Gilbert’s Gin Garden launches at the Renaissance Hotel in St Pancras

Gin gardens are the new wine bars. Gin is very in at the moment, and although they do specialise in varieties of the spirit if it is your tipple, gin mixes well into cocktails and in a gin garden you can really drink anything you like. In addition to the bitter refreshment of a G&T at Gilbert’s, watch out for the deliciously drinkable Meadow Sweet cocktail combining gin, lemon grass, thyme, juniper, apple juice, pineapple and lemon. It’s got froth and a slight fizz, a sprig of lavender, and is like an alcoholic glass of sweeties. These were very popular at the launch party, and The Upcoming also enjoyed one. Alright, perhaps two.

The fabulous gothic splendour of St Pancras houses a bar and restaurant run by celebrity chef Marcus Wareing’s team. The Gilbert Scott bar, named after the architect of the recently restored Victorian splendour that is St Pancras, leads onto Euston Road by way of an arched forecourt that has been transformed into an outdoor drinking area. As yet there is sparse vegetation to muffle traffic sounds and create a magical oasis or unexpected feeling of an urban garden, but it feels like a favoured spot to watch the world go by, despite lacking the wow factor of the interior bar. 

Wareing’s team have collaborated with premium gin brand Hendricks to make this new venue. Snacks from the brunch menu can be ordered here, as well as bar bites. Barbecued Chicken Skewers with Minted Yoghurt Sauce are tasty and moreish – the perfect finger food to accompany your cocktail. Prices of food and drinks range from surprisingly affordable to indulgent. 

It’s surely the right place for cocktails. With London rushing by, sitting in a garden sipping gin seems like an ingenious idea. It may be time to bring back the cocktail hour and the cocktail dress.

Eleanor MacFarlane

Photos: Allie Suwanrumpha

Food: 16/20
Drinks: 18/20
Service: 19/20
Gilbert’s Gin Garden: 53/60

To book a table at Gilbert’s Gin Garden, The Gilbert Scott, St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Road, London NW1 2AR, call 0207 278 3888 or visit here.