We started our night out here on a Tuesday after a long holiday weekend in London. This basically meant nightlife was non-existent anywhere in the city that night, especially at 6 pm. We walked in and the bar stools were already full – clearly this spot was a locals/industry favorite.
Looking around, we couldn’t help but judge the atmosphere… it was a great space, but everything was very….generic. The walls were covered in art that looked like a mismatched shopping spree from Etsy.
The furniture was generic… There didn’t seem to be an identity to this place, and we have really grown to expect a statement of ‘who we are’ at any of these top 100 bars.
As we looked over the menu Sean whispered ‘well, these drinks better be amazing to make up for the vibe’… again, it wasn’t like it was dirty or uncomfortable, just wasn’t inspiring at all.
Our first round stuck with exactly what you would expect from us- something fruity for me, and something smoky for him.
I had a Carole Channing – basically it was raspberry sorbet floating in a glass of champagne. It was tart and sweet and made me feel soo fancy… plus as you can imagine, it was delicious. 🙂
Sean went for the Board Room – it was very smoky and very spirit forward and rounded out with a strong coffee flavor. For an old-fashioned-esque drink I didn’t hate it.
Sean on the other hand LOVED it, of our drinks in London this was definitely one of his favorites… and the best compliment ever, this was the one he just couldn’t stop talking about.
As we wrapped up our first round of drinks we were able to move to the bar and chat more with Patrick our bartender.
He was amazing.
Super approachable but very informed and most importantly creative. You can always tell when a bartender likes what he’s doing – and the drinks ALWAYS reflect that attitude.
Knowing we had to head out to a reservation he made some suggestions for our last round.
Listen closely, because if you go – this is FOR SURE what you want to order… I promise you.
I had mentioned that the apple drink on the Mace menu a few years prior had started my fandom of a good apple drink. This was further solidified by “Apple, Apple, Apple, Apple” at the SG Club in Tokyo a few months back.
So he made me their ‘Apple’.
Remember the cheap sparkling apple juice you probably drank on thanksgiving as a kid? This is the grown up, sophisticated version that drink and won’t give you a stomach ache. It literally tasted like a fresh squeezed apple, only it wasn’t cloudy and it was sparkling. It was fresh and the perfect amount of sweet…
I spent the whole rest of the week trying to work a trip back to Coupette into the schedule just to get another one.
It’s also worth noting that Coupette is one of the most reasonably priced Top 100 Bars we’ve been to. With most of the cocktails coming in around £10 or so, they were literally less than half the price of the cheapest drinks at bars like Connaught, American Bar or the Artesian.
So that alone makes this place a must visit.
Sean got the drink that is always on their menu and arguably what they are most famous for – the Champagne Pina Colada. This was all of the best parts of a pool side pina colada without the overly sweet sugar headache.
It was well rounded, almost fluffy and amazing. I promise that you’ll want to chug it out of love but want to savor it at the same time. Also how can you not respect a bar that isn’t taking themselves too seriously and puts a pina colada on their menu?!?
To say the drinks made up for the atmosphere is an understatement. I struggle choose a favorite bar in London because they are all so different, but this is for sure in my top three…. I cannot wait to go back!
Meanwhile I will be doing everything in my power to replicate that apple drink at home.
When you visit, be sure to pop across the street to Satan’s Whiskers, it’s on and off the top 100 lists, but regardless of where it lands it’s well worth visiting and they do the classics as well as anyone in town.
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