It was a buzzing Friday night in Brixton, and I was heading to a bar on the quieter side of Coldharbour Lane for date night. On the agenda? The Shrub and Shutter. This cool spot had been on my radar quite some time, famed for their unique cocktails made using the shrubs that line its walls, and I couldn’t wait to finally see what all the fuss was about.

This super cool bar in Brixton is perfect for small plates and cocktails with mates or dates.

We headed into a cosy, intimate space with just a smattering of tables and chairs, which were nestled close together between the bar and the tall floor-to-ceiling windows. Along the walls, the eponymous shrubs in colourful jars, as well as more bottles of booze than you could shake a stick at, quirky knick-knacks and well-thumbed books. It had a trendy, shabby-chic vibe with black specials boards painted on the walls, plus flickering candles on each table and a warm atmospheric glow from the overhead lights. A mix of relaxing reggae and dub oozed from the speakers, which became a little more upbeat as the evening matured, with a DJ hitting the decks in the back room.

We eased ourselves into the evening with a round of cocktails – I went for the Rainy Day (£14), a delicate, herbaceous mix that blended 135 Eat hydro Japanese gin with lemon, elevated with the subtle flavours of pear and rhubarb. And my date's Island Life (£13)? Somehow this completely clear liquid packed bags of flavour, offering a light, refreshing respite from the gloomy England weather with every sip. It was a bit like fruity martini, as though there was a strong hit of booze from the Plantation 3 rum, it was eased by the natural and alluring taste of pineapple, cardamom and a hint of Riesling wine. As we knocked these back (a little too quickly, I have to say), we smiled in agreement that these were some of the best cocktails we've had in some time.

Everything on The Shrub and Shutter's menu was absolutely fantastic.

Fuelled by those impressive cocktails, we decided it was time to check out the internationally inspired food menu made up of small plates and nibbles. The olives (£4) were plump and juicy, while each bite of the croquetas de jamon (£8), greedily dipped in the generous bed of garlic aioli, was heavenly. After devouring those, the full king prawns (£12) arrived piping hot and in the shell, elevated with garlic, chilli and spiced oil. The cucumber and Caribbean avocado salad (£6) was simple but fresh, with strong hints of cumin, plus the Jamaican-style oxtail nuggets with papaya and scotch bonnet (£14) were crisp and succulent, with herbs and spices running throughout. I have to give a special shoutout to those marinated chicken skewers (£10); sweet, succulent and gorgeously charred with a slightly nutty flavour, accompanied by a cooling mango salsa, they were gone in a quick minute. Our final dish was the merguez sausages on a bed of lentils (£16) – while i couldn't get enough of the sausages, the lentils were a little watery for our liking.

Our favourite thing during our review of The Shrub and Shutter? Undeniably the Jamaican-style oxtail nuggets.

Waistbands bulging, we turned our eyes back to the cocktail list; we could smell the fragrant Paloma Picante (£13) before it even hit the table, made with an ancho and scotch bonnet reduction that gave it a good kick, plus El Rayo tequila, fresh grapefruit and lime. The Coffee Finisher (£13) came in a smoked dome, offering flavours of sweet amaretto with a lemony aftertaste – a surprisingly delicate tipple that tasted of sweet caramel.

The DesignMyNight Digest

There's a lot to love about this unique spot. Not only did it offer an intimate drinking den just a short walk from the heaving buzz of Brixton's centre, but also a fantastic selection of signature cocktails that left us thinking about them for days - you honestly won't have tasted anything like them. And the food? Apart from the slightly watery lentils, we couldn't fault a thing; the dishes arrived hot, delicious and promptly. Whether you're looking for a date night spot or a tipple before heading to Brixton Academy for a gig, make sure to give this one a whirl.

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