For years, Covent Garden was a tourist trap known for chain restaurants and mediocre pub fare. However, in recent years, this central London enclave has reinvented itself as a foodie hotspot, home to chef Jackson Boxer’s Henri, the revamped Savoy Grill, and now, the Latin-inspired cocktail bar and restaurant, Oriole. Let’s take a look at the bar design of this incredible new hotspot!
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Located on Slingsby Place within The Yards, Covent Garden, Oriole is the brainchild of the team behind the beloved cocktail bar Nightjar and Bar Swift. Designed by local firm Daytrip, led by Emily Potter and Iwan Halsted, this is the second permanent iteration of Oriole.
The studio, having previously designed Nightjar and the first Oriole outpost at Smithfield Market, has honed an intimate speakeasy vibe in the downstairs space. This space offers an Argentine and Nikkei-inspired à la carte menu by chef director Gustavo Giallonardo, paired with intriguing cocktails.
Flavors include Hamachi tiradito with kimchi Aguachile, chicken with soft arepa, mushrooms, and mole velouté, sea trout with Torrontés beurre blanc, trout roe, and daikon fondant, and coconut tres leches with fig leaf sauce and coconut sorbet. To accompany these dishes, Bar Director Samet Ali has developed a cocktail menu inspired by Oriole’s migratory namesake. Signature drinks include the Finca Filadelfia, a complex espresso martini with Eminente 7-year-old rum, Del Maguey Vida mezcal, cascara vermouth, chamomile liqueur, espresso, and coconut horchata foam. Another standout is the Rio Verde, a tequila punch with tamarillo purée, peach aperitif, and watermelon.
Oriole’s interiors continue the explorer vibe: leafy green leather banquettes are set against a backdrop of hand-painted wallpaper depicting South American landscapes with banana trees and palms. A golden amber tone suffuses the space, from the recessed lighting in the coffered ceilings to the rich tones of the wooden bar stools, tables, and chairs. Glass shelving displays exotic objects and curios, such as carved toucan heads and sculptural fish, while tables are oriented towards a small stage where a band performs nightly.
Upstairs, Bamboo Bar offers a light and airy contrast to the lounge. Large windows and a tall, aqua-painted ceiling create an open and inviting space. The color palette draws inspiration from Argentina, with a turquoise bar made from Brazilian quartzite taking center stage. Small wooden tables and burgundy booths fill the interior, and the checkerboard tiling offers a casual and relaxed atmosphere compared to the parquet flooring downstairs.
Bamboo Bar offers a selection of aperitivo cocktails, such as the Odyssey (Don Julio Blanco tequila, pickled pink ginger, Lillet rosé, and timur berry soda) and Chincha Alta (Ketel One vodka, moscatel pisco, apple marigold, absinthe, champagne), along with a selection of small bites.
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