Right at the end of 2022, the very highly rated Oriole cocktail bar closed down in its original location - but with a vow to open somewhere else. Early in 2023, they popped up in Southwark, but now they're getting ready to return for good, this time in Covent Garden.
They'll be opening up the new Oriole in The Yards in Covent Garden, the same area where you'll find Lahpet, but while their permanent place has the final touches put on it, they'll be launching a three-month pop-up in the area, taking the space that was once Miscusi.
That pop-up will be called Prelude by Oriole and it's living up to its name, showcasing some of the changes that are coming to the proper Oriole 2.0. First off, food will be a much bigger deal than before, with the menu taking a Nikkei (Peruvian/Japanese) approach. So on the food side, you'll find:
- Oyster, amarillo leche de tigre
- Beef tartare sando, koji emulsion (pictured above)
- Apple tart, miso, dulce de leche ice cream
As for the drinks, there will be new additions there, including:
- Mizuwari - 12-year-old Highland Park whisky washed with chocolate miso, asparagus distillate, amontillado sherry, green walnut vermouth and cold-brewed Hojoicha tea
- Aomori - Brugal 1888 rum from the Dominican Republic, oak-aged quince rakia, meadow vermouth, Fuji apple juice and cherry blossom vinegar.
They'll also be adding jazz music to the proceedings then, echoing the set-up at the original bar.
As for the location of the permanent opening, that seems to be up in the air for the moment. They were due to take over a space on 9 Slingsby Street, but there appear to be various licensing discussions happening around that before it's finalised. We'll bring you details about that when we can, but in the meantime - the pop-up is the place to go if you've been missing Oriole.
More about Oriole
Where? The pop-up is at 23 Slingsby Place, London WC2E 9AB, permanent location TBC
When does it open? The pop-up opens 13 March 2024, and the main restaurant and bar later in the year.
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @theoriolebar.
Subscribe to be the first to get the news from Hot Dinners
