This week it’s been made clear that winter has well and truly hit London. Our fingertips are now crying out for gloves and our noses are just about falling off. But winter doesn’t always need to be so cold and dark. These winter-themed bars take the best of the season and give it a heart-warming, cosy touch. Exactly what we need to get us through these frosty times.
1. Forest on the Roof, Selfridges
[Hot Dinners]Forage your way to the top of Selfridge’s this month to see its forest-themed rooftop bar and restaurant. As well as serving food and afternoon tea, you can pop up top for a cocktail (or five). They’ve mixed up classic recipes with unique seasonal twists, from spiced Pumpkin Bellini’s to decadent Truffle Martinis. The flavours are earthy and heart-warming – the perfect remedy for those winter blues.
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2. The Wigwam at The Queen of Hoxton
[Queen of Hoxton]As you walk up the stairwell of this Shoreditch nightclub and bar, the last thing you’d expect to stumble upon is this quaint and picturesque wigwam. The ‘Once Upon a Wigwam’ pop-up plays upon a fairytale theme, with its winding branches, tree stumps and pretty lights. There are stalls and bars outside, serving food and warming alcoholic beverages, such as ‘The Big Bad Buttered Rum’ and the ‘Envious Heart’. Also, if you’re into arts and crafts, they run some weird and wonderful activities in the wigwam, from knitting to gingerbread house making. So if you do check it out, be sure to pull up a stump and join in!
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3. Churchill Bar and Terrace, Hyatt Regency Hotel
[Hyatt Regency]No need to clamber into any wardrobes… When you step into the Hyatt Regency’s Churchill Bar this winter, you step into the world of Narnia, complete with snow and fur throws. What Narnia lacks, however, is a Green and Black’s curated menu of deliciously indulgent cocktails. For a real winter warmer, try the ‘Aslan’s Roar’ – a concoction of G&B organic maya gold chocolate, with cinnamon, vanilla, honey and, of course, rum and cream liquors. Derrricious.
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4. Sipsmith Ski Lodge at The Well, Clerkenwell
[Just Opened London]This winter the London distillers and bespoke gin specialists, Sipsmith, have taken over the Well and transformed it into a traditional alpine haven. Sip on Mulled Sloe Gin as you sink back into a sofa of cosy fur throws and over the next few hours, you can pretend that you’ve escaped London. It’s a great venue for events, so if you’ve yet to plan your office Christmas party, we’d definitely recommend having a look into it.
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5. The Lodge, Clapham
[The Lodge]If you’re mad about cheese (as well as a cup of mulled cider or wine), make you way over to The Lodge – the alpine-themed pop-up that has returned to Clapham this year. Let your worries melt away with the gooey Neil’s Yard Dairy fondue, as you imagine you’re taking a quick break from the powdery white slopes (as opposed to Clapham Road).
