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Food + Drink

Bloody Mary Guide: Paris, London and New York

We all know the feeling of having overindulged the night before. The next day a delicate stomach and throbbing head calls for only one thing…

Tomato juice, a touch of Tabasco, and squeeze of lemon, a salted rim and the all important shot of vodka, the Bloody Mary has become synonymous with the weekend brunch cure. We’ve rounded up our favourites that you need to hunt down in the world’s three most stylish cities. 

Hair of the dog, as they say…


Paris


Go très chic for an outfit that can transcend from Bloody Mary brunch to club.


Harry’s Bar New York Paris
5 Rue Daunou, 75002, Paris
+33 142 61 71 14

Ah, where it all began. Harry’s New York bar lays claim to inventing the timeless Bloody Mary. During Prohibition in 1920’s America, many bartenders made the journey to Europe to exercise their craft, and it was within Harry’s four walls that once such bright spark had the idea of blending Worcestershire Sauce and tomato juice with a potent pop of vodka – et voila!

Frequented by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, this place has history by the bucketload, and remains a hangout for cool cats and creatives to this day, where they claim to have served over 12,000 Bloody Mary’s through its history. Where better than the original for a taste?

http://www.harrysbar.fr

Maria Loca
31 Boulevard Henri IV, 75004 Paris, France
+33 1 42 77 51 95

Just around the corner from the Bastille, this cool young joint is a hipster heaven. The bar is laden with vintage crates turned into shelves to house an array of bottles and jars that contain all manner of libations, but its their version of the Bloody Mary that will have you coming back again and again.

A touch of balsamic vinegar gives this brunch-time booze its edge, and it’s made all the more enjoyable in Maria Loca’s relaxing atmosphere of wood-panelled walls, pot plants and ceiling fans whirling lazily above. Its such a nice spot that you’ll likely want to spend dawn til dusk right here.

http://www.marialoca.com

The Green Goose
19 Rue des Boulets, 75011 Paris, France
+33 9 82 37 73 41

Now when someone says ‘Irish Bar’ in a country outside the Emerald Isle, I for one grimace at the thought of a sticky counter, that irksome toucan from the Guinness ads and grisly green shamrocks strewn about the place.

Mercifully, The Green Goose does away with all of that stereotypical paraphernalia and concentrates on proper pints and good spirits. What’s more, their take on a Bloody Mary is one of Paris’ best – and spiciest – if what you’re looking for is a kick-me-up rather than a pick-me-up.

The Green Goose’s tables are huge too, ideal for parties of pals to gather round and continue the festivities of the night before.

http://www.thegreengoose.fr


London


Keep your Bloody Mary outfit as cool, dark and moody as the London bars.

The Ned
27 Poultry, London EC2R 8AJ
020 3828 2000

Smack bang in the heart of the City, this is one corner of London’s financial district that won’t be completely deserted at the weekend. In The Ned’s Asian-Pacific inspired Kaia restaurant, they serve up their signature Umami Mary which blends Grey Goose vodka, Port Charlotte whiskey, tomato juice and umami – a Japanese savoury seasoning mix – giving a delightfully heady and Far Eastern vibe. 

 

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This can be enjoyed solo at the bar or as an accompaniment to their bottomless Sunday brunch which includes sushi, sashimi, tempura prawns, teriyaki salmon and a finisher of matcha cheesecake, all for £45 which ain’t half bad.

www.thened.com

The American Bar
16-18, St James’s Place, St. James’s, London SW1A 1NJ
020 7493 0111

Safe to say the Bloody Mary’s American roots follow it everywhere, which is why the American Bar at the Stafford Hotel simply must get a mention in this list. The mixologists here make their very own spice mix, of which the components are kept a secret, and they claim that the freshness of their ingredients are what gives their BM its irresistible edge.

Garnished with a couple of olives (stalk and all) and a slice of cucumber that perches at the top of a highball, it’s pretty too, making this classic cocktail a highly Instagrammable piece of drinkable art.

https://thestaffordlondon.com/american-bar/

Mare Street Market
117 Mare Street, London E8 4RU
020 3745 2606

A curveball, this spot is east of the city, near to hipster-laden London Fields. Despite its name, it’s not really a designated market at all, but rather a large space reclaimed from a fairly nondescript 60s civic building.

Step inside however and you’ll be greeted by an oasis of green calm, with a plant shop nestled to one side of the entrance and a cool record store to the other. The huge swooping bar at the centre beckons you over to where the bartenders are shaking up a storm, and I for one appreciate their heavy hand on the Tabasco front.

Over the weekend, they serve brunches and roasts throughout the afternoon so everyone of your party is catered for – but whatever food you choose just make sure to pair it with a glass of that soothing red jus.

And don’t miss the awesome antique lighting shop that illuminates the bar from behind. A myriad of chandeliers and blown-glass fixtures hang from the ceiling in an effortlessly chic jumble. This place practically encourages you to shop while you sip – now there’s a hangover cure.

www.marestreetmarket.com


New York


Never underestimate an NYC brunch look – think city girl cool x 1000.


Prune
54 E 1st St, New York, NY 10003, USA
+1 212-677-6221

Ok, so there’s giving the drink your own spin, and then there’s serving 11 (yes eleven!) varieties of Bloody Mary… all in one restaurant.

Prune is pretty tiny and has a queue forming out its door constantly, but for good reason. Decorated chef Gabrielle Hamilton serves up classic flavour-packed brunches such as eggs Benedict, huevos rancheros or Dutch-style pancakes, or you could practically make a meal of one of their Bloody Mary’s.

One combines a ‘deadly’ mix of vodka and Sauza tequila, another is made with gin and has a pickled egg perched atop, or there’s one that blends tomato juice with wasabi and has a strip of beef jerky added too. Or, go for the Chicago Matchbox which combines Prune’s homemade lemon vodka, pickled Brussels sprouts, baby white turnips, capers, green beans and radishes.

Has a drink ever given you the need to unnotch a belt loop?!

https://prunerestaurant.com/

Cookshop
156 10th Ave, New York, NY 10011, USA
+1 212-924-4440

Prettily placed right near to the Highline, fans of Prune (above) will likely scoff at Cookshop’s comparatively measly selection of 4 Bloody Mary’s. Only joking, they’re all fantastic and pair beautifully with this minimalist restaurant’s tasty brunch options.

As well as the classic style and one that adds in some tastily tart pickle juice, they serve up a BLT Mary with lettuce and a strip of bacon or they create the drink’s Mexican cousin, the Bloody Marianna, with a healthy dose of jalapeño-infused tequila and chilli lime, all served in wide glasses with a generously crusted cracked-salt rim.

https://www.cookshopny.com/

Saxon + Parole
316 Bowery, New York, NY 10012, USA
+1 212-254-0350

A grande finale for this list has to be Saxon + Parole, an upscale eatery specialising in grilled meats and seafood that makes quite a show of brunch at the weekends (the Turkish eggs or the country ham with parmesan cakes and yuzu hollandaise are winners) and how better to enjoy it than with your very own signature Bloody Mary.

 

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Saxon + Parole provides a DIY Bloody Mary bar. You’re given their blitzed up tomato juice with carrot and celery and then you head to the counter where there’s a range of sauces, garnishes and seasonings to add to your liking.

But if the hangover is just too real and you need someone else to do the hard work, then choose between the Scandi-inspired Bloody Caesar with aquavit, clamato juice, dill and an oyster, or the Bloody Maria with Altos Blanco tequila, chipotle, coriander and a mezcal float. That’s sure to reawaken your senses!

https://www.saxonandparole.com/

 

Love brunch? Click here to read more of our favourite European brunch spots

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