Mayfair restaurant Koyn is to celebrate its first anniversary with the launch of a new bar, together with a residency series alongside some of the world’s top bartenders.
Joining the Koyn bar team for three days in September will be Francesco Bonazzi from 1930 bar in Milan, currently ranked 35th in the World’s 50 Best Bars list; Lukas Stafin from Soho’s Opium, which holds the 24th position; and Max Venning from Three Sheets in Crouch End, which once climbed as high as 16th on the list.
Each will create two cocktails to be served amid the backdrop of a DJ set.
The new Koyn bar, meanwhile, is inspired by the terraces of ancient Japanese homes overlooking Mount Fuji, a rendition of Japan’s izakayas, or drinking dens.
Samyukta Nair, who is behind the contemporary Japanese restaurant, tasked Fabled Studio with the design. Inside are high oak ceilings, green marble, and Japanese fretwork, pottery and artistry.
Alongside cocktails will be a snacks menu, including senbei with crab, cucumber and shiso dressing, a yellowtail cucumber roll with jalapeño salsa and citrus soy, a wagyu burger, and boneless chicken wings stuffed with truffle rice.
Nair said: “I am thrilled to be unveiling our take on the conventional Japanese izakaya with the Koyn bar, a residential drinking den, to mark our first anniversary celebrations.
“The Koyn bar and its residency program showcasing innovative talent is an exciting addition to our Japanese dining destination.
“Rhys and I are looking forward to introducing a new bar menu and showcasing the very best of Koyn by inviting guests to enjoy an evening tipple made by the resident and visiting bar teams alongside izakaya styled snacks at the Koyn Bar.”
