MARTINIS AT THE DUKES HOTEL BAR

Photo by Peter J. Cooper

The first time I visited the Dukes Hotel Bar in London was before social media existed. I had friends from L.A. who shared my love of martinis – and we happened to be in London at the same time. It was my friends who suggested we meet at the Dukes Hotel Bar, which was unfamiliar to me, and I’m thankful we did. That first visit was the beginning of my tradition of visiting the hotel bar whilst in London for what I deem the world’s best martini.

There’s been a trend throughout the world during the past several years to create speakeasy-style bars, with the variable being just how creative you can be when it comes to hiding the entrance to a more-or-less upscale cocktail bar. But nothing compares to the Dukes Hotel discreetly tucked away in a dead-end almost invisible alley called St. James Place. You’re not going to find this place unless you’re looking for it, which Londoners have been doing since 1908. But thanks to social media and the influencers who love style and all things hand-crafted, martini lovers have discovered the Dukes Hotel Bar and their talented white-jacketed, white-gloved servers who never fail at crafting the perfect martini, giving this iconic bar the recognition it so richly deserves.

The barroom itself is not a large place. It’s essentially a couple of rooms beautifully decorated comfortably in traditional London club-room style with dark blue velvet club chairs and mahogany tables. The actual bar is maybe 8 feet long – and it’s not meant for seating guests, instead it’s more of a prep station for the bar carts that make their rounds from table to table. There’s nothing particularly ornate about the bar carts – just classic mahogany carts with three shelves, on wheels.  On top you’ll find frozen bottles of gin and vodka, a bowl of citrus fruits, and bar essentials for the craftsmen to do their work.

Though I don’t know for certain, if I were sitting next to Ian Fleming back in the late 1950s, I’d imagine the Dukes Hotel Bar would look relatively the same as it does today. And one could assume the bartenders crafted their drinks tableside the same way throughout the decades – rhythmically pouring the vermouth and gin into a martini glass, and then carving a peel from a fresh lemon, perfectly squeezing it on the surface of the drink and around the rim, and then gently sliding it into the martini. Knowing Fleming frequented the Dukes Hotel Bar to enjoy their vesper martini, it’s no wonder the experience profoundly influenced the intricate details of his brilliant character James Bond. And the world owes the Dukes Hotel Bar a debt of gratitude for it. Cheers. PJC