Paramount (permanently closed)

Address: 101-103 New Oxford Street, Soho, London, WC1A 1DD, United Kingdom

Door: Make reservation
Style: Cocktail bar
Food: Set menu
Established: 2010

Whilst a few rivals have recently opened, including the likes of Sushi Samba and Aqua Shard, Paramount remains a great destination for cocktails with a view. The guest list here is mandatory so opting for a casual drink in the evening doesn't work. Instead call ahead for a reservation.

A wrap around copper bar is the focal point of the venue - if you're not too busy gazing out the windows at the panoramic London vista. There's scattered furniture, which used to have a more art-deco twist but to be honest not much decoration is needed.

The drink menu is divided up between champagne cocktails, Martinis and long and short drinks. We tried a Dickinson Negroni; Auchentoshan 3 Wood, Antica formula, Campari and Pedro Ximenez sherry; and a Brera's Margarita; Excelia reposado tequila, Ramazzotti, Agave syrup, lime juice. Both were well-balanced sipping drinks with plenty of flavour.

Service improved dramatically once the evening moved past 8pm and the space emptied out just enough so there was room to move. Still a bar to see and be seen in as well as the obligatory tourists, we found Paramount to be largely unchanged and there was certainly not much wrong with it before.