With the abundance of bars and restaurants in the city of London, standing out from the crowd can be quite a task. Each self-nominated “hotspot” seems to blend into the next; a sea of establishments offering the city’s best espresso martini. However, as Londoners, average has never cut the mustard. When we welcome our oversea visitors, we want to offer them an experience they simply would not find in another city. We want to show them what makes London so quirky, vibrant, and unique. This does not involve frequenting a bar or restaurant that could be found in an airport terminal. So, whether you’re planning a night out with the girls, a special date night, or simply want to impress those friends from your hometown, there is one destination that deserves high priority in your itinerary. Introducing The Little Violet Door, an authentic part-cocktail bar, part-house-party, right in the heart of Carnaby.
Hosting London’s iconic house parties for 10 years and counting, you may be familiar with The Little Door & Co. They are the masterminds behind Soho’s beloved The Little Scarlet Door, as well as some neighbourhood favourites like The Little Yellow Door in Notting Hill, The Little Blue Door in Fulham, and The Little Orange Door in Clapham. Each distinct venue is marked with a queue of hopefuls at the end of the working week, patiently waiting for their chance to shake off the office and experience London’s iconic house-party establishments. Now, with a central Carnaby location to add to the list, there’s no denying that these unique cocktail bars are redefining a chic night out across London.
The Little Violet Door follows in the footsteps of its Soho sibling, bringing its authentic house party to the heart of the city. In fact, the address may ring a bell. It used to be the former home of Bag O’Nails— the iconic music venue that was once frequented by the likes of Elton John and Paul McCartney. As a result, the Little Violet Door has made an extra effort to capture the essence of Carnaby’s rich heritage and hedonistic spirit within this two-story flat. The impeccably designed interiors have taken inspiration from the 60s, 70s and 80s, with pristine attention to detail throughout. From the tables adorned with scattered magazines and vintage vases to the tossed door keys and discarded shoes at the front door, you really could be tricked into thinking that you’re sipping an espresso martini in somebody’s (very chic) living room.
Aside from martinis crafted to perfection, there’s a myriad of creative cocktails to choose from many served in home essentials like teacups and tin cans to funky milk bottles. We’d highly recommend the La La Land, a tasty concoction that takes its name from the flat’s expansive DVD collection and is comprised of vodka, raspberries, Martini Rosso, and Mozart White & Vanilla Plus.
Once those peckish pangs kick in, it’s time to try out the restaurant-standard party food. We opted for the olives, no-tuna tacos, sweet corn fritters, and of course, a smoked chicken burger. Needless to say, each dish was gleefully demolished, with nothing but empty plates and remnants of crumbs left to prove that we had eaten at all.
However, in true Project X style, this house party is not limited to just the living room. The fun spills out into other areas of the house, just waiting to be discovered downstairs. Head down the steps and to your left, you’ll find a discrete spot equipped with a full-sized tub, robes and essential cleaning products. This very realistic flat-share bathroom is the perfect spot to snap the cover of your next Instagram post. Continue down and you’ll find the central hub of all good house parties- the kitchen. Amongst the pots and pans, DJs will be spinning the decks. Sit back and enjoy the music, get up and show off some moves, or grab a seat on the cosy couches and challenge your date to a game of Mario Kart- this is a bar you certainly won’t get bored in.
To conclude, what can you expect from a visit to The Little Violet Door? Discos in the kitchen, impeccable cocktails, delicious food, and most of all, some serious flat envy. What’s more, if you’re looking for a quirky, impressive environment to host a party of your own, the entire flat is available for private hire- that’s right, you can host the party of the year with no next-day clean-up necessary. Open every day until late – dare we say it – house parties might never be the same again.
