Cocktail drinkers, bar-goers and party animals - this is a freaky time and we want you all to be safe. Just ‘cos you might not be hitting the bars as usual doesn’t mean you can’t support the hospitality industry by adding to that list of ‘must-visits’ for your ultimate comeback, seeing which of your fave bars offers delivery or planning that birthday bash for November. If you’re lucky enough to be feeling healthy now could be a time for cocktail fuelled conference calls (Adrian in accounts ain’t so boring after all), polishing up your home bar and perfecting your Pina Colada. Stock up, keep safe, support the industry and each other, be kind, stay wild. We’ll be here with ya.
How to support your favourite bars & restaurants during this time
Delivery & Take Away
Many of your favourite venues in London will still be producing their epic dishes and drinks, but instead of enjoying them in their venues, you can eat & drink 'em all from your sofa/bed/pillow fort. Check to see if your favourite local restaurants have joined Deliveroo, Uber Eats or whatever delivery service you're digging these days. We've found a few other venues who are organising their own delivery service and listed them for ya below.
Vouchers
Birthdays are gonna keep happening, treats still need to be bought, parties should still be planned - we've gotta have something to look forward to, right?! If you're gonna spend the money in a few months anyway, you may as well spend it now - vouchers and credit are an apic way to spend money with the hospitality industry to help keep your favourite venues going through this sh*t show. Loads have gift vouchers available to buy from their websites - so go through that bucket list of yours and check if that bar you're desperate to tick off has some. You got plenty of time to plan one helluva night out when this is over, this is the first step!
BARS
Scout
One of our fave Hackney bars have started bottling their sustainable cocktails and they'll shortly begin a pick-up and delivery service of them, from classics and other bottled creations. You can stay up to date with what and how you can order these here.
Lyaness
The award-winning opulent cocktail bar is offering cash gift vouchers from £25.00, as well as vouchers for its own afternoon tea, Fancy Tea, a tongue-in-cheek take on a high-end 80s dinner party with a bold Lyan twist and cocktails created by the talented team. A bit of cake sounds bloody excellent right now, and it'll taste even better in a few months time! You can get your vouchers over here.
Opium
Based in the centre of Chinatown, Opium is a venue split into three different bars with three uniquely different menus. Apothecary, Peony & Academy, each menu themed on Asian culture. The bar has a selection of gift vouchers you can buy from £25 as well as vouchers for Opium’s cocktail masterclasses that take its guests through the history of bartending and cocktails with opportunities to learn how to make your own and awesome platters of Dim Sum to share. Sounds like something fun to look forward to, buy yours here.
Hacha
If you haven't tried the Cocktail of the Year yet, now is probably the best time to change that. The legendary Mirror Margarita from Hacha is available to order from the bar in a 50cl bottle - equal to 4 large serves with a double shot of Don Julio Blanco in each - at £35, with free delivery when you order 2 bottles. Order yours from here.
Cub
Hoxton based restaurant Cub is ingredient-led and informed by sustainable supply and waste reduction. You can show your support for this amazing venue through gift vouchers on the website which include a set menu of food and drinks for 2, plus an extra round of drinks and a cheese course. Might be a good way of getting your Christmas present shopping done early! Buy your vouchers here.
The Little Door Co.
If there's one set of housemates we wish we could isolate with, it's the crew at The Little Yellow Door (and their Blue Door pals, too). Unfortunately, the best we can do for now is stock up on vouchers to spend with them when we're all safe to go back out again, and you know we always love a double. The Little Door Co. has decided to double the value of all gift vouchers purchased between 18th - 25th March. Each voucher, no matter how big or small will be doubled in price. Hell yeah! These vouchers will be valid at The Little Blue Door, The Little Yellow Door and The Little Orange Door (opening summer 2020).
Nine Lives
Sustainability is this bar's M.O. They've closed their doors til further notice, but they're working on getting a delivery service up and running so they can get your fave cocktails sent to your front door and you can live like a baller from your couch (literally, they put their epic Baller 1 & Baller 2 whisky highballs into tinnies. Who said they were just for trains?!) Keep an eye out on developments and a delivery timeline over here.
