Oskar’s Bar | Fitzrovia Basement Bar
NOTE: Oskar’s Bar has sadly now closed.
The pressure of having to go toe-to-toe with the absurdly high standards set by Dabbous (one the most hyped restaurants to land in London over recent years) is enough to drive anyone to drink.
Luckily, Oskar’s Bar has plenty of those.
And thanks to man-in-charge Oskar Kinberg (formerly of The Cuckoo Club), they’re pretty damn good too, making them a match for the Michelin-starred food served upstairs in the restaurant he co-founded.
The space itself is an industrial-chic orange-hued space with concrete floors and bare brick walls, with a menu is comprised of finely-tuned, absurdly creative, eyebrow-cocking cocktails. Here are a couple of standouts:
Another day in Paradise brings gin washed with extra virgin olive oil together with bay leaf & Cocchi Vermouth Amaro.
Root of all Evil blends Tapatio Blanco tequila, beetroot, red wine reduction & lime.
I can Bayleaf it’s not Butter involves gin, sauvignon blanc, pear, bayleaf & lemon, all shaken together & lengthened with white ale.
The Smoky Birch sap Old Fashioned takes a bourbon classic and adds birch sap, bitters & a suggestion of smoky Ardbeg Corryvreckan single malt whisky.
Of course, being as the place is attached to one of the best restaurants in London, it makes sense that the kitchen will send down the occasional bar snack if you so desire, including grilled langoustines with fennel pollen, roast goose with birch sap, and barbecued short rib in a brioche bun.
We’ll drink to that.
NOTE: Oskar’s Bar is sadly now closed.
Oskar’s Bar | 39 Whitfield Street, W1T 2SF
Like being in the loop about London’s newest bar and restaurant openings? Check out our excellent guide to recently opened restaurants & bars in London.