A new cocktail destination has opened on Mercer Street in Covent Garden, as hospitality group Bart & Taylor launches cato in partnership with award-winning bartender and author Angelos Bafas, also known as Mr.Ungarnished.
Named after Cato Alexander, a 19th-century Manhattan bartender often described as the world’s first celebrity mixologist, cato draws on New York’s tavern heritage while focusing exclusively on British ingredients. The venue is arranged across two floors, each offering a distinct experience.
On the ground floor, The House of Julep serves as an informal entry point. Centred on the julep, the cocktail associated with Alexander, the space is designed to evoke the atmosphere of a traditional New York tavern. Mint and herbs used in the drinks are grown on site through an in-house system, part of an ambition to become self-sufficient in herbs and fruits. Open throughout the day, the bar welcomes walk-ins and offers cocktails, wine and beer in a relaxed setting.
The basement houses a more intimate bar built around cato’s debut menu, “Colour Has Flavour”. Inspired by synaesthesia, the neurological phenomenon in which the senses intersect, the menu features 14 cocktails grouped into seven colours: green, white, pink, yellow, orange, red and brown. Each drink is named for two defining ingredients sharing a colour and sensory profile.
British produce is used throughout. Examples include Sweet Woodruff with cream, Dorset wasabi paired with mustard greens, medlar with mushroom, and red dulse seaweed combined with cherry. Techniques such as fermentation, maceration, fat-washing and tincturing are employed to develop flavour while maintaining a minimal presentation.
Food mirrors the ingredient-led approach. Cured meats from Cobble Lane Cured and cheeses from Neal’s Yard Dairy sit alongside dishes including fried oysters, mushroom tostadas and New York-style cheesecake.
The interior combines dark walnut panelling and a zinc bar upstairs with sapele wood, velvet booths and industrial lighting below. Artwork by British artist Noj Barker is displayed throughout.
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