Mac & Wild
You might not be able to run free in the Highlands at the mo, but you can tuck into the finest cuts of meat and pre-bottled cocktails with Mac & Wild’s hearty, Scottish dishes delivered right to the front door. Auch aye! Including the infamous Veni-Moo Burger, alongside a delicious array of pre-bottled cocktails such as the Foraged Old Fashioned for a good ol’ Scottish celebration at home. You'll find the cocktail menu you can enjoy at home here, and the food can be ordered from Uber Eats & Deliveroo.
The Bottle Bar & Shop
This bar down in Catford, Lewisham has had to put its epic events and supper clubs on hold, but you can still enjoy their bottled cocktails from home across the country. They're all about the "batchology" here and have loads of cocktails varieties ready to join you while you binge-watch The Office U.S for the seventh time over the coming weeks. The Remedy cocktail might even make a nice gift to send your pal who's already worked through their home booze supply! Order your bottles from here.
Umbrella Project
The crew at The Sun Tavern are keeping their staff gainfully employed by turning The Sun Tavern into a little factory. You can currently place pre-orders for delivery on Friday (20th) of three bottled cocktails, boxes of Umbrella Brewing Ginger Beer and Sparkling Cider, Beer and a Bump Jumbo Packs, Gift Vouchers, Craft Beer packs, & T-Shirts - the profits from which will go toward paying their teams at The Sun Tavern, Discount Suit Co and Umbrella Brewing. Same day delivery will be free within a 3 mile radius of E2, and they'll thrown in a free bag of ice for all cocktail orders. Next day nationwide delivery will be available for the reduced price of £5. Order your Quarantini Kit here.
Mr Foggs Venues
We'll all probably have itchy feet by the end of this, desperate to get travelling again - and if you get yourself a few vouchers for the adventurous experiences at the multiple Mr Foggs venues, you'll have plenty to look forward to. You can buy vouchers across all venues here. A gin safari sounds like a dream right about now...
Rüya
We reckon in a few months time, a bit of Anatolian indulgence will go down nicely. You can buy yourself (and a few of your nearest and dearest, why not?) some gift vouchers to enjoy The Mekan Drinks Experience at Rüya or The Rüya Lunch Experience, plus a few monetary gift vouchers to distribute amongst your pals for The Mekan or the main restaurant to be redeemed against any of Rüya’s dishes or drinks from their current menus. Get them over here.
The Laughing Heart
Priority at the moment is 100% staying safe. Followed by making sure your wine supply is consistently stocked! The crew at Laughing Heart are happy for you to order wine from their shop and get it delivered to you if you can't make it out. Just give them a call or email on contact@thelaughingheartlondon.com / 020 7686 9535
East London Liquor Company
While a few of their shops are still open (Bow Wharf & Borough Market) ELLC are also about to organise bottle deliveries to your homes so you can enjoy their delicious spirits at home. This is a good time to brush up on your home-cocktail making skills anyway so order your fave spirits from them when they're ready to go (they'll prob let you know over here).
Aqua Group
Fewer places in London have a better view to go with your cocktails than Aqua at The Shard. And let's face it, you'll be needing to buy your mum something for Mother's Day anyway (because a FaceTime call isn't really gonna cut it) so vouchers for their dreamy Afternoon Tea will have her over the moon. And bonus: you'll get to enjoy it too. There are also a few killer voucher options to enjoy meals at Hutong, Aqua Kyoto and Aqua Nueva, too - you know, in case you're feelin' real fancy.
Rosewood London
Plenty of us will be using this time to develop a few new skills from home (Us? We're going to be learning how to do this), but if you'd rather learn you skills from a pro, you could buy yourself a voucher to be taught how to make a f*cking epic pie by the pie-making legend Callum Franklin, and then stick around for a gin masterclass. Until then, you could get a bottle of the Scarfes Bar Single Malt delivered to your door. That'll help pass the time nicely...
