London isn’t short of good bar snackage, from the Scotch eggs at The Devonshire to the cheese straws at Quo Vadis. But if you’re looking for something that goes way past standard bar fare, here’s our pick of the bar food menus really offering something extra right now.
Humble Chicken katsu sando at Artesian
Marylebone - 1C Portland Pl, London W1B 1JA
Boasting a fresh Michelin star for his Soho restaurant, chef Angelo Sato is also behind the bar food menu at award-winning cocktail bar Artesian at The Langham. What better foundation to lay down before a night of cocktail sampling than this perfect sando?
The seasonal quesadilla at Kol Mezcaleria
Marylebone - Lower Ground Floor, 9 Seymour St, London W1H 7BA
Underneath Santiago Lastro’s much-vaunted restaurant (it’s currently 17th on the World’s 50 Best List) you’ll find this lovely bar with a completely different bar menu. The quesadilla changes regularly - right now it’s stuffed with Kentish Oaxacan cheese, nettles, wild mushroom and charred scotch bonnet crème fraîche.
Carabinero prawns and pickles on brioche at the Donovan ba
Mayfair - 33 Albemarle St, London W1S 4BP
Michelin-starred chef director Adam Byatt is the man responsible for the extremely enticing snacks in the Donovan Bar at Browns hotel in Mayfair. We’ve already tried the truffled Baron Bigod toastie but we’re going to have to go back for this seafood roll.
Sea bass ceviche tacos at Lyaness
Southwark - 20 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD
To celebrate their brand new 3.0 cookbook cocktail menu, Ryan Chetnewardena’s South Bank bar has a similarly gorgeous bar snacks offering. At a recent tasting, one of our favourites were these diminutive crudo tacos.
Core Caesar salad at Whiskey & Seaweed by Clare Smyth
Notting Hill - 92 Kensington Park Road, London W11 2PN
As you’d expect from the bar element of one of London’s rare three Michelin-starred restaurants, the food at Whiskey & Seaweed is an absolute delight. It all feels very Alice in Wonderland from the miniscule caviar sandwiches to this confection - teeny salads ‘grown’ in edible sand.
Potato fondue at Little Mercies
Crouch End - 20 Broadway Parade, London N8 9DE
Why would you pair your drinks with something as prosaic as chips when you could be ordering this heavenly offering from Crouch End bar Little Mercies instead? They cook fondant Pink Fir potatoes in stock and butter until they are rich and a little crispy. Then ‘drown’ them in a truffle Camembert fonduta before finishing things off with a blowtorch and a drizzle of black apple honey.
Sichuan cucumber skewers at Tayer + Elementary
Old Street - 152 Old St, London EC1V 9BW
Their bar food menu (and bar) has won loads of awards so it’s no surprise that Tayer + Elementary have some outstanding dishes to pair with their drinks. Right now there’s a load of excellent skewer action going on including these cucumber skewers with peanut dressing and Sichuan rayo ( white and black sesame, Sichuan chili powder, garlic and chipotle). They’re available on both bar menus and the bar bites menu which is served outside kitchen hours.
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