BAR: Elementary

Come out of Old Street station, pass Serata Hall, cross the road and walk 50 yards, and you'll come to one of the best bars in the world, according to Perrior and the 50 Best Bars list. To be more precise, you'll come to the second best bar in the world for 2023, after Pardiso in Barcelona. Big talk, but can it do the walk?

Tayer + Elementary is not one bar but two; Elementary is the street-side bar that has a considerable range of classic and seasonal cocktails on-tap, along with beer and street food on offer, while Tayer is the back-room bar focused on experimentation, an approach to drink-making that can be likened to Michelin fine dining. 

I ambled into Elementary during the Easter holidays, soaking in the late afternoon sun streaming in through the windows, the industrial decor and the buzz that comes with stepping into such a storied establishment. Complimentary water was offered while I perused the menu, along with salty pretzels that I lapped up between sips.

My first drink was one of the seasonal offerings, the apple whey sour. Crisp, fresh and - of course - sour, this really hit the spot.

I followed up with the Elementary frozen coffee, a boozy slushie that required no additional ice cube. The coffee hit perked me up nicely, though it wasn't my favourite; it didn't really have much depth past boozy coffee.

And to finish up - because I was now well on my way to being pished, lightweight that I am - I had the signature cherry whisky sour. Sumptuous, smoky and tangy, there's a reason why this is a permanent fixture.

There are two things - other than the wonderful flavours - that I enjoy about Elementary: the first is how fast service is. As all the cocktails are effectively on-tap (pre-batched), expect your cocktail to come in under a minute from ordering. The second is how the cocktails are presented in a uniform fashion, with each arriving in identical glasses, most of the time with a big chunk of ice to accompany. This presentation puts the focus on the liquids, which - from two that I had - are eminently tasty and worth ordering in multiples.

Elementary is a great bar to wander into for a few drinks, and then not leave because you realize you're having too much fun going over the menu. I am definitely looking forward to coming back to see what Tayer has to offer.