Drinks at the Royal Exchange

On Thursday evening after a long week at work we to headed to the Royal Exchange for cocktails.

Located immediately opposite Bank station, the Royal Exchange was founded in the 16th century as a centre of commerce for the city, hence the building's design which consists of four walls surrounding a central courtyard where the men would gather to do business. The building has in fact burnt down and been rebuilt three times since first being opened by Queen Elizabeth I in the 1500's. Today the courtyard is no longer the bustling economic hub of a bygone era, but is instead dotted with luxury shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants, including Boodles, Hermès and Tiffany's.

Our destination was the Grand Café, situated in the very centre of the building, with an oval bar and tables and chairs spread across the tiled courtyard, enclosed by four walls of offices and shops and surrounded by regal columns and arches. The courtyard is very light and airy, you could even be mistaken for thinking you are out in the open air which is the effect given by the glass tiled ceiling far above you. City workers sit, mingle and chat as dusk approaches. You can even do a little window browsing. My Aunt tells me the Tiffany's is always packed at Christmas with men in suits doing a last minute dash from their offices.

I chose a lychee martini, whilst Rach, feeling flirtatious, went for a 'Flirtini': raspberries and lime juice shaken with Absolut Raspberry vodka, Merlet Triple Sec, golden pineapple juice and topped with sparkling champagne.

A couple of rounds later (there may have been some wine thrown in there too for good measure), feeling rather ravenous, we decided it might be a good idea to order some aperitifs. Unable to decide from their extensive list of treats, we did the most rational thing and chose them all.

Smoked salmon blinis with caviar and creme fraîche.

Succulent cocktail sausages in a sweet fig sauce.

Homemade hummus with spices and buttery grilled flat bread.

Sautéed chicken with a tzatziki dip. As you can see, there wasn't much spare space left on the table!

The Royal Exchange is definitely worth a visit, even if just to admire the sheer grandeur of the building. It is the perfect little spot to meet friends for drinks after work. As well as drinks they offer an all day menu and if you fancy something a little more secluded you can pop up to their Mezzanine Lounge above. Their website can be found here.