The Refectory Bar

Best damn martini I ever had (and I’ve had a «few»).
Naturally, the Plymouth gin helps. BUT…
The bartender showed me how he makes a dry and medium martini including the different proportions. Simple, huh?
What I found amazing was the quality was repeated from drink to drink. Not often are bartenders that precise (The only place I’ve seen that standard was in Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel «Frank Lloyd Wright» lounge).
In Plymouth, treat yourself to a work of art in the Refectory Bar in the form of a perfect martoonie, mixed and served in wonderful surroundings by «PhD mixologists».

Ahh, it’s nice to find a good classic cocktail bar. No appletinis here — based at the home of Plymouth Gin, they have a long menu of classic drinks, some twists on the classics, and quite a few original concoctions that won’t knock you over with sweetness. Bartenders are happy to recommend drinks to suit your tastes and freshly zested and juiced citrus fruits adorn the ends of the bar. The Plymouth Gin Distillery used to be Blackfriars Distillery which in turn was a monastery with the oldest parts built in the 1400s, and the Refectory Bar still shows this — high vaulted ceilings with massive timber beams and stone walls, contrasting with a modern classic bar and comfortable sofas with low tables for lounging. Going on weeknights around 6:30 or 7 for a pre-​dinner drink, it’s never been very busy, and Friday and Saturday nights are reserved for «members» — those who visit enough on weeknights to earn themselves a member card. Challenge accepted!