Archer Street Bar 3-4 Archer Street Soho

3-4 Archer Street, Soho, London W1D 7AP

            020 7734 3342      

 Tube:

• Piccadilly Circus Tube Station (0.1 km)
• Leicester Square Station (0.4 km
  
  
  

One step makes a huge difference in Soho... And one step into a street that once I would have avoided like the plague is now one I do quite often.

 Archer Street in said Soho has changed beyond all recognition in the last couple of years. Sadly it has lost  the sign to the Charlie Chester ( he was a huge star in the 50's)Casino. The sort of Joint that Diana Dors would have felt right at home in and then the 60's would have found the Krays. Come to think of it Ronnie would rather like Soho as it is today. That loss however has been replaced with a rather swanky street. The first sign of regeneration came along with the restaurant Bocca Di Lupo, which has consistently packed them in from day one. They have since branched out and opened Gelupo Gelateria which has to be the best ice-cream parlour in central London. With the promise of a new Firmdale Hotel at the end of the road to open in 2013 it is up to the new comer Archer Street Bar to keep up the momentum. Just opened and under the same stable as Freedom Bar on Wardour Street and O Bar also on Wardour this is a much more grown up enterprise and has a very slick professional feel to the place. On two floors the upstairs is  very comfortable with a mix of low and high seating and downstairs hidden from public view is where the real party starts. They have a great cocktail list and is run by the perfect host in the name of Kieran Cusker he has done his time in the industry and knows his silverskins. He is backed up by great staff some of whom have a hidden talent, the one on the night I was there, Luke Tracey who had just graduated from The Guildhall went into a perfectly pitched rendition of Neson Dorma. Its that sort of place, the staff entertain but thankfully not in a FAME sort of way, but like its surroundings in a grown up sophisticated sort of a way.

They seat you and then bring a small plate of cheese to accompany the drinks that you will order, having re-found the Negroni I ordered one whilst I was waiting for my friend and it was up there with the best of them, Friend arrives, orders Campari and Orange, then I go for a V and T and he has a Swedish cider. Cheese plate now gone and me on the way there, we leave the last choice to the singing waiter. This turns out to be the best of the night the Chili Passion Fruit Martini, which in a very good way blows your head off.

They have managed to make a bar that brings in a cross section of ages who all seemed to be having as good a time as I was and with the run up to Christmas I am sure I will be going again but I will also look forward to going in the New Year when everything is on a slightly slower pace, and have a couple of the Chili Passion fruit Martinis to herald in the New Year. So Kieran and Luke many many thanks and hopefully see you soon.