Drinks features, area guides & more
OUR BOOZE-TASTIC CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE
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BOOZY EXPERIENCES
London is full of boozy gurus willing to share their immense knowledge and a decent label maker, so you can walk away a little bit wiser and with a gorgeous bottle of something of your own creation.
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Secret Santa Under £20
They’re a little bit special, are bound to bring on some laughs and at the very least they’ll be grateful you were thoughtful enough to read a gift guide before blowing it all on a bath bomb!
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BARWARE
Barware is a great gift because not only will your pal appreciate something lovely AND useful – but there’s a chance they’ll also immediately make you a cocktail. Everyone’s a winner.
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BOTTLES OF BOOZE
A beautiful bottle is a sure-fire way to give someone something they actually want... here's our top five NEW choices, perfect for Christmas.
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BOOKS
Our top five picks for those that'll dive in straight after unwrapping it and won’t budge their nose until the turkey is on the table.
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Pre-bottled cocktails
Sometimes it’s just nice to be a bit lazy – especially at Christmas. Give the gift of a ready-made cocktail to add a new touch of class to a girls night in
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
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BEST BARS NEAR WINTER WONDERLAND
If you’d like a drink in the warm before or after this spectacular Christmas destination – here’s some of our favourite bars all within a short walk.
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DRINKUP'S TOP 10 BEST ESPRESSO MARTINIS IN LONDON
Tall, dark and verging on the edge of naughty, they're officially still London's favourite cocktail and our very own Bars Ambassador, Bea Bradsell, knows a thing or two when it comes to drinking them... so she's done the hard work and picked out ten places serving the best Espresso Martinis in London - ta da!
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DrinkUp Staycations
All the lovely hotels we review where everything is under one roof, so you never have to leave.
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DRINKUP ON TOUR...
Sometimes we hit the road in search of new drinks adventures - from distillery tours, to area guides and more...
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Latest News & Openings
Your insiders' guide to latest news & openings in London. From new wine bars, to the hottest cocktail bars to the latest menu's from our favourite spots.
COCKTAILS IN LONDON
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SIP YOUR WAY ROUND BLIGHTY WITH THE CORAL ROOM'S NEW MENU
Take a whirlwind tour of some of the UK's most notorious places with the Coral Room's newly launched cocktail menu - 'A Sip Of England'.
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Take A journey through the history of magic as the Beaufort Bar's new menu is revealed...
The Savoy’s stunning Beaufort Bar have just launched a new menu that delves into the fabled history, dark drama and timeless romance embedded in the mysterious world of magic. Aptly named - Interpreted Magic - the menu comes presented in three-parts - exploring secrets, tales and tricks as it subtly journeys through the history and performance of magic through the ages.
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A NEW BLOOMSBURY CLUB BAR COCKTAIL MENU THAT WILL UNLOCK YOUR DEEPEST DESIRES
Inspired by a special deck of tarot cards, designed in 1910 by the bohemian occultist Pamela 'Pixie' Colman Smith, the newest menu to appear at Fitzrovia hotspot, The Bloomsbury Club Bar, has been designed to know how you are feeling and expose then remedy your deepest yearnings... let us guide you through this exciting new concept menu!
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The most iconic drinks from London’s top 11 bars
If you only have one drink in these bars, make it the one they’re famous for…
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New Passport Cocktail Menu At St James Bar
Having recently undergone a full redesign, St James Bar at Sofitel London has just launched their newest cocktail menu - will take guests on an inspirational flavour journey across the globe with their own passport companion,
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BRAND NEW LONDON COCKTAIL MENUS
The London bar scene is dusting itself down and emerging fighting fit ready for the new year with some truly outlandish cocktail creations. These are some the maddest ingredients we've seen in a while so get ready to treat your tastebuds to something new.
LATEST NEWS
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London’s first, fresh cocktail delivery service launches
Us lucky Londoners will now be able to get freshly-made cocktails delivered to our door in under an hour, thanks to the team at Geniune Liquorette. Set to re-invent the at-home drinking experience, you'll be able to wow guests at the shake of a 100% recyclable bottle.
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LONDON'S ONLY MEADERY OPENS IT'S BUZZY FIRST BAR
Gosnells Upstairs At Coal Rooms is the buzzing new honey-focused bar from Gosnells, London's only meadery. Located in the old ticket office of Peckham Rye station.
