Punch Tavern, Fleet Street
Still one of London’s most dazzling pubs, the Punch Tavern (above left) was rebuilt in all its opulent glory between 1893 and 1897 by architects Saville and Martin, at the behest of the Baker Brothers. The extravagance is immediately apparent with the glazed tiled entrance and barrel-vaulted skylight, which leads to a bar that largely retains its original design. An abundance of features survive from the mosaic floor and cut-glass mirrors to the sumptuous tile work, ornate painted panels and pink marble bar. Don’t miss the series of original Punch and Judy themed paintings from 1897, which celebrate the fact Punch magazine was founded nearby in 1841.
Be-Gin Again
London is experiencing a gin renaissance: new distilleries, specialist bars and tasting experiences ate popping up at an extraordinary rate as the city once again goes gin crazy. Find out where to get a taste…
Sipsmith, Chiswick
At the forefront of the gin revival, Sipsmith was the first new small-scale distillery to open its doors in London since 1820. (Setting a licence to do so was something of an adventure for the nascent company, as nobody had been granted one in living memory and small-batch distilling was still technically outlawed by the gin acts of the 18th century. Today, this handcrafted gin can be found across Britain, and you can tour the distillery and see Prudence, the copper still, on selected weekday evenings.
The Ginstitute, Notting Hill
A gin lover’s dream come true, the Ginstitute is nestled above the Portobelio Star pub in Notting Hill offering masterclasses that chart the history of the drink, a tasting session and the chance to blend your own gin. There’s also a museum with fascinating gin paraphernalia and plans are even afoot to launch London’s first gin hotel.
