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Mon / Mar 8
Party Earth Review Proper cocktail making is an art form requiring impeccable skill, a fact not lost on the maestros down at The Portobello Star. Décor is clearly not the focus at this venue, which consists of one long and... ... read full review
171 Portobello Road
London W11 2DY
Hammersmith & City Line: Ladbroke Grove
020 7229 8016
M–Th, Su 11am–11:30pm, F 11am–12:30am, Sa 10am–12:30am
Notting Hill, London –
Proper cocktail making is an art form requiring impeccable skill, a fact not lost on the maestros down at The Portobello Star.
Décor is clearly not the focus at this venue, which consists of one long and narrow room fitted with dark wooden stools and benches that lead toward a couch zone, which – for those lucky enough to grab it early – can help turn a casual drink into a cozy all-nighter.
What the place lacks in décor it makes up for in quality drinks, with the variety of cocktails – assembled by well-known mixologist Jake Burger – promising an evening of classics and lots of exotic treats, including an Earl Grey martini and the absinthe-heavy W14 Zombie.
Everybody from denim-clad hipsters to double-breasted suits to savvy Portobello Market-goers shows up, and the music caters to this diversity with a mix of funk and pop during the day and a rambunctious DJ set on Friday and Saturday nights.
Given the bar’s small size but big popularity, patrons can expect the place to be crammed most nights with socially lubricated Londoners, especially since much of the booze is relatively budget-friendly at £7 to £8 a pop.
Lovers of a particular spirit will also want to book a “Ginstitute” session, which includes a tour of the mini-gin museum upstairs followed by an in-depth gin-coction tutorial with Burger himself.
The Portobello Star has mushroomed into a huge success sure to please discerning drinkers, even if they have to shout to order on the weekends.
Diverse bag of cocktail connoisseurs, including stylish hipsters, savvy suits, trendy but unpretentious couples, groups of celebratory friends, and tourists fresh from exploring the cornucopia of art galleries, cafés, and homemade crafts at the nearby Portobello Road Market, 20s to mid-30s.
DJs spin an eclectic mix of top hits, indie music, and Motown on Friday and Saturday nights from 9:30pm. Chilled-out background music other nights and during the day.
Highly regarded Yorkshire butcher The Ginger Pig provides traditional pork pies, pork and black pudding, and chicken, ham, and apricot pies for those feeling peckish. Selection of British cheeses and shareable platters of cooked and cured meats also available.
“The Ginstitute” provides lessons from owner and self-taught mixologist Jake Burger on how to make and bottle gin, as well as a tour of a small gin museum upstairs and a whole lot of history on this delectable spirit.
Ginstitute £100/person. Pies £5.50–£6.50, platters £5.
Beer £4, wine £4.50–£5/glass or £16–£27/bottle, cocktails £7.50–£10 or £15 for the W11 Zombie absinth cocktail, champagne £7–£9.50/glass or £25–£45/bottle. Coffee and tea £2–£2.50 or £5 when spiked with rum.
Casual to trendy: suits, vests, t-shirts, jeans, jumpers, stylish dresses.
Friday and Saturday nights when the DJ keeps the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd bumping, or anytime early in the day for less of a scene and some stellar day-sipping.
Notting Hill Arts Club (21 Notting Hill Gate) is always a hubbub of activity, with shape-shifting lights illuminating the canvas-like walls, exuberant art exhibits, and a creative crowd as much a part of the display as the art itself.