The South West Eleven Review: A Pub That Spells Out Its Postcode | A Battersea pub flying the plainest and most local name imaginable – its own postcode, SW11, spelled proudly out in full
Lockes Bar Review: The Warm Name and the Great Philosopher | Lockes is a friendly surname – carrying, for those who know, an echo of John Locke, one of the founders of modern liberty
La Bodega Review: A Spanish Cellar in Battersea | A small, well-scored Spanish wine bar flying a word that means cellar, wine shop and neighbourhood store all at once
Merhaba Review: The Warm Turkish Word of Welcome | ‘Merhaba’ means ‘hello’ and ‘welcome’ in Turkish – a warm greeting that makes a perfect name for a hospitable bar
The Monkey Bar Review: The Clever, Mischievous, Playful Beast | The monkey is one of the most characterful of animals – clever, mischievous, playful – and ‘monkeying around’ is pure fun
Voodoo Bar Review: The Misunderstood Religion of the African Diaspora | Voodoo is a real and serious religion, born of African faith and the trauma of slavery – far richer than its spooky pop-culture image
Bar Marino Review: The Warm Italian Bar of the Sea | ‘Marino’ means ‘of the sea’ in Italian – a warm, sunny name evoking the Italian coast and the culture of the Italian bar
Laryn Cafe Bar Review: The Modern Name and the Day-to-Night Cafe | A short modern coined name, and the appealing model of the cafe-bar that carries you from morning coffee to evening drinks
Hawkins Forge Review: The Blacksmith’s Fire in a Name | A ‘forge’ is the blacksmith’s fiery workshop – and ‘Hawkins’ a solid old surname, together evoking craft, fire and honest work
La Bodega Review: The Spanish Cellar and the Heart of the Wine | ‘La bodega’ is the Spanish wine cellar, warehouse and wine bar all in one – the deep, cool heart of Spanish wine culture
Blame Gloria Review: The Cheeky Name and the Spirit of Glory | A fun, cheeky, characterful cocktail bar name – playing on excuses, glory, and the great disco anthem
Behind Bar Review: The Clever Play on the Bartender’s Domain | ‘Behind bar’ is where the bartender works their craft – a witty, knowing name that puts the art of the bar front and centre
Bar Social Review: The Word at the Heart of Every Good Bar | ‘Social’ names the very essence of the bar – the human need to gather, connect, and be in company
Amiga Review: The Warm Spanish Word for Friend | ‘Amiga’ means friend – one of the warmest and most welcoming words there is, fitting for a lively Mexican restaurant and bar
Humble Grape Review: The Modest Fruit Behind All the Glory of Wine | All the glory and complexity of wine begins with the humble grape – a lovely, self-effacing name for a wine bar
The Clapham Grand Review: The 1900 Palace of Varieties | A magnificent 1900 music hall built by the stars of variety – Dan Leno’s palace, later a cinema, a bingo hall, and now a great live venue
Althorp Review: The 500-Year Seat of Diana’s Family | Named for the ancestral home of the Spencer family – childhood home and final resting place of Diana, Princess of Wales
Hannah Review: The Warm Personal Name Meaning Grace | ‘Hannah’ is a warm, timeless name meaning ‘grace’ or ‘favour’ – one of the most human and welcoming ways to name a place
Be At One Review: The Cocktail Bar of Harmony and Oneness | ‘Be at one’ means to be in harmony, united, at peace – a serene and aspirational name for a lively cocktail chain
Mosquito Bar Review: The Low Score and the World’s Deadliest Animal | A 3.3 gives pause – and the mosquito is a curious thing to name a bar after, being the deadliest animal on earth
Whiskey Tumbler Review: The Glass and the Water of Life | The tumbler is the classic whisky glass – and whisky itself means, in the old Gaelic, the ‘water of life’
Apo Restobar Review: The Modern Restobar and the Blurring of the Meal | The ‘restobar’ blends restaurant and bar into one – the modern, flexible venue for eating and drinking in a single relaxed space
Kibou Review: The Japanese Word for Hope | ‘Kibou’ means hope in Japanese – one of the most beautiful and uplifting words with which to name a place
Battersea Brothers Review: The Warmth of Family and the Local Name | Named for its home and for the bond of brothers, this Italian cafe-bar celebrates family, place, and the warmth of Italian hospitality
Bar and Bites Review: The Honest Promise of Drink and a Snack | A plain, honest name promising exactly what it offers – drinks and small bites to eat, the simplest and most appealing of pairings
Tropix Review: The Endless Summer of the Tropics | ‘Tropix’ evokes the tropics – the sun-drenched, palm-fringed band of the earth where summer never ends
Colibri Review: The Hummingbird, the Jewel of the Air | ‘Colibri’ is the beautiful word for hummingbird – the tiny, jewel-like bird that hovers and shimmers, a wonder of the Americas
Searcys Review: Champagne in a Cathedral of Power | Battersea Power Station was a temple to electricity, then a ruin for decades. Now you can drink champagne inside it.
