Carnaby’s next great bar has a pretty strict door policy…
…it has to be little, violet, delightfully quirky, and hiding what is essentially a permanent house party. And as it happens, that’s precisely what The Little Violet Door is.
It’s the latest destination from The Little Door & Co, whose veritable rainbow of other colourful portals include The Little Yellow Door in Notting Hill, The Little Orange Door in Clapham, The Little Blue Door in Fulham, and The Little Scarlet Door in Soho. Well, now it’s Carnaby’s turn.
So, what to expect? Well, first you’ve got to find the unmarked door with the vintage-style knocker on Kingly Street. It’s easy to spot, it’s the one where the iconic ’60s music venue The Bag O’ Nails used to be. And it’s violet.
Like the other Doors, this one is dressed as an actual flat, as if you’ve entered into a kind of ongoing house party. And as with all their venues, it feels unlike other bars, but more like an actual lived-in residence, with sofas, shelves filled with books & records, colourful prints on the walls, and a mix of scattered bric-a-brac from throughout the decades. There’s even a bathtub. But of course, as with any good house party, the hub is the kitchen, where you’ll find a DJ spinning on an island turntable.
There’s food, in the form of upscaled house party bites – you can get everything from some prawn & chorizo tacos, to a classic three-cheese toastie, or a champagne bucket filled with fried chicken thighs with a tarragon & roast garlic aioli.
Finally, there are the cocktails. The menu feels like it was pulled directly from someone’s DVD collection, with the likes of the Y Tu Mama Tambien (which is a threesome of tequila, mezcal, and some smoked rosemary) or the The Princess Bride, which has an inconceivable amount of vodka thanks to shots of both Absolute Citron and Absolut Vanilla, blended with cream soda & vanilla foam…
…it’s a-door-able.
NOTE: The Little Violet Door is open now, seven days a week. You can find out more at the website right here.
Previous Perk: Nudge Members had two exclusive parties at The Little Violet Door on June 8th & June 19th. Tickets cost £15pp, and included x2 welcome cocktails, canapés, live DJ, and 50% off cocktails from the event’s bespoke menu.
The Little Violet Door | 9 Kingly St, Carnaby, London W1B 5PH
While you’re in the area… you should check out Kingly Court.