The Beaufort Bar is undergoing somewhat of an evolution. Then again, the site was burnt down in the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381, so evolution is sort of the Beaufort Bar’s thing. Nestled in a wing of the constantly charming Savoy Hotel, the bar is now home to a monthly live DJ event in partnership with Patrón Tequila – Beaufort Bar Sounds.
Each month, those legendary gold and black alcoves host a new DJ, with music curated by the Molto Music Group. The musical stylings are apt: you’re sipping your drinks where the Savoy's cabaret stage used to be. If you cock your ear, you might still be able to hear the echoes of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, which premiered in this very room.
If you'd rather any ghosts kept to themselves, though, never fear. With acts like Twiggy Garcia, Jammer, and Shy One on the roster, and sets lasting from 8pm till 1am, the dancing between the Art Deco tables puts the 20s to shame.
The bar’s Nocturne menu also offers a modern twist on the Savoy’s illustrious history. It takes inspiration from the Tudor royal John of Gaunt – the “prince, military leader, philanderer” whose Savoy Palace became this most illustrious of hotels, and whose estate in the Champagne region of Montmorency-Beaufort gave the bar its name. The menu promises “celebrations, flirtations, indulgences, seductions”; after all, “the best things happen after dark.”
One of those things – make that five of those things – would be the specially curated cocktails, all made with Patrón Tequila. If you’re after something refreshing, go for the ‘Paloma’: Patrón Silver with clarified raspberry verjus cordial. Traditionalists might prefer the signature ‘Beaufort Bar Picante’, infused with a coriander jalapeño brine. All five are £19. There’re also some free cocktails gushing out of a pearl fountain, just under a portrait of Cate Blanchett. No doubt she would thoroughly approve.
Really though, you wouldn’t be a philanderer worth your salt unless you tried the ‘El Cielo Fashioned’. The mix of Patrón El Cielo and orange cacao is topped off with salty Sturia caviar on a dark chocolate disk, melting slowly atop an ice cube.
The waiters (all stunningly well-informed – this is the Savoy, after all) will tell you that caviar should be tipped into your mouth straight off the back of your hand. This ‘Caviar Bump Experience’ prevents your meal getting oxidised by the unwanted intrusion of a silver spoon, which would be a terrible waste and frightfully embarrassing for all parties.
There’s never a bad time to visit the Savoy’s Beaufort Bar. Whether it’s the electric tropicana of the DJ sets, the sultry promise of Patrón tequila, or the classic blending of tradition and modernity that brings you to Beaufort Bar Sounds, it’s certainly worth a gander. Try the upcoming events on 11th April or 9th May.
View on Instagram
The Savoy, The Strand, London WC2R 0EZ; Beaufort Bar
