London: a mess of informally designated areas, adapted from historic parishes, that are situated within boroughs made up of multiple wards which – occasionally – will share an area’s name, but will very rarely share its commonly-accepted boundary.
Fitzrovia is technically – depending on what you’re referring to, who you ask and how drunk they are – based in Camden, Westminster, the West End and Bloomsbury. Lying just to the East of Marylebone, the boundary which separates the two is, by most accounts, “somewhere around Great Portland Street”.
All of which leads to the shady conclusion that quirky underground cocktail den The Lucky Pig – being located a few metres to the East of Great Portland Street – can be found in Fitzrovia.
Probably.
From Oxford Circus you’ll head up Great Titchfield Street, passing The Riding House Café – a Nudge favourite – en route. On turning into Clipstone Street you’ll be looking out for an unmarked staircase that leads down to a black door, complete with brass knocker and next to what looks like an old gas lantern on the wall.
Welcome to The Lucky Pig.
You’ll notice inside that the intimate, ramshackle space appears to have existed, and bashed around, for years: the rickety old piano and the gramophone; the mismatched furniture and the leather “cloakroom” trunks; the assorted oddities and collectibles on the shelves; the Chinese parasols and the scratched walls; the stained antique mirrors and the random artwork.
Kickstarting its mission to become one of London’s coolest bars, The Lucky Pig currently serves up concoctions like the Southside Royal, Liquid Love Potion and a combination of Hennessy XO & Cuvée du Centenaire known as “Pimp My Side Car”.
For an eccentric and intimate date spot that offers great cocktails and – more importantly – unlimited opportunities for subterranean mischief-making, head to Fitzrovia.
Erm, probably.
NOTE: The Lucky Pig is open Tues-Sat evenings (until 2am on Fri & Sat). You can reserve a table, and find out more, HERE.
The Lucky Pig | 5 Clipstone Street, W1W 6BB
Like discovering new bars? Check out the Nudge’s guide to the best cocktail bars in London