Ding dong! The bar inside the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, next to Marcus Wareing’s Gilbert Scott restaurant, is looking good. They’ve changed its name and tweaked the decor, adding jade-coloured leather, red lamps and a clutch of bushy trees. This is one of those occasions where subtle is better – this was already a jaw-dropping, tall-ceilinged room with gold accents galore and some giant church bells up on high.
To match the shift in style, a new menu is in play. The Bee Keeper, using honey from Wareing’s new Kent farm, was a sweet floral number with a bit too much going on from lavender-infused and sloe gins, plus notes of hibiscus and elderflower. Around the room, guests sipped on lurid-looking cocktails that didn’t really match the luxe setting. And if you want to stick to sparkling wine to suit surroundings, some delicious English options start at a galling £15 a glass.
The bar snacks are possibly the best thing about George’s Bar, such as the gooey gruyère croquettes. Triple-cooked chips even came with a fancy hollandaise mousse on the side.
Staff were a bit more abrupt than we’d have liked for the price tag, so don’t ring out the bells about this bar just yet. But if you’re in the area and in need of a secluded drink, this glamorous setting is as ap-pealing as ever.