I have fond memories of the London Ice Bar after a visit to the bar in 2013 with Laura for a Benefit event (best.event.ever), where we spent the afternoon in london, had a classy dinner at Pizza Express, then got a little merry at the Benefit event in the Ice Bar! However, seeing as the London Ice Bar design changes every 12 months or so, I thought it was time I paid another visit, and this time I dragged my dad along with me on a little touristy adventure, where we went to The Shard (post here in the morning and checked out the Ice Bar in the afternoon – perfect day out eh?!
The London Ice Bar is kept at -5c, (which is why I recommend you don’t wear sandals like I did, idiot), and is completely transformed with a new design and theme every September. The bar is also built and sculpted with ice imported from the Torne River in North Sweden, a source of which has long been highly regarded for its unique purity. The design which I saw featured an amazing ice van, which is the bar, as well as ice sculptures of a pineapple and a cupcake, two of my most fave things ever! However the recent makeover includes a rock theme and has incredible features including rocktastic Ice Skull sculptures, a bar decorated in punk rock Ice Studs and an amazing life-sized Rock Icon artwork by acclaimed graphic designer Joey Hifi, it looks and sounds amazing!
We arrived at the bar in plenty of time before our slot at 4:15, which meant we had time to nose about inside the normal warm bar, and to try a few of their cocktails. I went for a Suicide Blonde, which was a delicious cocktail consisting of Absolute vodka, fresh lime, elderflower cordial and Prosecco, delicious! My dad went for the El Salvador, which he enjoyed but let’s say it wasn’t for me. By the time we had finished our cocktails and had a chat with Tom, head of sales and marketing, it was our time to enter the Ice Bar! We were really well looked after and after we had popped on our thermal blue ponchos and mittens, it was time to go inside. When you step inside, the bar itself is pretty breathtaking and the combination of music, lights, the ice and of course the drinks, makes the experience so unique and fun. The novelty doesn’t stop there, as the drinks are served in glasses made out of ice. My dad din’t believe me so even took a nibble of one, although I wouldn’t recommend you do that! The cocktail menu inside the Ice Bar is different to the menu you find inside the ‘warm bar’, which again adds to the novelty. After I ummed and ahhed for a while about which cocktails to try, I opted for the Tropical Sensation, Absolut Blue Vodka, Blueberry Liqueur, Tropical Fruit Juice, Lemon Juice, Strawberry Syrup, followed by the Pineapple Express, which was my favourite of the two, and consisted of Havana Club Especial Rum, Apricot Brandy Liqeur, Cherry Brandy Liquer, Pineapple Juice, Lemon Juice and Sugar Syrup, yum.
Each slot in the Ice Bar is 40 minutes long, but we wimped out and lasted around 30 minutes or so as I thought my toes were turning black, they weren’t – I just had managed to get something on my toe, drama queen. Thanks to the London Ice Bar for having us, and make sure you pop in for a visit, as for £13.50 (when booked online in advance), you get entry to the Ice Bar for 40 minutes and a cocktail, which is a really good deal for such a fun and novel experience that I would definitely do again!
Have any of you been to the Ice Bar in London, or anywhere else in the world, what did you think?