The Donovan Bar

Great drinks, an elegant atmosphere, and professional waiters. The Donovan is home to the world's oldest and most expensive drink, which packs over 700 years into a glass, including cognac from 1788, setting you back £5500. That’s a bit too expensive for my wallet, but I enjoyed a few good cocktails and also got the truffle toast with onion soup. The cocktails were great, and the meal was pretty good. I also love that they provided complimentary quality cheese and olives as snacks for the table. The staff were professional, but a bit too serious/stiff. You can expect the prices for the «regular» drinks to be in the ~£25 price range. Winston Churchill was a regular in this place, and it felt natural to try «The Winston», which was listed on the menu on the website. Unfortunately, the menu on their website was not updated, and they had stopped offering that drink. That was a bit disappointing, but I got recommended a similar drink called «Big small». The drink was excellent!

We arrived just before the business crowd, severely underdressed for the venue (post-jog attire) but desperately in need of cocktails. Was met by gracious, helpful, attentive, and unpretentious service. Delicious inspired and classic cocktails, elegant ambiance. Will return anytime I’m in London— likely under the same conditions.