In our new column, A Seat At The Bar we showcase the world’s best bars – from plush cocktail spots to dive bars, and everything in-between.
This week, we’re spotlighting Claridge’s latest opening, The Painter’s Room.
The Lowdown
Sip on an elegant stir to the sounds of hip-hop remixes, French electro-pop, and jazz at The Painter’s Room – one of London’s best new boltholes.
A fabulous, flirt of a place, the new ground-floor bar at Claridge’s is a stylish hideaway in W1. Dreamed up by interior designer Bryan O’Sullivan, The Painter’s Room is an ode to the artistic haunts of Provence and Italy, with British artist Annie Morris adding another dimension to the stylish yet playful space with a striking painted monochrome mural. “Inspired by the historic relationship between bars and artists, and how artists sit, observe, sketch, and chat in bars”, the artwork wraps right around the bar, engulfing patrons with a certain joie de vivre.
What To Order
Cast your eyes over the doodled upon drinks menu, composed by Director of Mixology, Nathan McCarley O’Neill.
Photography by @lateef.photography
Emphasis here is placed on cocktails, with drinks inspired by the culture, art, and design of Europe. Expect fresh flavours alongside boutique pours, sourced from British, French, and Italian producers.
The menu is divided into four chapters: Light, Interpretations, Complex, and Clean. We suggest kicking things off with their signature pour: ‘Almost A Bellini’ – a blend of Pineau Des Charentes, Château La Coste and peach – which is cited in the ‘Light’ section of the drinks menu. The Saint Remy (a variation on a Martini), which is inspired by Van Gogh’s Almond Blossom painting is a great option for round two, or refer to their curated list of vintages by the glass for further inspiration.
If you’re feeling peckish, cast your eyes over a selection of small plates, from crisp scampi with aioli to croque monsieur with black truffle, or, for out and out decadent snacking, order the oscietra caviar with potato chips.
Who To Bring
With just 24 covers, The Painter’s Bar is an intimate space, best suited to small groups – whether that’s you and your SO, or a quartet of your closet colleagues, clinking glasses of a Thursday evening.
When To Go
Open from Tuesday to Saturday, 5PM-1AM, come any time you fancy (though making a reservation is strongly recommended).
The Dress Code
Stick to the hotel’s Art-Deco style codes and don your favourite drop-waist dress and Lanvin lamé jacket. Opt for hues of duck-egg blue or a palette of peaches-and-cream to complement The Painter’s Bar’s pale-pink onyx surrounds.
Style note: the bar team will be sporting smart, traditional painters’ jackets in a shade of blue inspired by American photographer, Bill Cunningham.
The CF Tip(ple)
Swot up on your painterly surrounds ahead of time. For starters, The Painter’s Room is decorated with a specially commissioned mural by British artist Annie Morris. The mural features whimsical characters convening in their own, imagined bar setting. Morris also designed the bar’s centrepiece – a striking stained-glass (Morris’ first), which is made from hand-blown glass and features rich hues which juxtapose with the simple grey lines of the drawings on the walls.
