BARS IN LONDON SHAKING UP FOR THE GOOD
Top Three Spots Transforming London’s Bar SceNE
Enjoying a glass of your favourite drink might be about socialising or celebration, or perhaps blowing off steam after a hard week as many of us Brits seem to find ourselves doing. Whatever it may be, as we set foot in a boozer how our tipple might affect the planet is not typically front of mind. As it stands however, it appears we’re becoming more mindful with one survey in the UK finding almost half of consumers looking to drink and dine out valuing a venue’s commitment to sustainability as an important factor in where they choose to spend their time and money.
Given there is still relatively limited information on how to settle on somewhere environmentally-friendly, that also won’t break the bank in comparison to its more wasteful peer, the gap between these emerging intentions to save the planet and how we act in reality is significant. So here are the best watering holes in London that are creatively and inspiringly changing their habits for the better.
From reusing corks as coasters and bottles as glassware to cutting water and emissions used in harvesting and transporting the alcohol, there are many ways to shrink a bar’s impact on the world we live in. Amongst London’s endless cocktail lounges, rustic wine bars and old charming hearty pubs that much of its character is built upon, this list celebrates the very best of those leading the way. So you can enjoy at least one less regret from the night before…
The Nest, Marylebone
The garden nest atop Marylebone’s Treehouse hotel
Firmly setting the bar high in the sky, is rooftop bar The Nest, perched on top of Treehouse London Hotel. Brought by the makers of 1 Hotels, renowned for sustainability moves from rigid recycling and composting schemes to fitting rooms with organic cotton bed sheets and refillable toiletries, the concept of Treehouse London is for guests to release their inner child and have some nature-themed fun. Channelling its sustainable ethos, the space itself is made with biophilic decor in the form of lush greenery and recycled wood, and its colourful carpets, low-hanging lanterns and wraparound alfresco terrace make for a homely and magical setting (also romantic as I highlighted here).
Make the most of London’s summer nights and climb up to the urban oasis at sunset on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays to listen to a DJ spinning tunes from a ‘treehouse fort’ while you relax in the foliage-filled backdrop and enjoy the sweeping views of central London. Sunday afternoons are also popular between midday and 3pm, when as a dog-friendly hotel, you can bring your four-legged friend along for an afternoon aperitif up high. As playful as it all sounds, the team takes sustainability seriously. ‘Forest-to-glass’ drinks, such as a Carmine Bee Eater with gin, honey, citrus and sparkling wine, are seasonal, locally-sourced and near-zero waste. More widely, the bar thinks of everything from clamping down on single-use plastic to creatively reusing products, making its glassware from wine bottles for example.
Nine Lives, Bermondsey
Perhaps similar to fortunate felines, Nine Lives is a zero-waste concept bar that gives everything it uses several lives, which Bermondsey locals are lucky enough to have as a neighbourhood spot. Inventive cocktails are made with whole or wasted ingredients (think avocado skins and egg yolks; and yes they are still delicious), leftovers are composted in the bar’s own garden to help deliciously fresh herbs for the drinks grow and the menu itself is made from 100% plastic waste from bags, bottles and other plastics dumped in the ocean.
No stone is left unturned at Nine Lives, with even the sound system made of repurposed parts. As the founders care about the music just as much as the drinks, they have had sound engineers work their magic to ensure this means no compromise on quality. After dark hours are lively and guests can expect a revolving door of house, hip-hop and all round high energy DJs. The bar itself is dimly lit and adorned in plants, bamboo, woven lampshades and marbled surfaces, giving a newfound natural and tropical life to the Victorian basement it sits in.
In an interview, co-founder Tom Soden says many bars forget to focus on distribution, which is hidden from view at consumption end yet where most emissions lie. A piña colada, for example, can typically contain 690g carbon emissions - meaning drinking just one is more carbon emissions than driving a mile in a petrol-powered car (411g) - fuelled by the journey of the pineapple and coconut cream ingredients imported from thousands of miles away. Nine Lives keeps its emissions low by focusing on locally-sourced or home-grown ingredients, while still having fun in the process. Drinks include the Top Rock, infused with surplus almond croissants sourced from local coffee shops that would otherwise find themselves in the bin, and Kelross Daiquiri, a carbon-negative take on the classic icey beverage. For a bar, the menu’s generous, and pairing your beverage of choice alongside some seriously delicious tacos won’t go amiss.
We may only get to live one life, but if you’re asking me a visit to this Bermondsey local plays its own small part in making it a fun one.
Tayēr + Elementary, Old Street
Pours are revolutionary and sophisticated at Tayēr + Elementary (Credit: Adam Jaime)
A regular on the annual 50 World’s Best Bars list, this year shining high at number five and in 2022 debuting the second spot, Tayēr + Elementary is a dual concept bar like no other. Dreamed up by hospitality duo Monica Berg and Alex Kratena, who have worked all over the world including Oslo’s Himkok and Artesian respectively (both winners of The World’s Best Bar titles). The business and life partners wanted to create somewhere they would like to both drink at and work at. Personality shines through the bar which in a modern and industrial space has a trendy, sociable vibe, and despite its central location has managed to attract a community of patrons always keen to sample new additions to the menu.
In an interview Berg mentions that when her head is a jungle she blows off steam by concocting drinks that are an extension of her mind - proving the art to cocktails. The inventive drinks focus on seasonal ingredients, which not only taste better but use less carbon from being shipped over from far away. Ensuring guests understand what they are drinking is important to the creators, so twists on the classics like a cherry whiskey sour are to be expected.
With the founders' big picture thinkers, they work to improve waste at every level of the supply chain. The bar uses vendors that use reusable crates rather than single use or plastic containers and even opt for those that deliver the goods by bicycle. Ingredients are used until they are exhausted - rhubarb for example might be used up to three times for cocktails and once finished will be repurposed for food, such as in a puree, so nothing goes to waste. Even the glassware is sturdy enough that if it breaks the team sands it down for reuse. Wasting less is a mindset, and one which Tayēr + Elementary definitely lives.
Final drop…
While these three stand out as the most impressive in London for their holistic approach to both our environment and our enjoyment, there are several others laboriously transforming their watering holes for the better. To help you find them, we’ll be keeping a close eye on the bar scene and continuing to share recommendations for sipping sustainably in the capital.