Tyler Zielinksi reviews one of the big new launches of the year - Nipperkin at 20 Berkeley.
Quaint, intimate and innovative are a few quickfire adjectives that come to mind when attempting to capture the essence of Nipperkin, the buzzy subterranean cocktail den beneath Mayfair’s 20 Berkeley restaurant.
It’s eclectically designed in the style of an English country manor house, featuring an island bar station in the middle of the room — an attribute accented with warm earthen tones and materials which are teeming throughout the space.
The cocktails, pioneered by head of bars Angelos Bafas, are led by seasonal British produce, delivered in a minimalist fashion. Clever drinks such as the Fig Leaf, Aged Kelp and the Shiso & Padrón are all extraordinary expressions of the flavours they seek to showcase — equally technical and approachable, appealing to both Mayfair’s wealthiest bargoers and bartenders alike.
For any guest of Nipperkin, the ever-expanding flavour library of bespoke distillates and cordials is a must-taste — there’s no experience like it.
Score: 9/10
20 Berkeley St, London W1J 8EE