With a refreshed Latin American-inspired menu and the return of its iconic cocktails, former Clerkenwell stalwart Oriole is back, this time in Covent Garden.
After the original Oriole was forced to close down in 2022 due to the redevelopment of Smithfield Market, the cult favourite speakeasy finds a new home in The Yards, following its successful pop-up Prelude by Oriole a few doors down.
The new Oriole offers ‘the same, but different’, with memorable cocktails from the original bar making a reappearance, such as the PBJ sandwich-inspired ‘Acadia’ whisky sour, but in an environment of elevated cuisine. Unlike in its former location, this time Oriole will have two distinct spaces: the Bamboo Bar, which offers artisanal cocktails on draught and small plates, and the Restaurant, serving Oriole signature cocktails alongside a new food menu developed by Argentine head chef Gustavo Giallionardo.
The revamped menu focuses on nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian), Argentine-Italian, and other Latin American fusion cuisines - look out for beef tartare sando, tiradito (a fusion variant on traditional Peruvian ceviche) served with kimchi and aguachile, or delica pumpkin cooked in green curry ice cream. This approach is reflected in the cocktail menu, which bills itself as 'the fruits of exile, empire and exploration', and includes the Mizuwari (which boasts chocolate miso as a key flavour) and an Old Fashioned made with Sri Lankan arrack.
Aptly for its West End location, Oriole also offers a varied pre- and post-theatre menu, priced competitively at £30 a head. Like its original iteration, it will also play host to a range of jazz, world music, and cabaret, and offers an elevated ‘dinner and a show’ booking option during peak hours.
Oriole has made a welcome return to form, and promises that its customarily innovative approach to fusion cuisine and experimental cocktails will continue.