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LONDON'S FIRST WHISKY HOTEL IS COMING!
Award-winning subterranean whisky bar Black Rock, launched by Tom Aske and Tristan Stephenson in 2016, will expand over five floors this summer to include a second bar, a blending room for guest experiences, and lodgings – making it the first whisky hotel in London!
PLACES
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AREA GUIDE: BRICK LANE
Nestled between Shoreditch and Bethnal Green is the infamous Brick Lane - most known for its masses of Indian restaurants that have dubbed it the curry mile.
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DRINKUP ON TOUR: RAMSBURY ESTATE
In the heart of the North Wiltshire countryside lies a very special and sustainable distillery and brewery, with the sole focus of bringing field to bottle in the form of an awesome vodka, a gin and some forward-thinking brews. Centred round the quaint village of Ramsbury… we packed our bags and headed there to get the DrinkUp lowdown on the Ramsbury Estate.
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DRINKUP ON TOUR: COAL DROPS YARD
Up the hill from the station, over the canal, then take a left at the fountains… here you’ll find the newest instalment in the King’s Cross development - Coal Drops Yard.
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In the market for a members club?
Want to be welcomed like an old friend? Want to be addressed by name, not ma'am?...
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DRINKUP ON TOUR: Bombay Sapphire Distillery
Only a short trip from London by train, the Bombay Sapphire Distillery at Laverstoke Mill makes a great day trip for any gin lover. The Drink Up team went on an adventure to the countryside to find out what all the fuss was about…
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DRINKUP ON TOUR: MAISON SASSY
A short train ride and a hop over the Atlantic ocean from Southend airport and you’re in Normandie, the land of Camembert, Calvados and lovely cidre… we were lucky enough to take a trip to the beautiful Chateaux Sassy and see what makes their range of cidres so extra special.
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DRINKUP ON TOUR: CHAMPAGNE
Who runs the world (of champagne)? Yep, you guessed it – Girls! When you think of the world of champagne it’s undoubtedly not a female landscape that springs to mind, but now a crop of savvy, innovative women are once again at the helm.
REVIEWS
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DRINKUP’S STAYCATION: MAMA LONDON
The notoriously fun global hotel chain - Mama Shelter - has finally brought comfy beds with novelty masks, a top-notch restaurant and greenhouse bar with retractable roof, karaoke rooms and more to East London – so obviously we had to go and check it out…
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DrinkUp’s Staycation: The Pilgrm
We spend a night at Paddington’s restored boutique hotel, and could not have loved it more...
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DrinkUp Staycation - Menorca Experimental
When a bar, restaurant and hotel group with such an exacting eye for detail and a track record for excellence opens a new venue – it’s time to catch a flight.
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GIN BLENDING MASTERCLASS AT MARTELLO HALL
As London is still in the full throws of a complete gin craze and with you lovely lot looking for more interactive experiences to help you enjoy the trendy tipple, we went to check out the Gin Blending Masterclass at one of our fave pizza and wine haunts in East London.
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DRINKUP STAYCATION: THE STANDARD
A brand spanking new hotel has sprung up in King’s Cross and it’s got us mighty excited. Yes, it’s maybe a little later than planned, but with a top notch restaurant and bar from Adam Rawson, some gloriously decorated rooms and more culinary delights from Chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias on the way, we can absolutely forgive that! We take a look inside at what to expect from the much-anticipated opening of US-famed, The Standard.
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The UK's best gin experiences
Make your own gin, sleep in a distillery or visit a gin spa. The UK is your gin oyster...
DRINKUP'S LIBRARY
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DRINKUP's LIBRARY: Batch Cocktails
Be the host(ess) with the most(est) and wow guests with this lovely collection of cocktail recipes that you can make ahead of time.
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DRINKUP'S LIBRARY: 30-SECOND BEER
Delve into the world of beer in this book by Sophie Atherton, the first woman in the UK to be accredited as a beer sommelier. An illustrated and inventive guide to our favourite hoppy beverage, from the history to the basics of brewing and a trip around the world's beers.
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DRINKUP'S LIBRARY: The Seedlip Cocktail Book
100 non-alcoholic recipes from Seedlip and the world's best bartenders...
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Drinkup's Library: pickle juice
A gorgeous on-trend book that focusses on all things pickled! Made up of over 50 innovative cocktails from, Florence Cherruault, the mastermind behind The Pickle House in Hackney.