IN OUT
Text Tabitha Lasley
Alfresco drinking with five of the finest outdoor spaces and twists on a classic cocktail
5 of the best:
bars with terraces
Make the most of May’s fast lengthening evenings and take your drink outside…
The Bridge Café and Bar
Avon Gorge Hotel, Clifton, Bristol
This Bristol favourite boasts views out over the spectacular Avon Gorge.
Eat Somerset lamb with pea soufflé and warm bean salad
Drink The Bridge Café Special – vodka and Midori shaken with peach syrup and apple juice
Do Sling your jumper around your shoulders. Clifton is deepest Sloane Ranger territory
Don’t Look down: the gorge is a dizzying 73 metres deep
Berns
Berzelii Park, Stockholm
Berns’ terrace affords fantastic views across the city.
Eat Tataki of tuna with miso aioli
Drink A Black Bison – Bison Grass vodka with blackberries and honey
Do Make time for dinner – the Conran-designed restaurant is not to be missed
Don’t Wear your trackies: Berns pulls in a dressed-up crowd so make an effort
Lux
Avenida Infante, D Henrique Santa Apolonia, Lisbon
Open until 6am, Lux’s rooftop terrace is the best place in Lisbon to catch the sunrise.
Eat Nothing. Dinner’s for wimps
Drink Vodka and Red Bull – you’ll need to keep up your energy
Do Dig out your coolest contemporary clobber. There’s a definite futuristic flavour to the club
Don’t Get lost. Lux is a veritable rabbit warren of corridors
Chelsea
Chaussée de Charleroi 85, Brussels
Chelsea’s terrace is more English country garden than bustling Brussels bar.
Eat Modern European dishes such as caviar of vegetables
Drink The six set wines – served in small glasses, tapas style
Do Light up – there’s a cigar lounge attached to the bar
Don’t Spill your drink – the bar is lavishly decked out with Oriental carpets and antique furniture
La Vinya del Senyor
Plaça Santa Maria 5 Barcelona
Boasting one of the best terraces in Barcelona, the bar faces the fabulously gothic Santa Maria del Mar.
Eat A slice of coca (Spanish pizza)
Drink A glass of cava. The bar is a shrine to the local version of Champagne
Do Work your way through the wine list – there’s over 300 bottles to choose from
Don’t Feel too guilty afterwards – you can always repent at the church directly opposite
Cocktail corner
Gin
May marks the beginning of Gin & Tonic season, so slice a lemon (or lime), crack open the ice and ignore any old wives’ tales about tears. True aficionados should make their way to De Vagant in Antwerp (Reynderstraat, tel. +32 3 233 1538); the bar is stocked with 200 types of gin, while the adjoining shop sells over 400. Those less devoted to this seasonal staple should try this twist on a classic Perry Collins.
Tanqueray No 10 Perry Collins
Shake 50ml of Tanquery 10 with 25ml of pear purée, 20ml of lemon juice, 10ml of sugar syrup and pear liqueur, and a dash of elderflower cordial. Top with soda and garnish with a pear slice.
No comments yet.
