The Rivoli Bar

London's Timeless Elegance: Exceptional Cocktails

The Rivoli Bar at The Ritz is a resplendent little gem tucked away in the grandeur of London’s most iconic hotel. From the moment you step inside, you’re enveloped in an air of exclusivity—sprinkled with the sort of old-money charm that makes you feel like both a film star and a nervous debutante. The decor is a gracious and perfectly polished ode to Art Deco elegance, demanding your attention as soon as you walk through their stubborn yet impeccably polite dress code enforcement. While this grandeur is thoroughly enjoyable, it seems to come with its truly unique quirks. For instance, some guests have been 'educated' quite vigorously about appropriate footwear—as if trainers would actually ruin the shimmer of their historic chandeliers or scuff up the opulent celadon walls.

Yet, once seated and delicately poured the glamorous, albeit predictably costly, cocktails—perhaps a pimms or a refined sakura—the impeccable service ensnares you. Many patrons laud the bar staff for executing that rare balancing act of offering service that's somehow both obsequious and familiar. Their cocktails are a revelation brimming with hitherto undiscovered thoroughness. Cases in point: an espresso martini slumbering in uniqueness and a negroni composed before your eyes like a brewmaster unveiling an ancient trick. While there’s the sporadic clatter of service falters—drinks tardily delivered, perhaps even forgotten amidst the pageantry—it's the overall allure, the million-dollar view encapsulated with glorious attentiveness, that stays with you long after you reluctantly rise from your high-backed chair. So do visit with pockets full of anticipation and quid, and perhaps also, double-knot your best derby shoes. The Rivoli Bar is its own small world, where every nuance teeters on the brink of extraordinary, just don’t let footwear get you off on the wrong foot. — Milo Tastemaker