There is a specific breed of drinker who craves salt and savoury in their beverages. Whether it be gildas in their martinis or garlic in their tequila shots, brine and brackish are what they look for. I am they; they are me. Given my affinity to err on the side of dirty, nae, filthy, here is my lineup of the filthiest drinks in London.

Tavern

Tavern actually inspired the creation of this list. The pickleback martini was — when it arrived at my table alongside wild garlic flatbreads and chunion puffs — a thing of dreams. It was a drink I thought only existed in the distant haze of my dreams. It was an extra briney, dare I say filthy, pickle martini with a skewer of charcuterie floating in the murky liquor. Salami and pickles chasing the strength and punch of the drink. My only tip would be following it with a carrot gimlet, another drink I can’t stop talking about.

Where: 207 Old St, London EC1V 9NR
Website: www.tavernlondon.co.uk

The Sea, The Sea

The Sea, The Sea, who just extended their dining room across the street in Chelsea is all things seafood. Alongside massive slabs of sashimi, cuttlefish, oysters or trout, you’ll find their gin martini. A crisp and cold pour with a savoury depth that could only be introduced by the presence of seaweed. On brand and salty, this is a chic one, a glossy one, one that perhaps only warrants… one.

Where: 243 Pavilion Rd, London SW1X 0BP
Website: www.theseathesea.net

Three Sheets

In my never ending quest to find the perfect dirty martini, I found Three Sheets. While they’ll make you any drink you want, the drink you actually want is their house Dirty Martini. But what makes a dirty martini so different from the rest? You might ask. At Three Sheets, it’s the mixture of Koseret Tea, Belvedere, Olive Oil, Picpoul, Sea Salt and the choice of a caviar bump on the side. Absolutely filthy.

Where: 13 Manette St, London W1D 4AP
Website: www.threesheets-bar.com

Garlic & Shots

There is nothing dirtier than walking into a bar and being smacked in the face with the smell of garlic. In Soho, Garlic & Shots smells. Not only are there, you guessed it, garlic shots, but there is garlic coffee, there is vodka with clam juice, there is 101 different kinds of double shots from vodka with chilli to rum with cacao. This may seem like quite the gimmick, and perhaps it’s hard to stick around without your clothes being stained by the stench, but this Soho haunt has been around since 1992 — an institution of Soho, if you know about it.

Where: 14 Frith St, London W1D 4RD
Website: www.garlicandshots.com

Bar Termini

Perhaps a martini or perhaps a Bloody Mary the following day — either works. More so, everything works at Bar Termini, one of London’s most loved cocktail counters in the city. Is it their Marsala Martini that speaks to me today? With Beefeater Gin, Marsala dolce, vermouth and almond bitters? Or a Bloody Mary of horseradish vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, pepper distillate, bay marsala? The answer is both.

Where: 7 Old Compton St, London W1D 5JE
Website: www.bar-termini-soho.com

Archive & Myth

Somehow, Archive & Myth always comes into my stream of consciousness when I talk cocktails. Perhaps it is the sexiness of the cave, perhaps it is because it is below Magic Mike Live, perhaps it is the bottomless dumplings, perhaps it is the genius with which the cocktails are crafted. On the topic of dirty, we’ve got Queen Park, a cocktail with sugar cane, hops, and cut grass? Yes, cut grass. There’s also the rapscallion — scotch, black olives, vermouth, and rock salt — for the strong of heart.

Where: Hippodrome Casino, Cranbourn St, London WC2H 7JH
Website: www.archiveandmyth.com

Equal Parts

And now, for the East London folk, we have Equal Parts. Talk about a good date spot. The Dry Jungle Bird mixes rum, saffron, Campari, and coriander seed, while the Cucumber and Elderflower Vesper sees gin AND vodka, cucumber, dill, and elderflower vinegar. While that’s being mixed, you can talk to the guy at the bar about his new “thing” for alt-rock and also potentially meet the love of your life in the queue for the loo. There’s a bit of everything here.

Where: 245 Hackney Rd, London E2 8NA
Website: www.equalpartslondon.com


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