One Aldwych is a luxury hotel in Covent Garden with a private collection of contemporary art and sculptures that informs the Gallery Menu served in the Lobby Bar. The menu pairs selected artworks with bespoke cocktails rather than using literal interpretations. After artwork selection, the bar team studies color, texture, and the feelings each piece evokes. Cocktail design then follows, using hues as ingredient cues, expressing balance through acidity or sweetness, and suggesting narrative through glassware and garnish. The Gallery Menu began in 2023 for the hotel’s 25th anniversary, aiming to connect the bar naturally to the hotel’s artistic identity and invite guests to experience art and drinks together.
"“The menu is a series of drinks that respond to the collection in a considered way. It’s less a literal interpretation and more a translation of mood and character into something to be experienced.”"
"“Once a selection of artwork is chosen, the bar team spends time with each piece, looking at color and texture and the feeling it evokes. From there, cocktails take shape. A hue might find its way into an ingredient, a sense of balance might be expressed through acidity or sweetness, or a narrative might be suggested through the choice of glassware or garnish.”"
"“The collection has been evolving since the hotel opened in 1998, with several pieces part of the story from the very beginning. This collection quietly informs the drinks list.”"
"“The idea was simple: to bring the bar closer to the hotel’s artistic identity in a way that felt natural rather than imposed. By pairing selected artworks with bespoke cocktails, the menu invites a quieter kind of interaction where guests can experience both in tandem.”"
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