We visit new cocktail bar Bar Termini Centrale to try their long list of negronis.
Gosh the negronis at Termini Centrale are good.
I mean, yes, you’d expect them to be, given that sister site Bar Termini in Soho is famous for theirs, but the teeny goblets of ruby-hued liquor (part gin, part vermouth, part campari in the most traditional form) are next-level.
They’re pre-mixed, which might sound less glamorous than watching a bartender flair, shake and muddle but actually, the reasoning – to age each version to create different depths of flavour – makes perfect sense.
It means that basically, indulging in several is actually a requirement, because there are eight on the list and trying just one would be, as we all know, short-sighted.
So, multiple negroni drinking justification out of the way, what else do you need to know about Termini Centrale?
Well, as I mentioned before, it’s the second site to the original on Old Compton Street, and while it may be a younger sibling, it’s a larger one.
The intimate dimensions of the first create an atmosphere that’s cosy and convivial, however none of that is lost at Centrale’s more spacious corner spot on Duke Street, opposite Selfridges.
In fact, the dim lighting, low-key decor and dapper waiters in black ties and smart white jackets conjure up that glamorous Italian air for which the original is known just perfectly.
What this site expands on, however, is the food offering, with a pop-up from pasta maestros Fat Tony’s currently in situ.
What that means is that you can match your little drinks with not-so-little plates of pasta, such as a light and delicate tagliarine with crab, chilli, garlic and parsley, or paparedelle with beef shin ragu, a particularly luscious dish featuring unctuous strands of beef intertwined with al dente and perfectly golden pasta.
Oh, and don’t miss the burrata, which is just the kind of oozy, creamy delightfulness that will whet your appetite for a shot of Termini’s home-made limoncello, the often much-maligned liquor that’s elevated to new sweet, citrusy highs by the magic touch of the expert bartenders.
The bar’s location off Oxford Street makes it a handy pit-stop if you’re in town and seeking somewhere calm to regroup, but more than that, it’s a stylish spot that encourages lingering for more than a couple of cocktails, so settle in and let team Termini take care of the rest.
Visit their website here.
By Vicky Smith
The Bon Vivant Journal
If you enjoyed this review of Bar Termini Centrale, read some of our other latest reviews including Callooh Callay, Pizarro, our guide to the best restaurants in Shoreditch and the best cocktail bars in London.
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