Review: Dinner at Clerkenwell & Social

When I heard that there had been a new cocktail and pizza place open just across from where I work in London I knew I had to try it. Cocktails and pizza some of my favourite things! I went along to see what all the fuss was about with my sister to try out their food and drink and check out the interior. Clerkenwell & Social serves unique house infused cocktails made with home made bitters & syrups and hand-crafted pizzas situated in the heart of Clerkenwell in St John Square. They have a team of mixologists creating all sorts of  fantastical sounding (and looking) drinks from a wide range of mixers unique to the establishment.

On entering the venue my eyes darted all about spotting the quirky interior design. From neon on the walls to books hanging from the ceiling, and not forgetting the stylish succulents displayed in the window. I really like the look and feel of Clerkenwell & Social with it’s wooden furniture and hipster feel. Having found a table I browsed the cocktail and food menus whilst I waited for my sister to arrive. There is a good range of different drinks, most of them twists on classic cocktails with all sorts of interesting ingredients such as tarragon and cinnamon syrups as well as home made Louisiana style bourbon. We were lucky enough to have visited during 2for1 Cocktails Mon-Fri 5pm to 8pm.

For our first drink we tried the ‘Moby Kick’ – coffee flavoured rum, house infused triple sec and espresso shaken with a dash of home made cinnamon syrup. This cocktail was presented simply in a glass with coffee beans on top and was simply delicious. Perfect for any coffee lover! To go with our drinks I went for the ‘foraged spinach’ pizza made with tomato, mozzarella, foraged spinach, black olives, egg & parmesan. My sister went for the ‘Nduja’ pizza – tomato, mozzarella, spicy Nduja sausage & pancetta. The pizzas were of a generous size and we both really enjoyed the thin base and tasty toppings. You can’t beat a egg on a pizza!

We went on to try a number of other cocktails during the night including: ‘Much Ado About Rum’ dark rum infused with tamarind juice with molasses shaken with lemon juice and ice. This cocktail came served in a plant pot and garnished with a sugar cane! We also tried the ‘Pride & Passion’ Martini (vodka, passion fruit, home made vanilla syrup, lemon juice garnished with a passion fruit). I think this was very sweetly presented as the passion fruit on top looked like a little boat!

My far the most theatric cocktail was ‘Love is a smoke’ which I watched being prepared very closely! The cocktail is made with merlot, aperol & campari infused with home made Louisiana style bourbon and infused with smoked apple-wood chips! It was amazing watching the mixologist infuse the smoke into the drink. A real spectacle. I love how this cocktail was served in little goblet style glasses.

My sister and I very much enjoyed the unique atmosphere, cocktails and tasty food and award Clerkenwell & Social 5 out of 5 stars. I look forward to my next visit!

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5stars

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