Meat Liquor (permanently closed)

Address: 74 Welbeck Street, Corner Henrietta & Welbeck Streets, London, W1G 0BA, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7224 4239
Website: view Meat Liquor’s website

Style: Restaurant bar
Food: Set menu

Punk meets burger joint meets high-end cocktail bar meets dive bar. That pretty much sums up the graffiti-ridden Meat Liquor, a restaurant and bar put together by a bunch of very experienced operators. To be successful you should stand out by offering something unique. They have and it is.

Located in the basement of a brutalist car park just off Oxford Street, what was once a swanky Italian restaurant now boasts black and red spray-painted walls that give this place a perestroika feel. A laid-back crowd queues out of the door (no reservations) so get there early. 'Insurgent country' music plays in the background - yes, apparently that is a category. The atmosphere is lively, relaxed, fun.

Seating is communal, so grab yourself a spot and wait for the attentive service or perhaps head straight to the bar where a butler sink housing block ice is a sign of great cocktails (the list is by Soulshakers). Be sure try a Cyder Car (a Sidecar extended with West Country Cider), perhaps the Full English Martini (a gin Martini with accompanying quail's egg and Frazzles-covered Scotch Egg) or a Dry Daiquiri (boasting Campari and the merest dribble of passion fruit), all at a reasonable £6 or £7, well executed, no nonsense-like.

There's a House Grog (limited to two serves per person), one lager and one 'Yank beer', and a smattering of wines.

Food is from 'guerrilla dining' (ie pop-up) concept Meateasy, which is famous for its burgers. Maybe you can brave the 'triple chilli challenge'. Whatever you do, leave room for the bourbon ice-cream. North of Oxford Street needed something good and this is it.