Bar hop - down in the basement at Nomad for some Common Decency

Gavin Hanly 11 January 2023

room The main room at Common Decency

What is Common Decency?

It's the newest bar to open at the NoMad London hotel in Covent Garden. The hotel has already built up a stellar reputation for its first main bar, Side Hustle; now they've added a second in the basement, the lounge bar Common Decency (it opened in September 2022). That name is a reference to Oscar Wilde, who was tried for "an affront to common decency" at Bow Street Magistrates Court, the site of which is where NoMad London has opened.

So where have they found space for this bar?

We were wondering this ourselves. It turns out that it's opened in a surprisingly large basement space in the hotel - one that even has its own entrance (if you're facing the hotel, you'll see the steps down on the right corner). It's a completely different vibe to Side Hustle, being something of a more laid-back lounge bar, split into three rooms.

If you're grabbing a seat down there, you're really going to want something in the main lounge room which also has a small stage for entertainment (although be wary of one seat in the far back corner where you'll never see the stage). We sat at the bar, which is slightly away from the action, but if you're a fan of cocktail-making action is the place to be.

Drinks-wise, what can we expect?

The standard menu has a number of seasonal cocktails that focus on specific ingredients, presented in two different styles (something we've also seen at Kol Mezcaleria). So you'll see quince as a main ingredient in the Quince Park Swizzle (Laird’s apple brandy, lime, falernum, brown butter, salted caramelized quince, crème fraîche, coconut, £18) but also in the Taste The Rainbow (Elyx Vodka, Poire Williams, quince skin, Lustau fino sherry, carbonation)

You'll also find their own takes on classics with a focus on higher-grade alcohol. So there's an Improved Whiskey Cocktail featuring a combo of Hakushu 12yr Japanese Whisky, Green Spot Irish Whiskey and
Laphroaig 10yr Scottish Whisky. All that premium liquor will set you back £40.

Also, keep a look out for their special menus. When we visited in the run-up to Christmas there was a whole festive spectacular going on which doubled the size of the drinks menu adding delights like a particularly great eggnog and one drink that came with a decorate-your-own gingerbread man. We're hoping they do something similar for Easter with lots of chocolate involved...

room Butternut Milk Punch (Michter’s Bourbon, Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva Rum, Lemon, squash seeds & strands, 1757 Cinzano Rosso vermouth, £18) and the limited edition Roasted Chestnut Old Fashioned.

room One of their special Christmas drinks - the Scrooge Sour (Jameson Black Barrel, lemon, mulled wine, egg white, gold dust, Christmas trees). We'd like all our cocktails presented with such attention please.

And finally, what about snacks?

Oh yes, there's a pretty decent (pun intended) snacks menu here, that runs from the larger side of things (a dry-aged beef burger at £24) to seafood options like mussels with coconut curry, lime and mint (£10) or scallop crudo with sesame, pomegranate & brown butter (£11). We'd give particular shout-outs to the following.

room If you're feeling flush, this caviar comes on a crisp potato rosti with bonito cream (£15)