A Bethnal Green cocktail bar Coupette has launched a new Banksy-inspired cocktail menu, Barely Legal.

You may have heard of Coupette before. It has won quite a few awards and recognitions. It has also been listed in the Top 50 Cocktail Bars in the UK since opening in 2017 to name just a few.  

The French inspired bar features industrial look with dark wood, exposed brick walls and an impressive coin bar, which was where I was tasting their new drinks menu.

The menu is named for the first exhibition of works from the street artist Banksy. Each cocktail is inspired by the walls of East London and paired with a unique artwork from one of six local muralists.

The menu was created by Coupette’s team of bartenders and inspiring six unique commissions. It consists of twelve new cocktails, which explore the creative link between graffiti and the prohibition era, highlighting the relationship between legitimacy and artistic freedom.

The collaboration was established to celebrate the work of the team’s favourite local artists, with each drink reflecting a journey through their work and the menu’s design.

Coupette is not big on drink garnishes instead they focus on complex flavours within the drink. Each cocktail has such an interesting story of fusions, extractions and thought that went into making it.

Which in my opinion makes it one of the top bars, although clearly I am not the only one given their awards, yet the bar and prices are rather laid back and humble. The cocktail prices range from nine to twelve pounds with wines starting at four fifty per glass.

Coupette also serves a few bar snacks such as charcuterie and cheese boards. I was particularly impressed by the unique flavours at the charcuterie. There was duck, venison, pork and pistachio salamis along chorizo served with pickles, sourdough and mustard.

With the pickles and the mustard there was just a bit too much vinegar presence so the mustard was my only complaint that evening. I would have preferred butter instead.

The drinks menu or a little brochure with the graffiti art I should say was awe-inspiring. I have never asked: “what is this?” so many times under one roof. Until then I thought I was pretty well read on the drinks varieties.

There is zero pretence in the bar so the staff were more than happy to explain the cocktails in detail and make recommendations.  

My first drink was Lost Path (Coupette X Sassy Calvados, Douglas Fir, nettle blackcurrant sorbet, spruce soda and Moet & Chandon).

The sorbet reminded me of my childhood favourite mixed berry sorbet. As the sorbet slowly melts in the coupette the palate starts to change from clear, a little grassy owing to the nettle and refreshing to almost berry infused slushy like.

But it tasted very natural, with zero artificial tones and perfectly balanced. It was not sweet either. It also came with a spoon to scoop out the drink as it turned into soft berry ice.

My next cocktail was Flower Thrower with Montelobos Espadin Mezcal, double coconut switch, pink coconut, strawberry and lime served in a petite stoneware glazed cup. The mescal smokiness was very light, almost absent, there was a very faint hint of strawberry. Like the Lost Path, the Flower Thrower was refreshing and not sugary at all.

Flower Thrower was followed by the Corn Bread with Avocado Woodford Rye, Beurre Noisette Distillate, Smoked Grits Lillet Rose and lemon in an old fashioned champagne saucer.

On the first sip it had a slightly buttery texture, perhaps it was the Avocado presence or the smoked grits of Lillet. The flavour was truly complex and satisfying, lacking the standard whiskey flavour, which I normally despise.

My guest and I also sampled Champange Pina Colada, which now sits under Coupette’s House cocktails. Overuse of cream in Pina Coladas often makes it a little sickly for me. This however, was perfect with champagne presence making its stand.

On our evening the bar was busy with mostly couples on dates and one gentleman who flew all the way from Silicon Valley for this bar. Well almost, he said he heard amazing things about it. He also had plans to surprise propose the next day in London but for his first evening he came to Coupette. He loved it as much as we did.

Coupette, 423 Bethnal Grn Rd, London E2 0AN