The Gintime Valentine's Cocktails
In a dilemma over where to take your Valentine’s date? Don’t worry: we’ve found a bar to suit you!
If you can’t afford to buy her jewellery The Pearl Bar in Holborn is the perfect place to impress! The 55-seat bar has strings of pearls dividing the elegant space into five separate lounge areas. Complete with cream pearlescent leather sofas and tables with mother of pearl inlay. Just make sure she hasn’t got a pair of scissors in her handbag…
Is your date a tad shy? Then snuggle up and sip martinis in one of The Refinery's curved and secluded booths! This Bankside bar in the capital is perfect for coy Valentines to flirt and smooch away from everyone else!
If you need a little black magic to get things going The Voodoo Rooms, one of Edinburgh’s newest cocktail haunts, has an opulent interior and an intoxicating cocktail list: a sure way to cast the right kind of spell.
So your date’s the sophisticated type? Look no further than The Strata in the hub of Glasgow’s city life. The elegant surroundings are guaranteed to set the right kind of mood and at weekends the bar plays host to some of Glasgow's top DJ's playing mixes of disco, house and jazz.
For those who like more than a nod to tradition, but have a naughty streak, The Hanbury Club in Brighton will cater to all your diverse needs. A late night member’s club situated at the end of the sea front, this cocktail den has as many Chesterfield sofas an old school gent could ask for, complimented by live music, film noir, cabaret, burlesque and a supper club on Fridays and Saturdays.
If your date likes to have all their senses enticed step into the Akbar in Soho. From the Mughal Court spices that scent the restaurant to the potent herbs used in the cocktails, this bar will have you ready for passion before you can say, “Two Shahad Martinis, and make it snappy!” If the evening is going well slip into one of the two nookie tunnels lined with banquette seating that prove popular with couples and gaggles of beautiful types alike.
Here’s some of our favourite Valentine’s cocktails if you’re mixing it yourself.
Princess Punch
From The One Below in Edinburgh- 35ml Gin
- 10ml Coquelicot
- 10ml Maraschino
- 10ml White Ginger Syrup
- 25ml Pink Grapefruit Juice
- 10ml lime Juice
Add all ingredients to Boston Shaker, shake and fine strain into a Coupe glass and garnish with Love Heart sweets.
Fig Supreme
From Head Barman Antonio Dandrea of Pennyhill Park Hotel’s Ascot Bar- 50 ml Saffron gin,
- 10 ml pimm's,
- 10 ml lillet (French vermouth)
- 10ml fig liqueur.
Stir over ice and serve in a chilled martini glass.
The Edentini
Named after the garden of love, served at The Living Room in Islington.- 1/2 lime
- 1/2 inch cucumber
- 12.5ml raw blueberry juice
- 25ml Hendricks
- 15ml Millers
- bar spoon of blended white sugar
- 12.5ml elderflower cordial
Add ingredients to a Boston Shaker, strain and serve in a chilled martini glass with sugar rim and garnish.
Bittered Sling
From our friends at Tempus in EdinburghFor those having a ‘not tonight Josephine’ Valentine’s Day...
- 37.5ml Gin
- 12.5ml Mandarine Napolean
- 25ml Elderflower Cordial
- 25ml Lemon Juice
- 12.5ml Benedictine
- Lengthened with soda
Shake all ingredients and strain into a sling glass filled with cubed ice. Top up with soda and garnish with apple slices.
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