Archer Street Bar has often been recommended to me as a fine cocktail establishment, and though I spend a lot of time in Soho, I hadn’t previously come across it. On a Wednesday evening, the place was unexpectedly busy, loud and rather too dark for my comfort. The raucous midweek crowd had clearly all come to Archer Street to let off steam.
The cocktail menu is not long nor overcomplicated. Indeed at first sight, the choices look limited, but after a quick chat with the exuberant waitress in a spotty dress, the cocktails to go for became glaringly obvious.
Cherry Cherry Bang Bang – Miller’s Gin shaken with Cherry Heering, Orgeat, fresh lime and egg white, £10.50
Art Pop – Amaretto, Southern Comfort and cranberry juice, shaken with fresh lime and pineapple, £11
Miss Saigon – Ketle One vodka, rose liqueur and lychee juice, shaken with fresh lemon and Earl Grey syrup, £11
Some Like It Hot – Jose Cuervo tradicional shaken with passionfruit, red chillies and vanilla sugar, £11
For me, the Art Pop was the winner by far: a sweet but balanced short cocktail with a lovely mix of ingredients. Some Like It Hot was surprisingly tasty, despite the presence of chilli. Cherry Cherry Bang Bang was a fruity refreshing drink and Miss Saigon a failsafe for those not keen on super-strong concoctions.
Along with the piled-high cheeseboard, for a few pre-dinner drinks Archer Street is the ideal venue, especially suitable for cocktail connoisseurs; but if you’re looking for a quiet place to catch up with friends, other Soho venues would suit the occasion better.
More information here.