My idea of a great night out always involves cocktails, and I'd heard that The Lucky Pig does some of the best around. And when I found out that they pair these with pizza, another of my favourite things, I had to give them a try.
The Fitzrovia venue has been around since 2011, tucked away down a secret staircase on Clipstone Street, known for its award-winning cocktail masterclasses that I was also eager to take part in.
Vintage chic: this bar is a cosy pick for your next night out.
DesignMyNight Reviews The Lucky Pig Fitzrovia
As we descended the stairs into the intimate venue, we were greeted by a welcoming atmosphere and quirky interiors. All of the mismatching furniture had a vintage vibe to it, with lots of cosy corners to hide out in, and there was a traditional wooden bar running along one wall - fully stocked with the weird and wonderful ingredients used in their vast drinks menu.
Since we arrived at 6pm, it wasn't yet packed, but there were already a fair few people dotted around the room. This suited us perfectly though, as we had arrived early to enjoy one of their private masterclasses (£50 per person). This price usually includes a welcome tipple and three cocktails each, though as we were staying for a meal and more drinks too, we cut it down to just the two cocktails.
The Lucky Pig reviews all praise their signature cocktails.
The friendly manager led our session, pouring us each a glass of prosecco (£10) to start with. We sipped this while perusing the menu, as we were given a choice of any of their classic or signature cocktails to try our hand at making. Our bartender talked us through the process of both with a skilled demonstration, before letting us loose behind the bar, and an extra perk of the classes is that you get to drink the one he makes too.
Our first pick was the Autumn Berries (£14), which was a little intimidating due to the sheer amount of ingredients. It combined gooseberry gin, sloe gin, cranberry liqueur and cloudberry liqueur with apple juice, lemon and pomegranate. We also finished it off with decorative fruit and flowers. This had a warm, fruity flavour that perfectly captured the essence of autumn.
Next up, after much deliberation, we decided to keep on the season theme with a Summer Nostalgia (£13.50). We both agreed that this was our favourite of the two, as it tasted exactly like birthday cake, made of strawberry vodka, vanilla syrup, pineapple juice and fresh strawberry puree, topped with an egg white foam and garnished with hundreds and thousands. Though I couldn't quite achieve the same levels of foam to top my drink, I was pretty proud of my efforts, and we learnt some fun facts about mixology along the way.
There are all kinds of tasty pizzas on The Lucky Pig menu.
The bar was really filling up by this point, with several large groups in the main bar. For our food, we were led to one of their cosy alcove-style spaces cut out of the back wall, which were given a layer of privacy by thick velvet curtains. This featured a comfy leather sofa that filled the little hideaway - ideal for more relaxed drinking and chatting away from the bustling dancefloor.
Having worked up an appetite, we ordered two pizzas to share, a margherita (£13) and a vegetarian (£14). These were just as scrumptious as the drinks, on a thick, doughy base that was topped with a generous amount of cheese and a rich tomato sauce. The latter option also featured roasted peppers, aubergine, olives and rocket, all homemade and cooked fresh to order.
Of course, we had to finish the night with one more round of cocktails. The first of these was a Persephone (£15), a light and refreshing concoction that had a floral scent to it - combining St-Germain Elderflower liqueur and Cointreau with ginger, lavender, lemon and apple juice, finished again with an egg white foam. Last up was the Lucky Papa (£14), a rum-based blend that consisted of Peychaud bitters, pineapple juice, vanilla, lime and grapefruit for a tropical kick.
The Lucky Pig Cocktail Bar: Overall
For a secluded basement bar that creates a wide variety of fantastic concoctions, I definitely recommend this Fitzrovia haunt. The Lucky Pig cocktail class is great value for money thanks to the generous drinks allowances and expert guidance, and it makes a top choice for quirky date ideas or a fun group outing. As the cocktails are such a spectacle, you might expect the food to be an afterthought, but the pizzas were absolutely delicious - rounding off our night perfectly.
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💰 Price: £156 for two, including a cocktail masterclass followed by dinner and drinks. 📍 Address: 5 Clipstone Street, Fitzrovia W1W 6BB. 👌 Perfect for: A fun group outing. ⭐ Need to know: The cocktail classes run from 12 to 6pm, Tuesday to Saturday. |
