The 18th Amendment Bar

Prohibition in the US reigned more than 100 years ago. But after all these years, the secretive speakeasies that defined the era still capture our imaginations. At their best, prohibition bars are moody, intimate and old fashioned in all the right ways, and committed to the art of mixing drinks. The 18th Amendment Bar, named after the 1919 law that criminalised alcohol in the US, ticks all these boxes.

Owner Gorge Camorra (who also owns Manhattan Bar and Non Disclosure) employs plenty of classic ’20s touches. The hidden upstairs space is scored by boisterous jazz, and decorated with vintage cocktail shakers. The drink names have period-appropriate references.

But the cocktails aren’t trapped in time. Most are original creations that blend classic spirits with contemporary flavours and ingredients. There’s the Bonnie and Clyde, a crowd favourite mix of vodka, passionfruit puree and coconut syrup topped with a foamy, whiskey sour-like head. The Boardwalk Empress is a smoky tequila-spiked cocktail jazzed up with ginger and cucumber that comes served in a smoking treasure chest. There are barrel-aged cocktails, including classics like the Negroni and Old Fashioned. The pick of the bunch is the decidedly modern Salted Caramel Tequila Old Fashioned, boosted with sweet-and-salty caramel and chocolate bitters.

18th Amendment also has an extensive collection of local and international spirits, with a focus on whiskies and gins, plus bottled beer and a small wine list that includes a prosecco made just for the bar. There’s a small menu of bar snacks; think baked brie, or cheese and charcuterie platters.