Drinking at the World’s Best Bar

The Artesian Bar at the Langham Hotel
The Artesian Bar sits in a little corner of the Langham Hotel, London at  1C Portland Pl, Marylebone, London W1B 1JA .
For the uninitiated, this cocktail bar has been dubbed the “World’s best bar” four times in a row by Drinks International Magazine. The team has moved drinks away from the humdrum cocktail experience into a innovative gourmet experience.
However, following the departure of some team members this rank has plummeted to number 54 on the list, according to this list. I can’t say I know any of the team members or management team who worked there before. Also, I didn’t experience the service until recently visiting the Artesian, so I have nothing to compare this visit with, but I thought this would be interesting to note.
I’m writing an honest review on my personal experience of their perception menu and the service provided by the staff that I met with on that day. It’s a cosy, dimly-lit environment, making it perfect for date nights or catching up with friends. Highly recommended as a venue for business meetings or special occasions because the design of the bar is gorgeous.

We made a booking for the early evening and were seated straight away at a lovely table next to the window. Within less than a few minutes we received bar snacks consisting of a mixture of sweetened nuts and lightly salted crisps, as well as two glasses of still water. We were off to a great start, as I expected from a place of this calibre. We had a look through the classics and perception menu and decided to try a gin-based cocktail and a rum-based cocktail from the perception menu. I wasn’t interested in the wine list as I wanted to see what all the fuss was about with their cocktails considering this bar has been so successful.

I enjoy seeing different glassware and mixology concepts so I enjoyed the presentation of the cocktails that I saw around the room. If you’re not a fan of the outrageous and absurd, you are not going to enjoy the cocktails on the perception menu. You are probably best to stay on the classics menu or ask the bartender to create a tipple for you based on the spirit or flavours you enjoy.

The bartender who served us (Sammy and I) was Jacopo. He’s extremely friendly and presented the cocktails in a thoughtful and fun way. We received a tasty welcome cocktail when we first arrived. This was a delicious way to neutralise the palate and make the next drinks taste better.

The ‘Cocoon’ cocktail is aptly named and presented in a butterfly box and the ‘Mind your step’ cocktail is presented in what appears to be a broken martini glass with candy shards.

The service is fast at the beginning and then slows down after you receive your first round. The staff are not overbearing and constantly approaching your table which is pleasant. However, asking for the bill appeared to be a small challenge as we attempted asking for it multiple times from different floor staff. As with most places, I would recommend making a booking so you can be seated at a table and not be waiting at the bar.
The Artesian is the perfect platform for bartenders to play around with their service and really hone in on their art.

If you enjoy trying innovative cocktails or you’ve got the expense account to justify the pricing, this place is perfect for your night, whether it’s ranked #1 or #54 in the world. The ambience is lovely and the cocktails are delicious. I’m excited to see what is next for the Artesian bar with their new management dream team (Remy Savage and Anna Sebastian) and the launch of a new menu.