Do Not Disturb.
It’s certainly a brave sign to hang above a brand new bar.
But then, this place isn’t particularly out to grab attention – given that it’s a secret, subterranean, velvet-swathed drinking den dressed up like a speakeasy from 1920s Manhattan.
It’s arrived in London as part of a neat package that also includes a slick new hotel, roof terrace, and Mediterranean eatery, called the Vintry & Mercer.
You’ll find it just past the bespoke 5ft high illuminated keyring at the bottom of a dark, unmarked staircase. Inside, it’s low-key, low-lit and high-falutin’ in all the right ways, with burgundy banquettes, leather stools propping up the bar, and moodily-hued walls lined with vintage pictures of Follies chorus girls.
There’s a short-but-sweet (but actually mostly savoury) bar menu filled with truffled polenta fries; buttermilk fried chicken with lime & jalapeño; monkfish tacos with pickled red cabbage; and lobster sliders with wasabi. And yes, if you are after something sweet, you can get a peanut-butter & jelly ice cream sandwich.
There’s plenty of hooch, too, to complete the picture – barrel-aged sazeracs and negronis, sherry-spiked martinis served in stemless glasses balanced on ice, and signatures like the Martina, with rum, fresh grapes, lemon juice, sugar syrup and soy sauce, and the Reminder which blends mezcal with Campari and homemade kombucha.
Good luck remembering that the next day.
NOTE: Do Not Disturb is open now. You can find out more, or make a booking on their website right HERE.
Do Not Disturb | 20 Garlick Hill, EC4V 2AU
Image credits: Amy Murrell
Like hidden bars? Find the Best Speakeasies in London