Cocktails In The City site describes the festival “as an event that brings together London’s leading bars in pop-up form for an unforgettable weekend of unique drinking experiences.”
Forget overnight camping festival goers with questionable hygiene levels, heaving sun and single use plastic cups. Cocktails In The City is as sophisticated, yet a little chilled, as the name suggests.
Taking place in centre of London at Bedford Square Gardens with plenty of large trees there is loads of shade to enjoy everything the festival has to offer and there was plenty.
This year Cocktails In The City are celebrating ten years of hosting cocktail festivals around the UK with three month series between July and September in London,.
August instalment was an ‘International Edition’ where guests enjoyed a weekend-long celebration of the diverse international bar influences and experiences found in London.
Transporting guests to all four corners of the Earth, discovering cocktail creations from famed bars and mixologists including tiki-specialists Laki Kane with tropical rum infused drinks, such as Georgi’s Frozen Daiquiri and Saoco Punch with coconut rum liquor and tangerine sherbet.
The latter served in a fresh coconut, with a baby cone filled with toasted coconut chips and a long dried penne functioning as a straw. Laki Kane is passionate about sustainable and plastic free business as Georgi Radev the man responsible for the bar tells us over the rum tasting workshop.
We loved the rum tasting, we learnt a fair bit about rum history. It was both fun and very informative with plenty of samples.
Filled on rum and cocktail samples we then decided to participate at a competition involving throwing small rice filled material bags to knock down coconuts. The main price for four coconuts out of four attempts was cocktail masterclass by Ron Santiago de Cuba.
Failing to win, I only managed to knock two out, we purchased Saoco Punch in a coconut and moved on to explore the rest of the festival. The installations of the bars looked rather impressive.
The creativity of the bar set ups was as skillful as the cocktails, each inspired by one main spirit. There were a total of 20 bars plus Small Beer Company with beer on tap at the back of a Mini Cooper.
There were French-inspired cocktails from St-Remy Brandy created by Wet and Dry, Funkidory’s cocktails with Glenmorangie X whiskey, Belvedere Vodka Frozen Cookie Dough, Millionaire 1743 with Moet & Chandon to name just a few.
The choice was quite overwhelming although, the little Cocktails in the City booklet with pictures and more information on drinks and the bars does help to make a decision a little.
In addition to the bar collections guests could also participate in ice carving class with Ice Carving Cool, cocktail masterclasses with TT Liquor, tasting sessions, Monkey Shoulder’s silent disco and even a game at shuffleboard by London Shuffle Club, although that was fully booked for the rest of the night sadly.
Alongside live music curated by Hennessy Cognac there were also 4 food stalls to choose from. Including Café Pacifico with Mexican inspired street food classics, smoked buffalo wings by Prairie Fire BBQ, Greek wraps by Get the Greek and bento boxes by Sticks ‘N’ Sushi.
I was split between a halloumi pita wrap and a bento box, my love for raw fish won. We both went for a spicy tuna bento box, which was a sizable and a tasty portion. Sticks ‘N’ Sushi never disappoints.
If you missed July and August festivals by Cocktails in the City you have final chance this year to attend it in September between 8th and 10th. I highly recommend it. It is a great opportunity to explore different cocktails and discover bars all under one roof.
A range of activities will definitely keep you busy all evening so do arrive early and book London Shuffle Club as soon as. Cocktails in the City festival would suit any occasion.
Next Cocktails in the City – on 8th-10th September
Bedford Square Gardens Tickets here