The city of Worcester is a popular destination for places to eat and drink in the West Midlands, and for good reason. With a very impressive range of pubs, bars, restaurants and eateries in the Cosmopolitan city and its surrounding areas, Worcester is a brilliant place for an Old-Fashioned get together. If you’re looking for a venue to take shelter in on a Dark N’ Stormy night out, we’ve got just the thing for you. Here’s a list of some of the best cocktail bars to take your friends, family or significant other to, to stop the night going (Amaretto) Sour.
Bolero Bar, Foregate Street
Starting off strong with one of Worcester’s best-loved independent venues, Bolero Bar is located at number 34 Foregate Street, a stone’s throw from Worcester Foregate Station. This is something they certainly won’t let you forget, having named their signature cocktail ‘No.34 Foregate’. Equipped with Hennessy, Triple Sec, Apricot Brandy, Pineapple Juice, Lime Juice, Grapefruit Bitter and Egg white, this iconic Midlands beverage is equal parts sweet and bitter, to satiate all cravings. They also offer some delicious twists to the staple Mojito and Daquiri, with flavour options including strawberry, raspberry, passionfruit and watermelon.
If you’re looking for something a little more classic, Bolero has an extensive cocktail list, jam-packed with classics, from the French Martini to the Mai Tai. They offer three ‘mocktails’ too for the designated drivers in your party, with the aptly titled ‘Nojito’, the ‘Bolero Crush’, and the ‘Bolero Garden’.
Super reasonably priced, in a prime location in the city, and with an equally well-stocked wine list, Bolero is certainly a favourite with the locals. They have a very popular kitchen to help you line your stomach, and the venue is always reasonably busy, ensuring a great atmosphere for your evening.
Tonic, Foregate Street
Foregate Street is evidently the place to be if you’re looking for a night of impressive alcoholic concoctions, as just before you hit Bolero, even closer to the station is Tonic, a craft beer and cocktail bar. The bar’s ethos is simple:
‘Tonic was once used to describe any number of concoctions designed to make you feel better or livelier. Today we might describe a relaxing weekend with friends or a brisk walk as a tonic. We’re glad we can be yours.’
With a very extensive cocktail menu, packed with quality and hand-crafted ingredients, Tonic is another local favourite. Their ‘Originals’ menu offers some very tempting concoctions, from the ‘Undercurrent’ with mezcal, blackcurrant, elderflower, and mint, to the ‘Common Grounds’ with brandy, pear, cinnamon and sake. They also offer plenty of classics and mocktails, along with an impressive wine and spirits list. One of our favourite things about Tonic is that although they do not serve food, their menus feature a list of all the best eateries within a few minutes of their doors, and we love to see Worcester’s local businesses supporting one another.
The Botanist, Cathedral Square
This is a name that might be a little more recognisable, and understandably so. The Botanist is a hugely popular chain of cocktail bars and restaurants, which branched into Worcester in 2022.
We visited the Botanist just last month, having popped into the bar several times for drinks since it opened. With a restaurant, bar area and outdoor terrace, it is a large and accommodating space, beautifully decorated with a whole host of greenery!
On our visit, we tried the Botanist Plant Burger, and were blown away. With vegan cheese, chilli jam, crispy mushrooms, and truffle mustard mayo, served with ‘properly seasoned fries’ (they were indeed properly seasoned), this was one of the best and most original plant-based burgers we’ve ever had! Delicious! For our drinks, we opted for the Berry Colada. With Bacardi coconut, pineapple juice, raspberry liqueur, beetroot and coconut puree, this was a taste sensation in pink – so good we ordered three!
The Botanist offers a whole host of cocktail concoctions, with some of the friendliest bar staff in the city, all of whom put on a show with their mixology skills, and who are happy to offer their recommendations! The cocktail menu includes a range of traditional mixes, alongside some of their ‘Classic Botany Cocktails’, with their very own twists on fan favourites. The ‘Oaxhacan Espresso Martini’ is one of our drinks of choice, adding tequila and sherry to the typical espresso.
The Botanist also puts on live music acts, and welcomes dogs in the bar and terrace areas, so it is certainly one to try out if you haven’t already.
The Conservatory Bar, Friar Street
On one of the city’s charming older streets, the Conservatory Bar is another popular venue, with a gorgeous rooftop garden, and a great cocktail menu.
The venue offers a range of deals throughout the week, including Martini Mondays, wherein you can enjoy any of their martinis for just £7 – what a way to banish the Monday blues! On Cocktail Thursdays (no alliteration here but equally as exciting), a selected range of cocktails are reduced to £7, and the rest are capped at £8, so it’s a perfect night to stop in and save some pennies. If you’re looking for a post-work wind down, from 4-7pm on weekdays, the bar offers a range of wines and cocktail-sharing pitchers on offer.
With dedicated martini and mojito menus, the Conservatory certainly has its specialties, but caters to a range of classics, and original creations. We’re looking forward to trying the ‘Violet Devotion’ on our next visit – with JJ Whitley violet gin, violet syrup, lemon juice, juniper berries & tonic, this sounds like the perfect beverage to bring in the spring with!
Slug & Lettuce, The Cross
Another well-known name, we just couldn’t leave the Slug & Lettuce off this list. It is certainly one of Worcester’s best and busiest cocktail venues, due to its happy hour… which is all day every day! Offering 2 for 1 on some of its best cocktails, the bar is always packed on weekend nights, as it’s a great first stop before a night out. They offer a brilliant bottomless brunch, which we tried and loved, and the staff are super friendly and happy to help!
The menu offers a wide selection of cocktails, including the ‘Boujee Cocktails’ menu, with some of the bar’s biggest and best drinks, including the ‘Confessions of a Chocoholic’, with Smirnoff vanilla vodka, Mozart white chocolate liqueur, salted caramel syrup and double cream, topped with caramel curls and a chocolate cigarillo. Certainly one for the sweet-toothed!
The bar is particularly special due to its Grade II listed status. It is located in the former Church of St Nicholas, showcasing some of the city’s most beautiful architecture. It is also, very conveniently, situated right next to Worcester Foregate Station.
With a brilliant range of cocktail bars in the city, there are plenty to choose from, and this list is only a small sample. An honourable mention must go to Keystones Cocktail Club, with its awesome wall murals and epic tunes, making it the perfect place for a night out. The Hand in Glove with its wonderful new cocktail menu and great live music sets is worth a visit, and All Bar One, a classic on the cocktail scene, is a very popular and reliable bar right in the city centre.
If this selection has got you feeling thirsty, head on over to the websites for these cracking venues to make your booking today.