Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings in Clerkenwell is a recently opened British brasserie and bar from the team behind Rev JW Simpson, Blitz Party and Prohibition – we went to check out their new Spring cocktail menu designed by Head Bartender Steve Georgiou.
A Cider Rose (apple and blackberry shrub with Somerset Cider Brandy topped with fizz) and a very potent Burnt Butter Old Fashioned (bourbon infused with brown butter and stirred with a touch of maple syrup and vanilla bitters) kick-started our evening, and then upon recommendation of our friendly and very knowledgeable bartender Johnny Lawson we tried a Cydonian Smash (homemade quince and rosemary jam smashed together with fresh ginger, lemon wedges and mead, rolled with rye whiskey and capped with crushed ice). The cocktail tastings ended with The 1957 an alternative espresso martini (Metara Seven Star Brandy shaken with coffee liqueur and fresh espresso served long with a milky float). To accompany all of our deliciously potent cocktials we tried a selection of tasty bar snacks; parsnip chips, cod tempura, chicken wings, maki and a ham and cheese toasty.
The venue is a beautiful space with interiors that bring the outside in and recall the faded grandeur of an old country house. B & H Buildings features a greenhouse dining room – serving a modern British brasserie menu designed by Alex Visciano (Le Meurice, Rostang, Connaught) – and a Grand Cafe style bar serving the brand’s famous cocktails that are fast becoming a hit in the design hub of Clerkenwell. We’ll definitely be popping in again very soon…
