American Bar at the Savoy: London — A Girl's Guide to Drinking Alone

The Savoy Hotel, Strand, London, UK

The Place: The legendary cocktail bar responsible for the world’s very first celebrity female bartender, Ada Coleman.

The Time: Friday April 10, 16:30, aka 4:30pm. Another dispatch from the Spirited Women book tour! This week, Olivia and I are in the UK. We were just in Edinburgh for the Edinburgh Bar Show, and now we’re in London. Our 13th and final (!) event in this crazy month of book pub was last night and we had a hell of a time. Olivia and her fiancé Zach want to hit up the Tate Modern–while I’d rather treat myself to a very fancy drink at one of the most esteemed cocktail establishments in the world–before we all go to the ABBA Voyage show tonight. Highbrow/lowbrow, you know?

*Five O’Clock Somewhere at the American Bar*

The Vibe: The classic art deco bar of my dreams. Everything in the hotel is luxe and lush, and their flagship bar is no different. The American Bar is the longest surviving cocktail bar in London, and though it first opened in 1893, nothing feels dusty. It’s old-school sophistication, with a baby grand piano (which apparently is in use every night) taking center stage among marble pillars and leather chairs. There’s geometric carpeting in gray and yellow tones, black and white photos of old film stars, all leading to a stunning, mirror-backed bar with just a few bar stools. I’m not saying anything new about this place, because the American Bar has been written about thousands of times before, including in their own cocktail book from 1930, The Savoy Cocktail Book, written by legendary barman Harry Craddock. This is an historic bar, okay?? And after 132 years, it still has the juice.

The Bartender: I am famous for railing against the masculine vest-and-tie look that has pervaded the notion of “serious cocktail bars” like a virus. Here the bartenders wear white jackets and black ties and honestly, as much as I hate to say it, it works. My bartender is Angelo, who’s the head bartender (which I find out not because he tells me, but through a photo of him in the menu with the words “Head Bartender Angelo” underneath it). It is simply impossible not to talk shop with him, considering the reason why I’m in London in the first place. He’s lovely and even handwrites me a list of bar recommendations!

The Drank: Their current menu is called “Liquid Moments,” which, sure. Each cocktail is an homage to a moment from the hotel’s history. I choose their martini variation, the Five-O’Clock Somewhere, with gin, cocchi americano, dry vermouth, sherry, basil, and tomato. (The story next to this drink is basically just “martinis have always been popular here.” Idk if I would call that a “liquid moment” but ok!) Angelo tells me it’s a freezer martini where they fat-wash the gin with olive oil, and use tomato water as the dilution instead of regular H2O. New York is a town riddled with savory martini variations right now, but this might be the best version of the genre that I’ve ever had. It’s silky and herbal, with just the right amount of salinity. Because we are in one of the swankiest hotels in London, it’s not surprising that this cocktail costs £25, or $33. But something I love about this bar (and many others I’ve had the pleasure of imbibing in in this fair city) is the free bar snacks!! Give me tiny bowls of olives and crunchy things any day to enjoy alongside a delicious cocktail. More free bar snacks!!

Was I Hit On?: There’s one solo guy sitting at the bar, but we stay in our own worlds. Before I leave, Angelo makes me a mini Hanky Panky, the cocktail accredited to famed bartender Ada Coleman. “Coley,” as she was affectionately called, was the head bartender at the Savoy for 23 years at the start of the 20th century–a true icon in the cocktail world. It’s a delicious and fitting ending to my time here, since I got to work with the incredible ladies of The Ada Coleman Project earlier this week in Edinburgh. (Check out what these badasses are doing for women in hospitality around the globe!)

Should You Drink Here Alone?: Yes and what a treat it is! It’s quite a feat for a bar with such a storied history to still feel relevant in today’s cocktail landscape. For the American Bar at the Savoy to not only have had a female head bartender before women even had the right to vote, but to still be championing her to this day, is just the zest over the martini.