Caprice Holdings
We're slipping into perfect birthday present territory with this one. Who of your mates would LOVE an unforgettable meal at Sexy Fish, J.Sheekey, 34 Mayfair, Daphne's, Le Caprice or Balthazar to celebrate another rotation around the sun? We bet all of them! Get 'em a gift card and make them promise to take you with them when they're finally able to redeem it. Oh and FYI - you could even get them a birthday cheesecake delivered from Sexy Fish, just to really prove that you are the BEST friend they could ask for.
Ridgeview Wine Estate
By the time all of this is over, hopefully the glorious Spring weather will have well and truly arrived and the vineyards of Ridgeview Wine Estate will be looking fiiiiiiiiine. That'll be the perfect time to cash in on one of these vouchers for an afternoon of touring and tasting at this Sussex winery. Until then, perhaps a bottle or two to enjoy at home will get you through. And they're currently offering free next day delivery. Working from home doesn't seem so bad now, does it?
Piano Works
Looks like we won't be going out and dancing the night away for a while... but who says we can't do that at home? On Friday & Saturday nights, The Piano Works live band will be streaming a whole evening's worth of live music, and yeh, in true Piano Works style, they'll be taking your requests! Dance like nobody is watching (cos they literally won't be) or head to your window, throw back the curtains and give your neighbours a show. Tune in via the Piano Works Farringdon Facebook page from 8pm to join the party! And don't forget to tip the musicians!
Homeboy
The kings of modern Irish hospitality have set up a virtual tab that you can contribute to and redeem when this crisis is over. It'll help them look after the most important people within their organisation (their staff) This voucher, like any other, is valid for a year and can be claimed for drinks once the crisis is over. We recommend you spend it on one of their epic Irish Coffees and a Tayto's crisp sandwich as soon as you can get there.
East London Brewery - Pub in a Box
Award-winning East London Brewery Signature Brew are getting creative to keep the beer flowing in people’s homes, creating The Pub in a Box, hand-delivered by musicians who’ve had their tours cancelled (who will be paid a London Living Wage). When this all blows over, they’re also selling tickets for a proper piss up in a brewery as something for everyone to look forward to and it will also help to keep their staff paid in the interim. The box includes their core range of beers (something for everyone), beer glasses, beer mats, a vinyl record, a pub quiz, a playlist, pub snacks, the works!
Beast of Brixton
The Beast of Brixton is known for throwing epic parties and hosting wicked supper clubs and Sunday roasts. They've started up a "Buy Now, Party Later!" Covid-19 Cashflow Dinner Parties scheme that will be held once it's safe to do so. They have DJ and musician buddies who will soundtrack the events. Get your tickets over here.
Beanberry Coffee
Let's face it. The thing that would really make this whole thing unbearable is running out of coffee. THE ABSOLUTE HORROR. The crew at Beanberry Coffee are offering customers the option to order 500g worth of fresh coffee for delivery, and they have a range to choose from, such as Javascript Espresso and Single Origin Offering. It'll all be roasted on demand and shipped straight to your door so you can keep your caffeine (and health) levels up. Seems like this is the ideal time to perfect your latte art!
Theatre of Wine
These epic wine shops in Leytonstone, Tufnell Park & Greenwich are gonna continue to offer delivery to most UK addresses via their zero-emissions couriers van (yes, legends!) and Parcelforce, including free delivery on orders over £90, while this crisis stops you getting to the shops in person. Dunno what to order? The founder gave us the low-down on how to nail buying wine under a tenner.
Restaurants
Spice Box, Walthamstow
Craving a bad-ass vegan curry in North London? The crew at Spice Box in Walthamstow are exclusively offering delivery in North East London (and looking to expand to East London in the coming weeks) If that's your hood, you should def get involved in one of their set tiffin menus - variety is the spice of life, so order here.
Lupins
The girls at the gorgeous Lupins restaurant in London Bridge have set up a new delivery business, calling themselves ‘Women on Wheels’ literally whizzing around London on mopeds delivering healthy hearty meals to their diners. Excellent if all that's left in your local supermarket is tins of spaghetti hoops and ink cartridges. You can find out the deets over here.
