The latest bar created by the award-winning Mr Lyan (Ryan Chetiyawardana) and his team is set within the trendy Sea Containers on London’s South Bank. Lyaness brings a chef’s approach to cocktail creation and flavouring by presenting a cocktail list based on the search for unusual ingredients found in the drinks and the innovation behind them. The menu is designed to aid guests’ drinking experience by including flavour notes as well as suggesting when they should be enjoyed, alongside a selection of beers, wine and spirits.
The Lyaness boasts of views across the Thames and the footpaths alongside it, providing a comfortable spot to people-watch while enjoying a drink. Its contemporary design features makes for an elegant pit stop that doubles as an Instagrammable space. The bottle-green marble bar offers a warm and welcoming ambience accented with chic touches of gold and baby blue. The bar is filled with plenty of intimate smaller tables perfect for tea or cocktail gatherings, but Lyaness also caters for larger group bookings.
Lyaness sells itself as a cocktail bar and afternoon tea hotspot, and serves up light bar bites to those in the bar. Tuck into Cornish crab and avocado on toast or a haggis croquette with mustard dressing. For cocktails, sip on well-crafted mixes with all the right kicks as well as those unique ingredients, such as the White Sbagliato cocktail with gin, purple pineapple, cocchi Americano and a Champagne finish. Another option is Lyaness’ take on the Collins, which is called Yes Chef and is made with apricot honey, Onyx, lemon, soda and Mr Lyan Cream Gin.
The Lyaness also serves afternoon tea – a high-end take on the British tradition which is themed around an 80s dinner party and comes with cocktail pairings. The drinks on offer include cocktail options, Champagne or booze-free and all come with Lyaness’ carefully crafted sandwiches, scones and pastries. The eats are contemporary twists on original English favourites, using unique ingredients and are put together in unusual ways. Tuck into divine devilled eggs, roasted beef and rosemary mayonnaise on focaccia or an almost indistinguishable vegetarian Coronation 'chicken' with sweet potato and squash. Quench your thirst with a Carter Cobbler, shaken with Infinite Banana, Grey Goose and green tea Bianco, wihle sweets to try include pineapple upside down scones which you can top with a thick layer of clotted cream and Lyaness’ tart cherry jam, and a strawberry and mascarpone éclair.
Images: Harriet Claire