Southsider Cocktail Club (Closed)

Address: 56 Battersea Rise, London, SW11 1EG, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7223 4217
Door: Open door
Style: Cocktail bar
Food: Bar Snacks

Review

This neighbourhood bar is a sister site to 64th & Social in nearby Clapham High Street and adds to a number of good cocktail bars on Battersea Rise - including Bentley Bar at Entree restaurant at one end past Dime Bar to Be At One at the other. A rough wooden shop-front gives way to a low-lit New York loft-inspired space with bare brick walls, cosy booths, high-backed chairs and street art, and a soundtrack that moves from Motown to scratchy jazz.

A menu of twisted classics is heavy on the house-made, from infusions (popcorn-Bacardi, beef jerky-Gentleman Jack, peppercorn-sherry), to shrubs (pineapple), vermouth (blueberry and raspberry & rose) as well as own label ginger beer, cider, caramels and syrups. Trendy smokes, dehydrated meats and fruits, atomisations, edible flowers and flavoured ice and even meringues tick all the boxes for 21st century creativity. Don't worry, they're not all in the same drink. In fact, we found the range - from the Harry Potter-inspired Asahi, honey vodka and pop-corn rum Butter Beer to a beef jerky-flavoured Bloody Mary that doesn't pull any punches - well-balanced and the ingredients handled sensitively.

A locals place that proves you don't have to be in zone 1 to be at the cutting edge.