Bateaux
Bateaux London’s fleet includes two handsome boats, River Room and Glass Room, specially designed for dining and celebrating on the water. With an experienced captain at the helm, their boats sail daily for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Or at least they will when this all blows over. You can also arrange to hire a room or the whole boat for your event. River views come as standard on every sailing. Maybe now is the time to book your work Christmas party?
Bocca Di Lupo
The crew at Bocca Di Lupo have meal vouchers for you to buy to use at a later date, or you could learn how to cook like Jacob Kennedy and gift yourself the 'Bocca' cookbook. Now's the perfect time to perfect that lasagne recipe. Mamma mia!
Benares, Mayfair
BarChick recently checked out the delicious Street Food bar menu at this swanky Mayfair restaurant, and let us tell you, it's definitely one to add to your must-try list. Got a wedding present to buy? That'd make a lovely treat for any foodie brides or grooms. And btw, there's a special offer on at the mo: enjoy 15% off when purchasing a virtual voucher as well as a complimentary bottle of wine until 15th April - nice one!
The Athenian
That holiday to Mykonos looking a little dicey? No dramas, you can enjoy a taste of Greece with the new delivery service from this Greek street food concept. They're famous for their souvlaki, and they're on Deliveroo (with a dedicated Deliveroo kitchen down in Battersea - well in, South London) so nows the time to give them a search.
Bala Baya
Bala Baya brings the essence of Tel Aviv to Bankside’s Union Street Arches, and now to your home. Ace. They're expanding their reach of office deliveries now offering home deliveries to any London location in reach via Uber. That's basically ALL of London. Delivery is free of charge for orders above £100 (feast time!) and they are also planning to become available on Deliveroo. Bonus: Every delivery order above £40 will also be treated with a complimentary hummus and home-baked pitta bread. Yum.
The Cinnamon Collection
This one covers London & Oxford - You might be craving the taste of contemporary Indian cuisine by the end of this, so a voucher for one of the restaurants in this collection with food by chef Vivek Singh will mean you'll be one step closer to it. And bonus: If you purchase a £50 gift card you'll receive one for the value of £75, valid from 20th March – 20th April.
Bōkan
Got an anniversary to celebrate later in the year? Buy a voucher for Bōkan, the destination Restaurant, Bar and Rooftop Terrace in Canary Wharf, and you'll be in their good books for another year. You'll also be able to snap a really cute couple's selfie with the city in the back drop. Nice.
Sky Garden
Another special occasion venue that'll be a dream gift for anyone. I mean, who's not gonna love a bit of dinner with a view, right? And the grub up here is tops. You can buy these vouchers which can be spent in any of the dining venues up there, or even the bars. Booze with views? It's always a yes from us.
The Cheese Truck
The curd nerds are setting up delivery of all things cheese so we don’t have to go without our fix of the good stuff. From this week, the team will be on hand to deliver a selection of cheese, charcuterie and wine care packages as well as homemade cheesecakes for those with a sweet tooth. From next week, The Cheese Trucks will be taking to the road to bring DIY cheeseboards and fondue kits to you. They're working on pre-order only. Find out where they're gonna be and how to order over here.
Pasta Evangelists
If you didn't manage to stock up on dried pasta before the hoards went crazy and emptied the shelves, DON'T PANIC. The Pasta Evangelists are still running their nationwide pasta delivery service, and they're looking out for the older generations while doing it (cos they're f*cking great) by offering a special care package developed in partnership with Age UK. £5 from each package sold will be donated to support the charity's amazing work. Each package has three delicious and nutritious recipes cooked in 10 minutes and can be delivered straight to the door of older relatives and friends.
There are hundreds (probably thousands) of bars & restaurants across the country who are following suit and offering their delicious produce for delivery or collection. Go to their websites, social media, give 'em a call (tell them BarChick says hi) and check in with them to see what you can do.
Look out for each other, guys. This industry is incredible and deserves all of your support.