One of my favourite London bars just keeps getting better as I boozily discovered during a recent absinthe-minded elbow bending session at The Bonneville in Clapton.
There’s a spooky, Frenchy vibe to this hardly a year old Hackney haunt that’s perfectly complemented by Bonneville’s owner/head barman Ruairi Giles’ absinthe-based cocktails. His sazerac – a classic New Orleans absinthe and whiskey concoction – is among the best I’ve had in London while his milky, almond-rich Absinthe Suissesse ranks among the more intriguing mixes I’ve had lately.
However you like your absinthe served (or if you even known whether or not you actually like absinthe at all), Giles’ bar is the place to give it a go. I especially enjoyed sipping Nouvelle Orleans’ Absinthe Superieure and marvelled at all the other bottles of absinthe behind the bar (no, I wasn’t seeing double).
Beyond the exceptional range of absinthe, there’s an impressively backed bar of top quality spirits (I was ogling the whiskies all night) – and beyond all the drinks, the place cooks up some great food (you could do a lot worse than its selection of charcuterie and cheeses).
The Bonneville is located at 43 Lower Clapton Road, E5 0NS. Find out more at thebonneville.co.uk.
