REVIEW: SHOULD I VISIT DAISY IN CLIFTONVILLE, MARGATE?
“an extravagant-looking libation, served out of a ceramic Eagle, yep that happened, headed elsewhere”
DAISY, CLIFTONVILLE
@daisy_margate
Up on Cliftonville’s Cliff Terrace, which is increasingly populated with indie outlets, neighbourhood cocktail bar and restaurant Daisy celebrated its one-year anniversary, having moved from its harbour arm pop-up to bricks and mortar of its very own last spring.
It’s fair to say that its reputation precedes it already. Owner Felix Cohen’s previous venture, Every Cloud in Hackney, achieved remarkable success, ranking 322nd in the Top 500 Global Bars in 2020 as well as being awarded Cocktail Menu of the Year by The Times.
Opposite the Lido’s famous obelisk, Daisy is concocting innovative and original cocktails alongside some flavour-packed bar bites.
A sprig of wildflowers on each of the wooden tables and green foliage add a natural element to the purposefully stripped-back seating area - beautifully understated and intentionally crafted, with a flash of pazazz.
Downstairs, the new basement space offers a more intimate atmosphere - for drinkers only - with low seating and dimmed lights.
The cocktail menu, which changes with the seasons, throws up twists on classics as well as a bunch of new mixology creations.
Using glassware shapes from across the decades, the cocktails are divided into Weird, Boozy, Small and Fruity, and all feature descriptions from the heart. For example, the Five Go To Mexico (tequila/pink/rhubarb) accompanies the foreword “Invokes heavy ‘fanning yourself with a Panama hat by the side of a pool amidst the heat of the South American sun’ vibes, this one”.
While an extravagant-looking libation, served out of a ceramic Eagle, yep that happened, headed elsewhere, we went classic with the House Gimlet. Using the house-made cordial of blood oranges, easy peelers and bergamot peel, stirred in with Beefeater gin, it’s light, citrusy (obvs), refreshing and, crucially, super-chilled for a warm Friday night. Stunning.
