Little Mercies

"The Sips: 4-5 The Price: £6 We like Little Mercies’ way of thinking. The mini drinks at the Crouch End bar come under a section of the menu called, “What to drink when you are still thinking about what to drink”. The oyster martini, made with vodka which has been infused with oysters. It’s more briny than fishy. We were advised to drink it fast so it stays bone-chillingly cold—as it should be. Just know this is approaching a full-sized drink, which makes it great-value, but you may need a focaccia chaser if you’re knocking it back quickly." - daisy meager

"We like Little Mercies’ way of thinking. The Crouch End bar has a mini drinks section of the menu called, “What to drink when you are still thinking about what to drink”. The mini oyster martini is bone-chillingly cold, with vodka which has been infused with oyster meat. It tastes briny rather than fishy. It sums up the creative nature of the neighbourhood spot, where staff are more than happy to get geeky with you about their specials, or just make you a really great classic. Come later in the week when the hustle and bustle of the classy bar—all exposed brick and deep-blue banquettes and stools—picks up, drawing out locals who’ve clocked off early on a Friday, and couples settling in for Saturday date night with a few decent European small plates. photo credit: Alan Frost photo credit: Alan Frost photo credit: Alan Frost" - Daisy Meager

"Crouch End’s best bar, which has always punched well above its weight, is delivering its bottled cocktails, wines, and other goods around the country. Prices start at £22.50 for a 500ml bottle of bespoke cocktail, including a strawberry cake Sazerac and its iteration of the classic penicillin." - Anna Sulan Masing, Emma Hughes

"The drinks at this Crouch End favourite are named unassumingly, with serves including “Peach + Hops” and “Grapefruit + Bitters.” Reading the menu a little more closely, it becomes clear how much thought goes into creating something so simple. The Peach + Hops combines fermented peach with hops and the clever addition of petitgrain, an essential oil from the bitter orange tree which brings a lovely perfumery aroma to the drink. There’s even a house alcohol-free “gin,” made because the bar team found those on the market simply “never tasted like gin.” Instead, the bartenders created a sugar syrup that did the job of gin without the booze, combining juniper and coriander seed oils, with some lemon, lemongrass, and a few highly concentrated bitter infusions. Sugar and citric acid provide stability, and the spirit now anchors the bar’s non- and low-alcohol offering." - Anna Sulan Masing