Spotted more hypnotically whirring slushie machines behind bars than usual lately? This summer, the capital has been inundated with hyper-creative frozen cocktails. According to Giulio Guarini, director of bars at 1 Hotel Mayfair, it’s all down to a desire for escapism.
“These drinks take us right back to childhood – when life was simple, fun was endless, and brain freeze was a badge of honour,” he tells Broadsheet. “They’re not just refreshing and delicious, they’re little time machines, reminding us how good it felt to just enjoy the moment.”
For Nicholas Fitzgerald, founder of Borough Market taqueria Tacos Padre, boozy slushies provide an excuse to get creative in the kitchen. “Ours offer something sharp and exotic to cleanse the palate,” Fitzgerald tells Broadsheet. “There are so many interesting, fun flavours and combinations to be tried and explored.”
Nevertheless, between acrid frosé and saccharine Daiquiris, it’s still very possible to get a dud. But we’ve done the research and found London’s best boozy slushies, from fancy Espresso Martinis to top-tier takes on the frozen Margarita.
##The George, Fitzrovia “I first came across the frozen Irish coffee at Erin Rose in New Orleans – a city that knows how to handle heat and humidity,” says Colin Maher, bar manager at Fitzrovia pub The George. His version has a feather-light whip of iced Glendalough Double Barrel whiskey, the pub’s signature Guinness reduction and Origin coffee topped with a froth of whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg. “It’s our take on a boozy frappuccino, which is cool, indulgent and perfect for beating the heat,” Maher says. “The boldness of the coffee along with the smooth, warming notes of the whiskey – and the fact that it’s frozen – all work together to balance the sweetness.”
55 Great Portland Street, W1W 7LQ
thegeorge.london/
@thegeorgepublichouse
##Dovetale, Mayfair The nostalgia-inducing knickerbocker glory-turned-Margarita trolley in the foliage-draped terrace at Dovetale in 1 Hotel Mayfair is a surefire way to induce instant glee. “Our frozen Margarita is like if a Sgroppino and a slushie had a love child and it’s here to crash your table,” says director of bars Giulio Guarini. “It’s an experience.” Simply select one of chef Tom Sellers’s strawberry, apricot or lime sorbets and a serving of George Clooney’s Casamigos tequila, before choosing between one of many toppings, from multicoloured sprinkles to fresh mint and coconut shavings.
1 Dover Yard, W1J 8NE
dovetalelondon.com
@dovetalelondon
##Tacos Padre, Borough Nicholas Fitzgerald’s generously sized sweet and sour guava Margarita at Borough Market taqueria Padre is made with “some water to keep people out of trouble and us legally compliant”, as well as pastry-grade guava puree (often used in top-quality sorbets), fresh lime juice, tequila and triple sec. For Fitzgerald it’s all about complementing complex Mexican flavours. “The exotic guava is great for cleansing the palate when you’re having bold, sharp, spiced tacos,” he says.
Winchester Walk, Jubilee, SE1 9AG
tacospadre.com
@tacospadre
##Norbert’s, East Dulwich The freshly blended Pina Colada at Norberts – the rotisserie chicken joint opened earlier this year by John Ogier (ex-The Marksman and Lasdun) and Jack Coghlan (ex-Planque and Lyle’s) – has all the fantastically camp qualities of the old-school cocktail. It’s vibrant yellow in a retro glass with a neon maraschino cherry. But there’s a subtle difference from the original recipe. “It still tastes like a proper cocktail as well as being fun,” says Coghlan. “Pineapple and coconut with white rum bring the holiday feels, but the blend of overproof dark rum and a splash of Angostura Bitters has a nice punch which stands out, even for a frozen cocktail.”
Melbourne Terrace, Melbourne Grove, SE22 8RE
norbertslondon.com
@norbertslondon
##Lyaness, Southbank You can always count on mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana and his team at Southbank cocktail bar Lyaness to dream up something special – and its playful frozen plum spritz is no exception. “We wanted it to be akin to peoples’ summer favourites, so it sits somewhere between an Aperol Spritz and a Negroni, but slushie-style,” says assistant general manager Lucy Thomas. The purple colour itself was also an inspiration. “We focused on plum being an expression of a ‘purple’ flavour and built our purple vermouth around that thought,” she says. “Hibiscus has a tart, cranberry-like astringency, so we added these together along with a bitter Italian vermouth, and this makes our purple vermouth. It’s unctuous and chewy, with hints of florality that’s further brought out by St-Germain elderflower liqueur and Bombay Sapphire.”
20 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD
lyaness.com
@lyanessbar
##You Call The Shots, Hackney The Absinthe Colada at leopard print-carpeted Hackney cocktail bar You Call The Shots is a sublime excuse to let an evening run away from you. “Every [drinks] menu needs at least one frozen option,” bar manager Rhiannon Graham tells Broadsheet. It’s a simple yet invigorating blend of Devil’s Botany Absinthe Regalis, pineapple juice and Coco Lopez coconut cream, and it’s anything but heavy. “The absinthe cuts through the richness of the pineapple and coconut,” says Graham, who reassures us that it’s safe to order a second round. “Despite the higher ABV, it’s not overpowering at all. You could easily enjoy more than one.”
13 Morning Lane, E9 6ND
@youcalltheshotse9
##Big Mamma restaurants, various locations The group behind larger-than-life restaurants Carlotta, Ave Mario, Gloria, Jacuzzi and Barbarella has mastered all things OTT, so of course its Sgroppino is similarly decadent. “We wanted to bottle up the scent and sunshine of southern Italy and pour it into a glass,” says Big Mamma group’s operational beverage manager Marica Tonucci. It’s a bright, sparkling creation crafted with silky bergamot sorbet shaken with Italicus liqueur and limoncello, then topped up with heaps of champagne. Order it as an aperitivo, mid-supper palate cleanser, dessert – or all of the above.
bigmammagroup.com
@bigmamma.uk
##Setlist, The Strand When the sun does pluck up the courage to show its face, the viscous quality of a classic Espresso Martini can feel a touch cloying. Enter: the Espresso Martini slushie at Somerset House’s Setlist, a light, bright, revitaliser designed to be enjoyed within view of the Thames. It’s a mix of cold brew coffee, oat milk and Absolut vodka, “It’s the kind of drink that just makes sense on a sunny afternoon by the river,” says general manager Oona Koskinen.
River Terrace, Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA
somersethouse.org.uk
@setlistldn
##Smoking Goat, Shoreditch A menu mainstay, the All The Woo In The World slush is a rite of passage for anyone approaching the fiery heat of Smoking Goat’s Thai barbeque for the first time. Inspired by a Pina Colada and named after Bernie Worrell’s 1978 album (which you’ll hear spinning from time to time), expect an airy Piña Colada crafted from handmade coconut milk, pineapple, coconut rum, white rum and a sprinkling of salt for balance.
64 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JJ
smokinggoatbar.com
@smokinggoatbar
