Deal restaurant Updown opens on-site bar

The team behind celebrated restaurant and hotel Updown has opened a separate bar space on its grounds in Deal, Kent.

Bar Vita from Ruth Leigh and Oli Brown draws inspiration from classic Roman cocktail bars, featuring marble, lacquered wood and banquette seating.

The new bar is housed in one of the former stable blocks of Updown and can accommodate up to 30 guests, with a long marble bar with stools and banquette seating on the ground floor.

On the mezzanine sits a semi private snug looking over the main seating area. In the summer, there will be a large covered terrace for another 20 guests.

“Bar Vita is a love letter to the country that has stolen our hearts," say the duo. "It's everything we love about Rome; the bright lights that tempted us down untrodden paths to hidden gems, the simple but delicious cocktails paired with inventive snacks. It’s got the glamour of Harry’s with the charm of Bar San Callisto and an atmosphere that makes it open to all, from hotel guests to those just popping in for a drink.”

The menu includes ice cold martinis, fig leaf negronis, shakertos with clementine, grappa and some choice wines from the Updown cellar. 

A simple snack menu is also on offer, featuring croquettes cacio e pepe, chopped liver toast, anchovy and lardo bruschetta, deep fried apple with pecorino and honey, and pizzetta bianca.

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