue the Loft.

The Cocktail Trading Co launches London bar

10-Dec-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Bartender-led drinks consulting business The Cocktail Trading Co will launch its own bar, The Cocktail Trading Company Development Bar & Table, in London’s Oxford Circus in mid-January 2015.

Simmons opens third London bar

17-Nov-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Simmons bar group will open its new cocktail bar Simmons Fitzrovia in central London on 20 November. 

5cc launches fourth venue in Hoxton Square

30-Oct-2014 By Melodie Michel

Cocktail bar 5cc has opened its fourth venue in the basement of the Electricity Showrooms in Hoxton Square.

Brew to open fourth London site

22-Oct-2014 By Lauren Houghton

All-day dining concept Brew will open its fourth London site in Putney on 10 November.

Cocktail sales on the rise

10-Oct-2014 By Melodie Michel

Cocktail sales have grown by 10.8 per cent over the last two years, according to CGA Strategy’s Mixed Drinks Report 2014.

Speakeasy cocktail concept B.Y.O.C comes to Camden

02-Sep-2014 By Lauren Houghton

B.Y.O.C. (Bring You Own Cocktail) is opening its third site this September in London’s Camden.

Hi-Spirits expands Tails cocktail range

22-Aug-2014 By Melodie Michel

Hi-Spirits has reformulated, expanded and redesigned its Tails cocktail range, available for the on-trade. 

D&D London re-launches Quaglino’s

15-Aug-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Restaurant and late night venue Quaglino’s in London’s Mayfair is set to re-open this October after undergoing a multi-million pound renovation.

Imbibe Live: Spirits and cocktail events and activity

23-Jun-2014 By Carina Perkins

It is one week to go until Imbibe Live, and there will be plenty of activity for budding mixologists and bar owners.

Heads and Tales bar opens in Edinburgh’s Rutland hotel

16-Jun-2014 By Lauren Houghton

New Scottish gin focused lounge bar Heads and Tails has opened in the basement of Edinburgh’s Rutland hotel on Rutland Place. 

East Indian inspired coffee and cocktail bar to open in Tooting

29-May-2014 By Lauren Houghton

Brothers Nicholas and Alastair Heathcote are launching East Indian themed coffee and cocktail bar the Imperial Durbar, which will open in London’s Tooting on 9 June. 

Alcoholic drinks: Spirits trends and innovations

27-May-2014 By Carina Perkins

In the fourth part of our special feature on alcoholic drinks we look at the key trends and innovation in the on-trade spirits market, which is riding high on the wave of the cocktail boom.

Raido brothers launch third venture

07-May-2014 By Melodie Michel

Jose and Mel Raido are set to open the Communion cocktail bar on the same street as their existing venues Church Street Hotel and Angels and Gypsies Restaurant in London.

Scotland’s first 'neo-bistro' to open in Edinburgh

17-Mar-2014 By Lauren Houghton

New neo-bistro Aizle is opening in Edinburgh in April, the first restaurant of its kind to come to Scotland.

Spirits production returns to East End

14-Mar-2014 By Luke Nicholls

A new craft spirits company is set to bring spirits production back to London’s East End next month with the launch of a gin, whisky and vodka distillery and adjacent cocktail bar.

Cocktail lecturer gives key advice for bartenders in 2014

10-Jan-2014 By Luke Nicholls

A leading drinks flavour expert claims bartenders and mixologists will need to ‘think outside the box’ if they want to stand out from the ever-growing crowd of bars and restaurants serving cocktails in 2014. 

Kench & Bibesy bar and restaurant opening in the City

08-Nov-2013 By Luke Nicholls

The team behind Prohibition-style West London venue Evans & Peel Detective Agency is launching a new bar and restaurant in Farringdon later this month.

Mamounia Lounge doubles up in the capital

25-Oct-2013 By Luke Nicholls

Mamounia Lounge, the Middle Eastern restaurant, cocktail bar and ‘late-night den’ in Knightsbridge, has opened a sister site on Curzon Street in Mayfair.

