With the cold weather drawing in, what better than a punchy cocktail to warm the cockles.
On a recent trip to Polpo in Notting Hill I was transported to the dreamy haze of Italy as a sipped on one of the eatery’s Venetian-inspired libations.
The great thing about all of the Polpo venues around town (six so far), is that they’re warm and inviting, with a buzzing atmosphere to boot.
‘I didn’t even know there was a bar here,’ my friend exclaimed as we perused the drinks menu.
That’s one of my favourite things to do at Polpo – stop by for a drink.
You don’t necessarily have to be booked into dinner to get your Italian fix. And if the mood strikes you, you can also nibble on some delicious snacks as you go.
The Polpo at Notting Hill has a particularly big bar area, with it running almost the full width of the large restaurant.
In the true Italian-style of things, there are more than five Campari-infused drinks on the Polpo cocktail menu.
Our friendly server recommended a sloe gin-infused negroni, with this definitely a winning combination for the winter months.
My friend preferred the sweeter Campari spritz, with the bitter liquor mixed with procesco and soda water.
Changing things up a gear, we also tried a Clover Club cocktail, which features a blush-pink mix of Beefeater gin, raspberry syrup, lemon and egg white.
To keep us from getting to giggly, we tucked into a few nibbles.
Our waitress recommended the mushroom arancini, which were divine, and some grilled focaccia and green olives.
Fully thawed out from the cold, we rounded things out in style and pepped up our energy with an espresso nardini – Polpo’s super-smooth almond-liquor-infused take on the traditional martini blend.
We both agreed this was a winning drink and less bitter than the classic cocktail.
We left Polpo feeling a little warmer inside.
The fiery-hued Campari and Aperol cocktails are a sure way to escape the London cold!
See Polpo locations around the city here: www.polpo.co.uk/locations
