Purple Bar, with its hues of lavender and violet, is a stylish space that is fast becoming one of London’s hottest gathering places. Furnished with purple Queen Anne chairs, Venetian mirrors, and a wildly-theatrical bar, you’ll feel as though you’ve stepped into another reality.
The TRULY experience we enjoyed includes two cocktails each from their signature and vintage lists, paired with food.
We arrived at Purple Bar on a Saturday evening, close to midnight. We expected the place to be loud and buzzing with energy. Instead, we found ourselves inside a cosy, intimate space, dimly lit, with a just a few other groups of people present. We were shown to our seats and given menus; it was very dim and my first challenge was to read what was included in each cocktail! After shining my phone on the pages for a little extra light, we selected our first drinks: Garden of Earthly Delight for me, and my fiancé James opted for Philadelphia Fish House Punch.
Although the names for each cocktail were unusual, the flavour combinations were exciting and delicious. Garden of Earthly Delight, made up of Beefeater 24, cloudberry liqueur, lemon, jasmine tea, pomegranate and honey water, was a refreshing blend of unique ingredients, with delicately balanced flavours. Philadelphia Fish House Punch, from the vintage collection, included Appleton 12yo Rémy Martin VSOP, walnut-infused peach brandy, citrus, stirred and topped with Perrier-Jouët Champagne. The snacks paired with our drinks were just as delicious, and consisted of a croque monsieur (minus the ham, as we both opted for the vegetarian menu), arancini balls, a light salad and crispy fried kale. The food pairing was just the right amount; any more would have been too filling, and any less would have left us wanting more.
Following our first drinks, we then went back to the cocktail list to choose our second. This time, I selected Fizz Kaffir, and James opted for Forget Me Not, a tequila-based cocktail mixed with Grand Marnier, Lemon & Champagne Foam. Service throughout the evening was excellent, and our drinks were presented to us quickly. The bartender kindly offered to make me a new cocktail ‘just in case I didn’t like it’. He needn’t have worried. Fizz Kaffir includes Kaffir lime gin, cherry, rhubarb, egg white, lime, sugar, liqueur de poire, lime leaf and a cranberry float, and is a tangy, sweet and sour medley of flavours, that I instantly loved.
Our evening at Purple Bar was great fun, and it’s a fantastic destination to follow any of TRULY’s fine dining experiences.
I am an experienced writer specializing in travel, food, weddings, and well-being. Continuing my nomadic lifestyle I am currently based on the beautiful island of Malta.