db recommends: Nipperkin Bar at 20 Berkeley

20 Berkeley’s Nipperkin Bar offers expertly mixed cocktails using in-house distilled spirits and the best of British produce.

20 Berkeley, the new British produce-led restaurant in the heart of London’s Mayfair, comes from Creative Restaurant Group, which is also responsible for the likes of Humo, Endo at The Rotunda, and SUMI.

The manor house has a number of dining spaces, including a drawing room overlooking a pantry displaying some of the ingredients used in the kitchen, and an orangery that looks out on Hay Hill.
The restaurant’s lower-ground level also boasts a bar, Nipperkin, that is sure to become one of the most sought-after destinations for a drink in London.

The bar’s design takes inspiration from English country houses, with its comfortable, classic stylings, while still showing the vibrant energy of life in the capital. Renowned interior architecture
company Pirajean Leas, which also looked after the rest of the restaurant’s decor, incorporated elements of craft, detail, and bespoke furniture throughout the space to create an intimate
atmosphere, as well as the use of natural materials, colours, and textures to contribute to the bar’s overall ambiance and appeal.

But the proof of a good cocktail bar is in the drinking. Leading the way is bar manager Angelos Bafas. Starting his career behind the bar in Greece, his fascination with flavour has seen him travel the world for guest shifts and bar takeovers. In 2018, he was named one of the top five bartenders in the world by mixology contest Elit Art of Martini.

Arriving in London soon afterwards, he spent time at SOMA in Soho, Aqua Shard, and Park Lane’s Galvin at Windows before joining 20 Berkeley when it opened this year.

At Nipperkin, Bafas has focused on seasonality, locality, and sustainability with his drinks to fit with the ethos of the restaurant. Working closely with executive chef Ben Orpwood and his suppliers, Bafas takes as much care in sourcing the best British ingredients for his cocktails as the chefs do for their dishes. Indeed, where possible, ingredients and spirits for the drinks have been predominantly sourced, distilled, or harvested in the UK.

Some of the drinks come from very close to home. One key aspect of Nipperkin Bar is that Bafas has overseen the development of an in-house distillery, enabling him to develop truly unique
spirits that maximise flavour, while also delivering something truly unique. One such concoction is a dry honey distillate that captures the floral essence of the honey in alcoholic form.

Among Bafas’ other signature creations is the Aged Kelp. Using a blend of seaweed that is aged for half an hour with fresh Norfolk mint and combined with roasted hazelnuts from Kent, the result is savoury, fragrant and toasty. Another is the Black Mustard, a straight-up Gimlet showcasing the versatility and boldness of British ingredients, including Dorset wasabi distillate mixed with Cotswolds apple eau de vie.

By celebrating British produce in unexpected and exciting ways in a grandiose yet comfortable, setting, Nipperkin Bar offers a cocktail experience that is guaranteed to please.

To find out more, click here.

20 Berkeley Street, Mayfair, London, W1J 8EE