Pizza and cocktail concept to open on reserved Covent Garden site

18-Oct-2013 By Luke Nicholls

Chuck’s Clubhouse, the New York-style pizza restaurant that was set to open in Covent Garden this month, will instead open in another, ‘better suited’ location in London next year due to complications with the building.

Steam & Rye: Gatsby-style bar and restaurant coming to London

15-Oct-2013 By Luke Nicholls

Nick House, the entrepreneur behind famous London nightclubs Mahiki and Whisky Mist, has teamed up with model Kelly Brook for the launch of Steam & Rye, a Prohibition era-themed bar and restaurant in the heart of the City.

Chuck’s Clubhouse: New York-style pizza restaurant coming to Covent Garden

11-Sep-2013 By Luke Nicholls

The restaurant resurgence of Covent Garden will take another turn next month with the addition of Chuck’s Clubhouse – a New York-style pizza restaurant from the team behind GO Food.

Hoxley and Porter: Cocktail and dining ‘adventure’ arrives in Islington

04-Sep-2013 By Luke Nicholls

Hoxley and Porter, a new restaurant and cocktail bar inspired by ‘Victorian gentlemen's clubs, Colonial Poirot, Egyptian noir, and surrealist jungles’, is opening in Islington this month.

Manchester barman named world's best gin bartender

28-Jun-2013 By Peter Ruddick

Jamie Jones, one half of Manchester bar consultants The Liquorists, has been named as the world's best gin bartender in an annual, week-long, invitation-only contest held in France earlier this month. 

Finest Call capitalises on mid-market cocktail boom with new summer flavour

22-Apr-2013 By Luke Nicholls

Finest Call cocktail mixes is looking to capitalise on 'the rise of the mainstream cocktail sector' with the launch of a new Wildberry purée flavour and an upsurge in its activity within the UK's pub and bar market.

Search for The Key: ‘Secret’ cocktail bar & restaurant comes to London

03-Apr-2013 By Luke Nicholls

The Key - a mysterious new cocktail bar, restaurant and live music lounge situated in a ‘hidden location’ in London’s West End – is set to open in May as the first in a series of themed bars across the capital from a new collective of nightclub and private...

Master & Servant grill restaurant opens in Hoxton Square

26-Feb-2013 By Luke Nicholls

Master & Servant, a British-American grill restaurant and cocktail bar in London’s East End, is set to open its doors next Monday (4 March), as the first solo venture for the former St John Hotel and Hix Soho chef, Matt Edwards.

Goat in Boots to re-launch as GOAT restaurant & cocktail bar

30-Jan-2013 By Luke Nicholls

After a three-month closure, the Goat and Boots pub in London’s Fulham Road is set to re-launch this spring as GOAT - a new 140-cover restaurant, cocktail bar and all-day lounge.

Snug Bars to add two new sites in 2013

22-Jan-2013 By Emma Eversham

Cambridgeshire and Chilterns-based pub company Snug Bars has unveiled plans to open two more sites this year following a record Christmas trading period.  

Clancy brothers to convert Shoreditch railway arches into British restaurant

19-Dec-2012 By Emma Eversham

Brothers Danny and Kieran Clancy have unveiled plans to convert three railway arches next to Hoxton station in Shoreditch into a British restaurant and bar next year. 

Flat Iron goes permanent with new Soho restaurant

01-Nov-2012 By Luke Nicholls

Following a short-term residency above the Owl and Pussycat pub in Shoreditch, new steak concept Flat Iron is to move to a permanent site in the heart of Soho in December.

All Star Lanes to open in Manchester, Adam Breeden leaves to focus on Bounce

11-Oct-2012 By Emma Eversham

Adam Breeden, co-founder of new ping pong concept Bounce, has announced his resignation from the board of boutique bowling operator All Star Lanes (ASL) which will open its fifth site in Manchester next year. 

Be At One introduces new food offering with opening of 13th London bar

07-Aug-2012 By Luke Nicholls

London-based bar group Be At One has unveiled plans to open its 13th cocktail bar in the heart of the capital, where it will showcase a new food offering in partnership with restaurateur Ossie Gray.

