Right in the middle of London’s West End, the Good Godfrey’s bar in the Waldorf Hilton hotel is bustling with the pre-theatre crowds enjoying cocktails on a school-night Tuesday.
Luckily there’s a table reserved for us and the smiling waiter is right here with the menus happy to explain and advise about the signature and classic cocktails.
The Waldorf hotel was one of the first to host the scandalous Tango Teas to teach Londoners the Argentinean moves, but in 1926 dancing became even more popular when handsome young band leader Howard Godfrey became a household name – Good Godfrey’s bar is named after him.
Howard Godfrey and the Waldorfians staged the Best Show in Town and made hundreds of radio appearances and records, always in fierce competition with The Savoy as to who would sell the most albums.
Good Godfrey’s is decorated with beautiful art deco chandeliers, large antiqued mirrors and plush armchairs. The marble, chrome and granite bar is illuminated by clever lighting and grey, brown, gold and burgundy colours help to recreate the stylish splendour of the 1920s.
The original listed wood panelling is preserved and the decorative wallpaper was added to the ceiling.
I love any cocktail that contains champagne, so to start my evening and to give tribute to London’s theatre-land I ordered The Gaiety Girls – Calvados, green tea and vanilla syrup, lemon and apple juice, topped with Champagne (£14).
My companion Emyr adores Martinis, so he chose one of the ‘Luxury’ cocktails, Waldrof-Tini – a Martini made either with Tanqueray No.10 and grapefruit bitters or Grey Goose Vodka with ginger bitters and Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth.
It is stirred in a golden shaker and garnished with edible gold (£17). Emyr went for gin, and when I tried his cocktail I thought it was one of the strongest I had ever tasted.
Luckily, it came with a glass of water. Emyr really liked the slight tint of grapefruit and I was charmed with the refreshing taste of my Gaiety Girls.
The drinks list at Good Godfrey’s was created by award winning mixologist Nelson Bernardes and the maestro himself came to say hello to us.
One of his cocktails, “1908” refers to the opening of the Waldorf hotel in London the same year. Nelson explained that it is based on the classic Bronx cocktail, created in the Waldorf Astoria in New York.
“1908” is another “Luxury” treat and I was seduced by the intoxicating blend of Oxley gin, sweet and dry Vermouth, Mandarine Napoleon and orange bitters (£19).
Emyr ordered one of the signature cocktails, the Refined Madam. Nelson informed us, that during the 1800s Londoners drank badly made gin known as ‘Madam Geneva’. T
oday he is using premium Tanqueray No.10 as well as rose liqueur, fresh lime juice, the Waldorf ’s cardamom syrup and lavender bitters to create a much more Refined Madam (£12.00).
We had to leave for our dinner reservation, but next time I’ll definitely order another signature cocktail, The Astor Hip Flask (£15.00). It is named after William Waldorf Astor (the owner of the Waldorf Astoria in NY and an investor in the Waldorf in London) and is presented in a real hip flask, rather like William’s. The bourbon based cocktail is mixed with secret ingredients, aged in a small barrel and I’m sure it will be worth the wait.
For further details or for reservations, please contact your concierge.
Website: www.waldorfhilton.co.uk
Address: The Waldorf Hilton, London Aldwych, WC2B 4DD
Phone: 020 7836 2400
Opening Times: Until 2am all week; 12am on Sundays
You may enjoy reading our guide to the best cocktail bars in London.
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