Guide to Cocktail Bars in Bury St Edmunds

Whether you’re partial to a Buck’s Fizz for brunch, a bellini for lunch or a negroni at nightfall, you’re spoilt for choice in Bury St Edmunds. Here’s our guide to cocktail bars in town.

Sumptuous hotel bars

Walk around the Abbey Gardens on Angel Hill to Northgate Street and you will find The Northgate, a glamorous boutique hotel with a fresh metropolitan feel.

Formerly known as Ounce House, this Victorian hotel has been extensively renovated with an immaculate finish. Cocktails can be enjoyed in the bar and lounge area, in the excellent restaurant or outside on the large south facing terrace. If the air is cool, stay warm beneath the heated parasols.

The Northgate boasts an inviting cocktail list, created with handpicked spirits, freshly squeezed juices and homemade syrups. We recommend the Walled Garden Punch, made with Aperol, Kamm & Sons, Crème de Peche, Cherry Marnier, Sauvignon Blanc, pomegranate and basil soda and herbs, or the Foraged Martini, made with St George Terroir gin, Lillet Blanc, Mastika and Douglas fir pine.

On Angel Hill, stands the historic The Angel hotel, recently featured in the movie The Personal history of David Copperfield, starring Dev Patel, Hugh Laurie and Tilda Swinton. Charles Dickens stayed at The Angel as a journalist and as a writer, giving readings next door at The Athenaeum. The Angel is also mentioned in his novel The Pickwick Papers. Guests can sample one of the new signature Dickens inspired cocktails in the bar area including Great Expectations (Suffolk dry gin, martini dry, Ardberg, with a lemon twist), A Tale of Two Tipples (Chase vodka, lemon juice, prosecco, and sugar), and The Artful Dodger (Kraken Spiced Rum, lime juice, ginger beer and angostura bitters).

To coincide with the release of The Personal History of David Copperfield on January 24 a new cocktail was adding to the Dickens Drinks List - The David Copperfield! Made with British vodka, zesty pink grapefruit and fresh thyme it is The Angel's current favourite as an aperitif or perhaps to enjoy before you head to the cinema ...

Mastering the art of cocktails

If you love gin, you’ll want to check out The Stillery, which makes its very own incredible Stillery London Dry Gin. Enjoy a range of cocktails and G & Ts in this hip ‘speakeasy’ style cocktail bar with table service.

As well as the house gin, we recommend the Slingsby Rhubarb Gin with Mediterranean tonic and the Garden Tiger gin with Indian tonic.

Café bars and late-night venues

You’ll find a huge range of cocktails at the Baskerville's in Whiting Street.

There is an air of mystery surrounding the Baskerville Bar with a hint of the 1920s and a speakeasy vibe it's a great place to relax and enjoy the company of friends. Choose from Girl's Night Out, The Moriarty, How Watson Learnt a Trick, The temptress, Basil Rathbone and The Woman, all with a Sherlock Holmes twist! They also do mocktails versions!

At Verve their cocktail menu features an impressive list featuring classics such as cosmopolitans, Margaritas and Mojitos as well as premium cocktails including Sweet Little Something and The Old Ocho and house cocktails Peaches & Honey (a sweet take on the classic margarita. Cazcabel honey liqueur, peach liqueur, lime, and tequila, served frozen) and Caribbean Frappe (an alcoholic banana milkshake made with Bacardi rum, crème de banana, and Kahlua). Non alcoholic cocktails also feature on their menu. You can get Two House Cocktails for £12.90 on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

There's also a great range of cocktails at So Bar, where the daily happy hour lasts from 6pm until 9pm. Tucked away in Langton Place, this modern café bar is a great spot for a mojito, made with Bacardi Braveheart, Oro Or Blanea, mint, lime, sugar syrup and optional fruit purees. Head over to Karooze Café Bar after if you want to dance and drink cocktails late into the night. The Hunter Club, known for its fantastic live music, has recently launched a new cocktail menu. A popular one has been the Pink Grapefruit Rose Spritz which combines a Rose Aperitivo with a fruity pink soda, topped with prosecco. Its the perfect seasonal transition mixing refreshing summer flavours with winter orientated undertones.

A new range of cocktails can also be found at Lotties on Angel Hill. Why not enjoy a cocktail with one of their delicious waffles?

With so much to see and do in Bury St Edmunds & Beyond, why not book a stay - take a look at our 'Places to Stay' guide!

If you love cocktails, why not download the free Bury St Edmunds LoyalFree app and follow their Cocktail Trail?

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