Low 302

Here's a bar that knows what it's doing. It gets the drinks right, it gets the music right and even if the food is kind of ordinary, it doesn't matter – the vibe is right. Lush red velvet drapes line one end of the dark, wooden-panelled space that is scattered with high tables and has a big outdoor front section that spills onto the street. The big blackboard up the front of the bar is filled with interesting cocktail specials including a Sloe Car (just like a Sidecar, only made with sloe gin rather than Cognac). The regular menu is chockers with fantastic, interesting cocktails put together by bartender David Ramos Hernandez, and a great range of beers, too. Nothing on tap, which is a shame, but plenty of the good stuff by the bottle such as Sapporo, Coopers, and Estrella Galicia. Some of the bartenders are from the much-lauded Victoria Room and have a keen eye for classic cocktails. The Negroni at 302 deserves a mention. It's perfectly balanced with chunky ice cubes and a twist of orange. It's rare to find really outstanding food in bars that place more of their efforts into the drinks and Low 302 doesn't buck the trend. That said, as a raft for the booze, it'll do just fine. There are fetta-stuffed meatballs, hand-cut chips, and a range of crostini. The music also pumps. The Stones, Patti Smith, Elvis Costello, Vampire Weekend and the Who all pipe through the speakers until a little later when the DJ gets on the decks. Get there on the early side and make it a mid-week visit to get the most of Low 302 - the weekend can mean bouncers and no seats.