London’s top 10 ‘hard shake’ bars

“Hard shakes” and ice cream cocktails are enjoying a boom in London especially with summer in full swing. Here’s a look at some of those on offer.

So far this warm season we have already brought you our take on the top 10 drinks for summer, but with ice cream cocktails and hard shakes, we look at some other cooling options.

You might even be able to enjoy one of these in one of the world’s top 10 beach bars.

Do you have a place near you that serves ice cream cocktails or hard shakes? Let us know in the comments section below and we’ll publish the best ones.

Burger & Shake

This is not a cocktail for the feint-hearted as it is made with tequila, malted toffee liqueur and coconut rum. The Ovaltini can be found at the Burger & Shake restaurant on Marchmont Street in Bloomsbury, but unlike normal Ovaltine, this is probably not a nightcap drink.

Love Shake

The Love Shake is a small cafe on Kingsland Road in Shoreditch that seats just 35 people. The American-style diner serves ‘hard shakes’ such as The Mars Attack made with Bourbon, peanut butter, toffee, chocolate and ice cream. Open until 2.30am every day, other ‘hard shakes’ that are available include The “Oreeto” (Amaretto & Oreo Cookie in a shake) and “The Old Bailey” (Two shots of Baileys in a shake).

Floridita Rum Shack

The recently opened Floridita Rum Shack Alcoholic Gelato Bar is the UK’s first alcoholic gelato bar and is situated at 100 Wardour Street in Soho. Flavours found at the bar, which invites patrons to “brush off that bikini and polish those shades”, include Rum & Raisin, Rum Butterscotch, Cuban Spiced Chocolate Rum, Banana Daiquiri Sorbet, Blood Orange Sorbet and Mojito Sorbet.

Mash

The restaurant Mash, on Brewer Street in Soho, is classed as a “modern American Steak House” and sells The Five-Dollar Shake, based on the drink ordered by Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction. The cocktail contains an indulgent mix of bourbon, amaretto, vanilla ice cream, popcorn and salted caramel, but doesn’t come with John Travolta or great dancing guarantee.

The Icecreamists

Located at in Covent Garden, London, The Icecreamists, are most well-known for introducing breast-milk ice cream to the world. As well as publishing an ice cream recipe book, which features a number of boost cocktails, the cafe also sells alcoholic desserts such as The Firebomb chilli vodka ice cream and The Vice Lolly made with absinthe, sugar and holy water.

Riding House Café

As well as having an extensive cocktail menu Riding House Café Great Titchfield Street sells a variety of hard shakes. These include the Liquid Toblerone, which is a mix of Baileys, Frangelico, Kahlua, honey and chocolate and The Pie & Scoop, made from gin, lemon juice, vanilla ice cream and the blackberry liqueur, creme de mure – not sure where the pie is though.

MEATMarket

MEATMarket, situated on The Deck, in Jubliee Market Hall, Tavistock Street sells “boozy shakes, Ice-T and slushies”. The hard shakes on offer include the “Miami Nice”, which is described as “half piña colada, half strawberry daiquiri” and the “Hard Beige”, which is made with a vanilla base, maple syrup and Woodford Reserve Bourbon.

Fornata

Open from 10am to 1am, Fornata on Kingly Street serves “lunch, aperitivo, dinner and cocktails”. The ice-cream cocktails on offer include a Vanilla White Russian made with vodka, Kahlua and vanilla ice cream and the Sottobosco – a concoction of vodka, Chambord, cranberry juice and strawberry ice cream.

All Stars Lane

All Stars Lane is now open at four different venues across London, in Holborn, Bayswater, Brick Lane Stratford City. Visitors can drink hard shakes while bowling at each of the venues. The shakes on offer include the Julep Shake with Jack Daniel’s and Mint and the Honey Whiskey Ginger shake made with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, vanilla and house-made ginger syrup.

Tomscoopery

With ties to Hackney’s London Fields Brewery, Tomscoopery gelato at 370 Helmsley Place sells a large selection of interesting alcoholic ice-creams such Pimm’s Ice Cream and Hackney Hopstar Beer Ice Cream.