Rotunda Bar and Restaurant, nestled in the vibrant heart of King’s Cross, has now opened its re-invigorated terrace space in partnership with Whitley Neill Gin. As the temperatures hopefully start to rise, Rotunda’s alfresco haven has been transformed into a foliage-filled oasis alongside the Regents Canal.
Embracing the essence of sustainability, Rotunda’s summer terrace is a celebration of the best of British summertime with a festival feel. Inviting guests to celebrate summer without the air miles, the terrace includes lawn games, a horsebox bar and a soon to be announced summer series of live music sessions. Whether it’s post-work drinks, dinner, intimate gatherings or larger events, Rotunda’s alfresco space is set to be a go-to destination this summer, without it costing guests their carbon footprint.
Drinks and bar:
Partnering with Whitley Neill Gin, a proud London distillery, Rotunda’s outdoor and indoor bars serves up a wide selection of drinks including a full selection of both flavoured and traditional gins, off-the-beaten track wines and all draught beers with a price-tag of under £6.
The stars of the show, however are the cocktails – Rotunda’s bar team have crafted a line-up of cocktails that lead the charge in mixing innovation and sustainability. Much of the menu recycles and revives ingredients that would otherwise go to waste, from banana syrup sourced from surplus event supplies to utilising tops and tails of vegetables and fruits deemed imperfect, Rotunda champions a zero-waste ethos without compromising on taste.
Those sure to be a hit this simmer include ‘Apple and Rhubarb Last Word Whitley Neill Distiller’s Cut Gin, Akashi Tai plum sake liqueur, Green Chartreuse, apple and rhubarb oleo sacrum, lemon juice’ and ‘Blood Orange and Elderflower Spritz Whitley Neill blood orange gin, St. Germaine elderflower liqueur, blood orange purée, lime, cutting board syrup, Prosecco, orange sugar’ low and no alcohol cocktails feature too, including ‘Rhubarb, Ginger and Goosberry Fizz Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger, gooseberry and lemon zest syrup, agave, lemon, elderflower soda, gooseberries’
To make the most of the guilt-free cocktails, book the bottomless cocktail offer available with any brunch, main or roast at the weekend. Enjoy free flowing ‘Blood Orange and Elderflower Spritz’ and ‘Vanilla, Basil and Kumquat Iced Tea’ for £25 for 1.5 hours. A bottomless house wine, prosecco and Aperol Spritz option is also available for £20.
Food and dining:
Homegrown talent are the headline acts across the food and drink menus, with provenance and seasonality taking centre stage.
Championing a gate to plate ethos, most notably with all beef and lamb be sourced exclusively from their own farm located in Matfen, Northumberland, Rotunda’s menu embraces both provenance and seasonality with a focus on minimising food waste and supporting local suppliers.
The beef and lamb served is also hung and butchered on-site in King’s Cross, meaning steaks and sharing cuts are a highlight of the menu. The season’s guest dishes also include starters of ‘Chargrilled English asparagus, black garlic emulsion, focaccia crumb’ ‘London Smoke & Cure smoked salmon, boxty potato, crème fraîche’ and main acts of ‘Chicken schnitzel, seasonal slaw, walnut pickle’ and ‘Smoked aubergine, harissa, pearl couscous, cashew and turmeric cream’.
Summer parties:
Rotunda also offers a choice of enviable spaces for private events, providing the perfect backdrop for birthdays, corporate events, and everything in between, from intimate gatherings in the private dining room to exclusive hires of up to 250 guests.
Groups of 18 people or more can choose from the BBQ & Grill menus. Rotunda’s ‘Acoustic Menu’ features Corneyside Farm beef and Harissa grilled cauliflower steak; and the Melody Menu includes dishes such as Texel Lamb leg steak with a mint and chilli glaze, and Cornish monkfish tail with scallops and a black bean sauce all served with salads and sides. Cocktail packages and a DIY gin station also offer great additions to a summer celebration.