Purl: an old English drink consisting of warm ale, gin, bitters, brandy or milk, sugar and spices.
Also, one of London’s original underground cocktail bars.
The debut venture from the boys behind the Whistling Shop and Dach & Sons, Purl’s subterranean bar combines exposed brickwork with leather sofas; chandeliers with cosy booths; urban edge with classic cool… and live jazz on Wednesday evenings.
But as nice as all of that is, the focus here is 100% on the drinks.
The cocktail menu forebodingly warns:
“This is not an elegant or simple cocktail list…if you don’t like fire, liquid nitrogen or loud noises, you won’t like this.”
Punchy.
And so guests are invited choose from the classics – like a Corpse Reviver (served with grape jelly and blue cheese foam) and a Sevillanas (containing chorizo-washed Beefeater and marinated carrots) or Purl’s signature cocktail list which boasts the Ballpoint Fizz (accompanied by flavoured ink pipettes and a biro straw) and others that are presented through a haze of ‘midnight fog’.
The small print bids you inform your waiter if you have a weak heart…
Enough said.
NOTE: Purl is open Monday-Saturday. You can find out more, and book a table (recommended, as it’s table service only) HERE.
Purl Bar | 50-54 Blandford Street, Marylebone, W1U 7HX
Like cocktails? Check out our guide to the best London cocktail bars.