Human nature being what it is, you tend to have a small portfolio of places that you like to go to, and then you stick to them.  But sometimes, you need someone to give you a little nudge, in order to encourage you to expand your horizons and try something new.

With this in mind, I’m hugely grateful to the lovely Su Lin Ong who has introduced me to what is now a new favourite: The Star.

By day, this bijou establishment is a charming cafe that has been open since 1933. It serves breakfast and an all day menu, which I have yet to try, but at night, the venue transforms into a cosy bar called The Star At Night, specialising in my favourite tipple: gin.

The team have developed a 30+ menu of premium and super premium gins that you won’t find in many places, giving you the chance to try some of the best gins on the market, either in a cocktail or with fevertree tonic. What’s more, they have launched the London Gin Club which rewards you with:

A 5% discount at Gerry’s of Old Compton St, when you buy premium gin
A Gin Club allegiance card, rewarding you for your commitment to gin.
A monthly bulletin, keeping you up to date with any news about gin, new gin on the market, events at the bar and snippets of gin history
Priority booking for masterclasses, cocktail classes, entertainment nights and gin related events held at The Star at Night.

The cocktail list is constantly evolving as the staff raid old bar tending bibles and handbooks, but currently they serve:

MARTINEZ (origin of the martini 1887)

DRY MARTINI

GIN CRUSTA (J.THOMAS 1887)

GIMLET ( H.CRADDOCK 1930)

GIN & IT (H.CRADDOCK 1930)

TOM COLLINS (J THOMAS 1887)

IMPERIAL (H.CRADDOCK 1930)

NEGRONI (1920’S)

BEES KNEES (1930’S)

GIN SMASH (J THOMAS 1887 adapted)

FRENCH 75(H.CRADDOCK 1930)

CHAMPAGNE GIN FIZZ (Star at Night creation)

AVIATION (Harry Craddock 1930)

GIN JULEP (J THOMAS 1862)

SUMMER CUP

GENEVER PUNCH (W.TERRINGTON 1890)

GIN STRAIGHT (J THOMAS 1862)

On the night we went, I had the Gimlet, which stood out as they make it with their own homemade lime cordial.  You can have a choice of munchies and there is also a tapas menu. It’s now firmly in my address book. If you’re good, I may just share the address with you.