They say the old ones are still the best, and that’s certainly true of this year’s winner of the Top 50 Cocktail Bars, Satan’s Whiskers.
Opened in November 2013 in London’s Bethnal Green, Satan’s Whiskers is certainly no new kid on the block, but with age comes experience, hence this is a cocktail bar where you just know you’re in safe hands.
Indeed, the launch team behind Satan’s Whiskers all brought extensive bartending experience - gained at London venues including The Player, The Match Bars, Trailer Happiness, Sosho and Milk & Honey - to the party.
Co-founder Kevin Armstrong says: “It was natural that we’d end up using that experience at some stage.
“Opening Satan’s Whiskers was in some ways a response to the types of bars that were being opened around that time.
“Many bars were more concept-driven or had started leaning more heavily into the techniques found in cuisine and fine dining. We wanted to do the opposite: to prove that great bars didn’t need to be high concept, and the classic cocktails could still be relevant, especially if done well and in a good setting.”
From day one the aim was to create a neighbourhood bar “that was welcoming, affordable, and democratic.”
So inside you'll find a small, dimly lit, intimate 50-seat bar, with a background soundtrack of primarily old-school hip hop.
“We wanted to create the type of place that you could drop in several times a week, not once a month, or on special occasions,” explains Armstrong.
As for the drinks on offer, the focus has always been on classic and modern classic cocktails.
Naturally, Martinis, Manhattans and Margaritas are always amongst the big sellers, but the menu changes daily so the best-selling drink can vary day-to-day.
“As a neighbourhood bar, we wanted to give our local guests a good reason to come back to the venue multiple times a week: if somebody wanted to join us with that frequency, it would mean there would always be something new on the menu,” says Armstrong.
Also listed on the menu daily, in order to give staff the recognition they deserve, are the names of the front-of-house team.
“We’ve got one of the best records for bartender retention, and I think so much of that is down to the menu,” says Armstrong.
“Making the same 10 or 20 drinks every day gets a little boring, but when the menu can change each day, our bartenders are always learning and perfecting recipes.
“What’s more, this dynamic approach means we can introduce new products as soon as they’re released, not wait six months for our menu to be reprinted.”
One thing Satan’s Whiskers has never done is chase trends, and Armstrong believes this has contributed to its success as “what was trending in 2013 is very much not trending now”.
In fact, consistency in every respect is what has kept Satan’s Whiskers at the top of its game for so long.
“In my experience people enjoy businesses that are good and dependable. Money is hard to earn, and people are careful with how they spend it. I think we’ve always offered excellent value, and a product that often exceeds that value,” says Armstrong.
“We don’t get it right for everyone, but more often than not, our team does a brilliant job with our guests and this is essential for the longevity of any bar business.”
