As December draws closer and closer, many of us are looking for a great place to hang out with friends before Christmas.
After last year’s Covid-19 restrictions prevented people from going out to celebrate the holiday season, there are even more reasons than usual to let loose and enjoy a night on the town .
And what better place to meet than one of Hampshire’s most beloved cocktail bars?
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Whether you fancy a mojito, an espresso martini or a Christmas-themed cocktail, the drinks on offer will delight all taste buds.
If you are not a fan of the alcoholic varieties, mouth-watering mocktails are also on offer.
HampshireLive has compiled a list of some of Hampshire’s top rated cocktail bars according to Google reviews.
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1. Incognito, Winchester
Address: St Johns House, The Broadway, Winchester SO23 9BE
With an average rating of 4.7 out of 5, Incognito certainly has a good reputation.
This Winchester-based cocktail establishment offers original cocktails as part of its bottomless brunches.
Classics include “The Perfect Porn Star” martini and “Smoking Manhattan”, but there is also a range of specialty signature drinks with unique flavors.
“The Greatest Showman”, a tribute to PT Barnum, blends bourbon, black cherry, plum and cream soda and is topped with apple pie and popcorn mousse.
If you’re really up to the experiment, you can always try an “old-fashioned kind” that features Woodford’s reserve rye, toffee, and bitters infused with a bacon-scented mist.
With the cheapest cocktail on the menu at £ 12, it’s not the cheapest, but the combination of original flavors certainly makes this a unique place to visit.
The popularity of this bar means reservation is advised.
2. 1932, Southampton
Address: 194 Above Bar St, Southampton SO14 7DW
This luxurious Southampton bar promises a ‘fully seated lounge bar where you can enjoy the best cocktails alongside unparalleled service’.
Classics start at £ 8.50 for a ‘Showgirl Martini’ or ‘Blood Orange Margarita’.
However, if you want to branch out, the menu also offers ‘Crème Vodka Brûlée’ and ‘Grande Espresso’ where customers can add their own flavors.
The most expensive cocktail (priced at £ 15) is ‘The Bullion’, where a blend of Glenmorangie, honey and bitters is topped with champagne to add a bit of luxury.
There’s also an extensive gin menu, wine list, and non-alcoholic beverage choices, including the ability to create your own non-alcoholic cocktail for a five.
Reservation is essential if you want to sample the experimental flavors of this exclusive bar.
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3. Sky Bar, Farnborough
Address: Aviator, 55 Farnborough Rd, Farnborough GU14 6EL
The Sky Bar claims to offer customers a “combination of timeless classics and exclusive bespoke drinks created with passion”.
Due to the connection to aviation, many cocktails have travel-themed names that you can enjoy while relaxing in black leather rocket chairs.
The menu is subject to availability but includes blends such as “Cumulus Cloud” – a marshmallow infused vodka cocktail topped with a little cloud – and “The Mile High Club” which combines cherry vodka and infusion of peach and berries. The drink is then topped with a soft white chocolate mousse.
Prices range from £ 9.50 to £ 13.50 and tables can be booked here.
4. The Monarch, Southsea
Address: 69 Palmerston Rd, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO5 3PP
If you are looking for a Christmas themed cocktail then The Monarch is for you.
The establishment is currently offering a Christmas Edition Bottomless Brunch, with drinks including “Merry Berry”, “Strawberry Collins” and a “Pink Gin Smash”.
Customers can get unlimited drinks for 90 minutes at a cost of £ 37.50 per person.
The aptly named ‘Say It Ain’t Snow’ is also on offer, flavored with spiced rum, gin liqueur and sloe gin.
If you need something to fill your stomach, The Monarch has an extensive menu as well.
More information is available through their website.
5. Bring and mix, Southampton
Address: 36 Upper Bannister St, Southampton SO15 2DG
This 1920s themed bar has a unique element – there are no menus and you bring the drinks.
It might seem like a raw deal, but in reality the bar has stumbled upon a business model that will ensure patrons enjoy their drinks every time.
Visitors bring their favorite bottles of spirits, and mixologists use a selection of fresh fruit and vegetable juices, homemade syrups, spices, herbs, syrups, bitters, fruits and jams to create a drink adapted to the tastes of each customer.
The owners claim that “no two visits are the same” to their bar where customers will receive a “tailor-made cocktail experience”.
Prices are £ 24 per person for two hours and tables can be reserved here.
And if you’re inspired by the work of talented mixologists, you can book cocktail-making classes as well.
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