Latest news with #ScarfesBar
Time Out
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The best bars in London
What ' s the vibe? The sweeping, grand Scarfes Bar can be found at the front of Holborn's Rosewood London hotel. It's plusher than a boxfresh Labubu, and all very vintage New York, with white-jacketed bartenders serving ice-cold martinis. On dark, moody evenings there's even a roaring open fire to keep you warm. The name comes from the fact that legendary British cartoonist Gerald Scarfe's caricatures grace its walls. When to visit: There's live jazz seven nights a week. Time your visit for when you'll hear something swinging, which usually starts around 7pm. What to drink: Keep it sweet with a fizzy Moment of Clarity, made with Diplomático Planas white rum, tangy granny smith apple, earthy vetiver and fig leaf cordial.
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Rosewood London's Scarfes Bar Pays Homage To Celebrated Caricaturist
A Long Drawn Out Sip pays homage to caricaturist Gerald Scarfe. Rosewood London Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London has unveiled its latest cocktail menu, 'Long Drawn Out Sip,' a celebration of renowned caricaturist Gerald Scarfe, whose artwork adorns the walls. The menu is inspired by his book Long Drawn Out Trip: A Memoir, exploring his work through the medium of dreams which are both whimsical and nightmarish. The 24 original creations, including two non- alcoholic adaptations, will serve as liquid doorways for guests to experience Scarfe's surreal and creative outlook on the world. Curated by Director of Bars Andy Loudon and the award winning Scarfes Bar team, the new menu invites guests to step inside Scarfe's surreal world. The menu is divided into four chapters — Fears, Desires, Revelations and Transformations – drawing on universal dream states and Scarfe's eclectic body of work. Highlights include a mix of bold and playful cocktails like: Toothless Grin, a reimagined Sazerac accompanied by lemon curd and goat cheese, served on a bespoke charcuterie board; Portrait of Fame, a vibrant cocktail featuring Aperol, rhubarb, and Buddha's hand; and The Truth at Last, a savory gin and tonic enhanced with toasted sesame and cucumber, served with a fortune cookie. The menu from the talented team at Scarfes Bar is the first under Loudon, who was appointed Director of Bars at Rosewood London in 2024 and will build on the bar's legacy of the last ten years. Invented to embark on a discovery through Scarfe's imagination, each cocktail embodies a different facet of his unique subconscious, where every element of his work collides, from caricatures of cultural icons to political satire. Created to take guests on a journey, the new cocktails are crafted from carefully selected ingredients and innovative techniques, showcasing boundless creativity and creating a world where mixology and artistry collide. 'Long Drawn Out Sip' has been developed from universal dreams reimagined with Scarfes Bar's unique artistic flair and its mixologists' innovative techniques, with six cocktails in each of the four themes. The Great Chase is influenced by the Kentucky Derby. Rosewood London Toothless Grin, inspired by the unsettling fear of teeth falling out, offers a unique twist on the Sazerac, presented on a bespoke, handcrafted board repurposed from damaged hotel charcuterie boards. Lost & Abandoned highlights the famed film Hercules, which Scarfe illustrated. The Great Chase is influenced by the Kentucky Derby and served in a classic Julep Cup. Rockstar encapsulates Scarfe's famed portraits of celebrities. Rosewood London The Court Jester is a twist on the Paloma, with Espolón Blanco, coconut, bergamot and sparkling sake, curated to embody Scarfe's self-portrait as a Jester and served on one of his very own playing cards. Retail Therapy takes inspiration from the French 75, served within a bespoke engraved glass, with Bombay Premier Cru, basil, yuzu, clarified almond and champagne. King for a Day reimagines the Pornstar Martini with passion fruit infused Brugal 1888, clarified plum and black cardamom, crowned by a cocoa butter imprint on the glass. Rockstar encapsulates Scarfe's famed portraits of celebrities, including Elton John, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, through a bold take on the Spicy Margarita. Hidden Self offers a lighter, lower ABV experience. Rosewood London Portrait of Fame delivers a citrusy burst, combining The Lost Explorer Espadín, evaporated Buddha's hand, rhubarb and Aperol, perfectly embodying the idea that some celebrities only truly make it once they've been immortalized in his caricatures. Moment of Clarity is a harmonious blend of Diplomático Planas, Granny Smith apple, Muyu Vetiver and fig leaf soda, crowned with a sweet petit pomme. Dark Secrets uncovers the complexity of a character's flaws, featuring Eagle Rare 10, Noilly Prat, pear, and toasted black walnut. Hidden Self offers a lighter, lower ABV experience with Hendrick's Gin, sudachi, lavender, and clarified cherry yoghurt. For those craving indulgence, Holy Grail pays homage to the iconic Monty Python sketch, The Truth at Last is a savoury gin and tonic. Rosewood London The Truth at Last, a savoury gin and tonic, with The Botanist, London Essence Tonic, MUJEN, toasted sesame, acacia and cucumber served with a playful Scarfes touch of a fortune cookie. Heroes & Villains presents a delightful exploration of innocence versus guilt, reflected in Scarfes Bar's inventive take on the martini. Made with Ford's Gin, the serve is available in two twists, with fortified calamansi and a garnish of freeze-dried mandarin, or a more savoury finish with a garnish of a chalkidiki olive, offering a fresh twist on the classic, while Curtain Call is the ideal nightcap. Superhero is this year's cocktail with The Lakes, butterscotch sherry, muscat and London Essence Soda imprinted with an 'S' in the ice. The mixology team has won many prestigious awards. Rosewood London Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London, which opened in 2014, is an award-winning bar inspired by the atmosphere of a drawing room, with live jazz music playing each day from a host of talented performers evoking a convivial and sophisticated yet intimate atmosphere located a short distance from London's Covent Garden. The mixology team creates their very own home-made syrups and distillates within their Lab, which they use for all their cocktails and new menus at the bar. The drinks are a combination of minimalistic, but perfectly executed, textured drinks and innovative technology. Scarfes Bar was awarded No.32 at Top 50 Cocktail Bars 2025, No.37 in The World's 50 Best Bars 2024 and No.41 in 2023, No.27 at Top 500 2024 as well as #1 Best International Hotel Bar at Spirited Awards at Tales of the Cocktail 2020. Rosewood London, centrally located in London on High Holborn and housed in the original headquarters of the Pearl Assurance Company, showcases a sensitive renovation of the 1914 Edwardian, Grade II-listed building. Combining English heritage with contemporary sophistication, the retained Belle Époque architectural features include the original carriageway entrance to the grand courtyard and a spectacular Pavonazzo marble staircase, which rises over seven storeys. The hotel has the feel of a stylish London residence and houses 263 guestrooms and 45 suites including the Grand Manor House Wing, an exclusive seven-bedroom suite with its very own postcode.
