Modern And Classic Cocktails Land On Portobello Road

Walking into a bar and seeing that half the punters are reading their newspaper doesn't quite fill one with confidence. Except, the people inside the Portobello Star aren't mindlessly flicking through the Evening Standard. They're carefully studying the joyous cocktail menu, presented as a newspaper — something that's fun and accessible for cocktail virgins.

And what a menu it is, split in to two sections — one dedicated to what's in vogue right now, and the other looking back to the classics of the past. Our favourite drink on the classics section is the Morning Glory Fizz. It's remarkably subtle considering it's made with both whiskey and absinthe, balanced by citrusy lemon. The other classic we try, The Wibble — apparently a 90s Soho classic — is less enjoyable due to being unpalatably sweet. Thankfully, not all the sugary offerings are below par. The shot of caramel tequila is surprisingly tasty, and warms us up on a miserable November night.

On the modern section, we adore Terrys, a coffee-based rum cocktail. With espresso martinis dominating the alcoholic coffee market right now, it's wonderful to see a fresh twist on a drink with a caffeinated kick. If cocktails aren't your thing, there's a solid selection of wines and a small but quality line-up of craft beers.

The design of Portobello Star is très chic — an extremely instagrammable bar that fits right in on Portobello Road, especially with its sprinkling of exposed brick. The place is so small and intimate that it only takes a few people inside to give it a buzz, something that works to its advantage. A worthy place to enjoy some lovingly crafted cocktails in Notting Hill.

Portobello Star, 171 Portobello Road, Notting Hill