M Bar…none

Upstairs from the meaty eateries below (Grill and Raw) at M Restaurant is M Bar and its neighbouring private rooms, sleeping pods and “M Den”. At its helm is Lance Perkins who was the Bar and Beverage Director of the award-winning London Edition Hotel.

Described as the “heartbeat” of the venue as a whole, M Bar boasts live music and DJs who perform in the dedicated stage area. As the evening seamlessly turns into night, the tempo from the bar gradually builds to create a high octane vibe throughout the whole building.

 

M Restaurant

At first glance, the bar which is located on a mezzanine level, very much resembles the feel of a gentleman's club but on closer inspection, it's definitely geared for the younger, savvier generation of City dwellers. Everything has been carefully considered to offer a high end feel of luxury interior design.  The atmosphere is still suitably classic and comfortable, yet also exudes sophistication with a contemporary edge.

Cocktail sipping City boys can choose from an enticing liquid refreshment menu, which is divided into four main areas: Signature, Aperitif, Martini and Digestif. Taste bud tingling temptations include American Dandy cocktail, Ocean Drive and Secret Geisha. Complementing the drinks is street food-inspired light bites that range from Piggy Pickled Onion Rings, to Trout Ceviche Trio. And all of the above are quaffed and consumed within the equally stunning decor of this mezzanine floor.

M Restaurant Mezzanine

One of its attractions is the curved balcony vantage point that overlooks the diners below — the perfect venue for people watching. As its visual centrepiece, the bar features a sweeping fireplace as well as oak floors in wide, dark planks that act as a visual anchor for the scheme as a whole. The interior design scheme was created to carefully match the colour of the walls and ceilings, which are also in suitably rich shades of Cuban cigar brown.

The luxurious space also features sunken carpets, deep booths and button back arm chairs upholstered in Savile Row fabrics such as Prince of Wales check. To create a sense of continuity with the rest of the space downstairs, the cool blues and ebony tones of the Grill restaurant are here suggested through details such as the cushions and some of the seating. Meanwhile, the greys and rich reds of M Raw are repeated through the little votives on the tables. For added richness, a deep ox blood tone has been used in the tall bar stools that line both the high tables and the copper curves of the bar itself.

Additional hues in this casually glamorous drinking area are copper, seen in the smooth, rounded curves of the low cylindrical stools, and mottled upholstery of the banquettes lining some of the walls. Charcoal and gold also make an appearance in the scatter cushions and the latter, in the glow of the subtle lighting.

This luxury interior also uses a stunningly evocative woodland wallpaper to adorn some of the walls and even doors to create a smooth, continuous sweeping landscape, while artwork by Slim Aarons looks down temptingly from key locations on the walls.

To visually break up some of the walls, carefully selected bottles of specialist drinks have been given their own head-height display cabinets. Each separate niche has a downlighter that gloriously illuminates its contents, creating a unique display of tempting tipples — a veritable shrine to the god of good times.

Luxurious yet playful, M Bar is the perfect union of energy and fun, beautifully presented with a hint of sophistication. There's even a wine vending machine catering for all budgets, which would have suited classic film royalty Richard Burton who once said: “I have to think hard to name an interesting man who does not drink.” Frankly, we couldn't agree more.

For more information please visit René Dekker Design website at https://www.renedekker.co.uk or contact us at [email protected].