First Drinks 2012 Market Report reveals polarising drinks market as consumers react to recession

17-Jul-2012 By Luke Nicholls

The UK on-trade drinks market is straining under the weight of the recession, with consumers now tending to react in one of two ways: trade up and buy less, or trade down and buy more, according to the 2012 First Drinks Market Report.

Fluid Movement to open speakeasy style bar and restaurant Dach & Sons in Hampstead

04-Jul-2012 By Emma Eversham

Fluid Movement, the team behind London bars Purl and Worship Street Whistling Shop, will open their third venue - Dach & Sons, a 70-cover speakeasy bar and restaurant - in Hampstead next week. 

The Hippodrome Casino brings three tiers of F&B to London’s West End

19-Jun-2012 By Luke Nicholls

The Hippodrome Casino – the UK’s first ‘international style’ casino – is set to open in London’s Leicester Square next month, featuring five bars and four dining rooms spread over three floors of the property.

Courvoisier launches on-trade cocktail marketing campaign ahead of Imbibe Live competition

10-May-2012 By Peter Ruddick

Courvoisier has launched a marketing and promotion campaign, Cocktails on a Grand Scale, to encourage the use of cognac in cocktails; bartenders are also being invited to enter a competition at Imbibe Live later this year.

Second The London Cocktail Club bar for BBC's The Restaurant winners

17-Jan-2012 By Peter Ruddick

Less than 12 months after opening their 'gin palace' bar, The Restaurant winners JJ Goodman and James Hopkins have opened a second site under The London Cocktail Club brand with partners David Moore, Sarah Willingham and Raymond Blanc who has...

Marriott Hotel County Hall to open English steakhouse

12-Jan-2012 By Luke Nicholls

Marriott Hotel County Hall on London’s Southbank is set to unveil a new steak restaurant and bar in March, offering guests a ‘quintessentially English experience.’

Dirty Martini to open second cocktail bar in Mayfair

02-Nov-2011 By Luke Nicholls

Dirty Martini, a cocktail bar in London’s Covent Garden, is set to open a second site in Mayfair later this month.

Raconteur's Jamie MacDonald is crowned UK's best bartender

21-Jun-2011 By Tom Allsop

Jamie MacDonald of the Raconteur bar in Stockbridge, Edinburgh has been crowned the UK's best bartender after winning the UK final of the international cocktail competition World Class 2011.

Summer drinks trends: Spirits

17-May-2011 By Lorraine Heller

In the second part of our feature on summer drinks trends, BigHospitality takes a look at which spirits will be in the spotlight this summer season, and why.

Three new sites let at Mermaid Quay on Cardiff waterfront

14-Oct-2010 By Lorraine Heller

Three new restaurant and bar sites have been let at Mermaid Quay on Cardiff’s waterfront as part of an asset management programme designed to accommodate new operators

After hours with...Tim Homewood

18-Jun-2010 By Chris Druce

Tim Homewood is head bartender at Babylon restaurant at the Roof Gardens, London, and winner of the 2010 Saffron and Sides cocktail competition. He talks about his career and why bartending is a great job

Edinburgh bartender wins UK World Class 2009

02-Jul-2009 By Becky Paskin

Ryan Chetiyawardana from Bramble in Edinburgh has been crowned the best bartender in the UK in the final of World Class 2009

Royal Crescent Hotel barman wins cocktail championship

11-May-2009 By Emma Eversham

Orlando Garcia beats 11 other finalists from around the UK to win the UK Bartenders Guild Akvinta Grand Prix competition

North vs South in Liquid War

10-Nov-2008 By Becky Paskin

Bartending teams from the north and south will this weekend demonstrate flair and mixology in the 2008 Liquid War

Cointreau Caviar

29-Apr-2008 By Claire Miller

Drinks brand Cointreau has created a caviar version of itself to add a twist to cocktails

Belfast Barman Crowned Cocktail King

21-Nov-2007 By Alan Lodge

Sam Cherocles scoops the top award at the Finlandia Vodka Cup Final for drink inspired by Irish folk-tales.