Bermondsey Street is fast becoming one of South London's most talked about locations. Hidden away behind London Bridge, it's packed with bars, restaurants and pubs that plenty of North Londoners are in still in the dark about. Our new favourite place there? 214 Bermondsey, London's newest gin cocktail bar.
Hidden away under Antico Italian Restaurant, 214 is a specialist gin cocktail palace. With over 50 different gins to choose from, plus their homemade tonic, there's a drink for even the most inexperienced of gin drinkers.
Their specialty is 'The Gin Flight' a collection of three named gins - minus their labels. The drinks come with an envelope in which is sealed the true identities of the gins and it's up to you to guess which is which. In all honesty, only the most discerning of gin connoisseurs will manage this challenge, but for those of us who can't tell our Tanquerey from our Gordons, it's still fun to play; especially if you're on a date - plenty of sharing to be done!
Elsewhere there's classic cocktails with a twist - such as the 214 Collins - a modern take on the age-old Tom Collins. 214 Bermondsey's is made from Hammer gin, lemon juice, soda, Campari and orange bitters. We were also pretty taken with The Copenhagen - a sweeter number with plenty of cherry liqueur.
There's food on offer from Antico Restaurant upstairs in the form of homemade pasta. We had some delicious slow-roasted pork tortellini in a buttery sauce and some fresh foccacia bread with balsamic and olive oil - simple but *so *effective. Especially handy for mopping up the large amounts of gin you're bound to drink when the cocktails are as good as these!
214 Bermondsey, 214 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