You know that gorgeous little cocktail bar that feels like your own little secret? The one that’s hidden well enough that you’d never just stumble across it, but delicious enough that you always stumble out?
That’s Twice Shy.
And once you’re bitten by it, you’ll be thirsty for more. The space is elegant, the atmosphere is moodily intimate, and the cocktails are absolutely first class.
To find it, you’ll just need to head out of Earl’s Court Tube going north up Hogarth Road, then turn into the little pedestrianised, fairy-lit lane that juts out to the side. There, tucked into a pint-sized space that used to be a Chinese takeaway, you’ll see the warm glow of the bar’s innocuous little window.
Inside, draped under a cosy blanket of subdued lighting, a line of stools marches before the black marble bar, which is stacked with all manner of exotic liqueurs. The walls are dressed in geometric woodwork at the front, and shimmering gold at the back, giving it all a kind of glammed-up Mad Men vibe (which is helped out by the jazzy soundtrack). Put a couple of dozen thirsty punters in there, and it’ll be close to rammed, but buzzing with an electric energy.
The drinks are the work of Elon Soddu & Victor Maggiolo, who run the excellent Amaro on High Street Ken (a new member of the World’s 50 Best Bars club). Here, they’ve put together a regularly rotating menu of simple cocktails that forego the bells & whistles to stick to one or two main ingredients & flavours. All of which means you get numbers like the silkily sweet Nougat & Vodka (honestly, it tastes like a honey cloud), or the more complex Jasmine & Whisky, which uses tea and apple to round out its deliciously smokey taste.
If you want to soak up the booze, there’s some burrata, charcuterie, and a few focaccia sandwiches stuffed with the likes of prosciutto, mozzarella, and other wonderful Italian sundries…
…and those are even better once bitten, too.
NOTE: Twice Shy is open now, Monday to Saturday. You can make a booking, and find out more at their website right here.
Twice Shy | 14 Hogarth Pl, SW5 0QT
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