Duke’s Bar London

Discreetly located in a cobbled cul-de-sac in London’s St. James neighborhood is the luxury Boutique Dukes Hotel, famously beloved by Princess Diana, and home to the iconic Dukes Bar London. For the past 35 years, Dukes Bar has redefined the martini and has crafted it in such a way that it has become a modern classic, that was not only a favourite but also inspired the author behind the popular James Bond Franchise, Ian Fleming. Dukes’ martini and the atmosphere within which it is prepared and served epitomises the suave, timeless and sophisticated characteristics of James Bond, and it is only fitting that the birth of the classic adage “shaken not stirred” originated here.

Dukes Bar London exudes a traditional British ambience decorated with a mahogany paneled bar, intimate lighting and walls covered with portraits and prints especially procured from Dukes’ personal collection. With a cocktail in hand, guests can sink into an emerald green velvet armchair and feel the warmth emanating from the marble fireplace. Thereafter, guests are invited to walk out to the Cognac and Cigar Garden next to the bar, order another cocktail, and experience a new intimate setting fashioned with living greenery.

As expected, martinis are the heart of the cocktail menu and with the innovation of Alessandro Palazzi, the bar manager at Dukes since 2007, are served to guests in the most cinematic way imaginable. Guests are not only served their martini crafted with their choice of 15 different types of gin, but are also actively engaged in the process of its creation. From the legendary martini trolley, white-jacketed bartenders eloquently create bespoke martinis table-side for their guests, who are able to visually feast on their chilled glass being expertly filled with frozen syrup-like gin, imbued with dashes of vermouth and garnished with delicate peels of Amalfi lemon. Guests can choose from one of seven signature martinis, with the most ordered one being the Vesper Martini made of No. 3 Gin, Polacki vodka, Angostura bitters and Sacred Dukes Exclusive Amber Vermouth. Another notable signature martini is the Fleming 89 crafted as an ode to the ‘Floris 89’ eau de toilette worn by James Bond. The Fleming 89 is a dessert in liquid-form with vodka fused with sugared roses, rose liqueur, chocolate bitters and tonka beans. At Dukes Bar guests can also select cosmopolitans and other cocktails that are as artfully and uniquely created as their classic martinis. A favourite option is the ‘Miss Moneypenny’ comprised of Russian standard vodka, triple sec, lime and mixed with passion fruit juice instead of cranberry juice which traditionally accompanies cosmopolitans.

Dukes Bar London is iconic for seamlessly intertwining its traditional elegance with its novel and eccentric approach to creating and presenting its cocktails. It’s a daring and adventurous bar, not only known for creating London’s best martinis but is also notorious for crafting the most potent ones, with Alessandro Palazzi admittedly cautioning guests to a two-drink maximum, but what’s fun without a bit of risk involved.