Even among enlightened bartenders, few today know the name Cato Alexander. This unsung American hero of the cocktail world embraced his freedom from slavery at the start of the 19th century by opening Cato’s Tavern in New York City, where he welcomed all-comers with his cold drinks and warm hospitality. Sadly, his life ended in poverty after loans he made to customers were never repaid. Yet, while records from this era are scarce, Alexander has been heralded as a founding father of mixology, with his life and legacy about to reach a new audience with the launch of Cato, a Covent Garden cocktail bar that makes a star of one of Alexander’s most popular libations: the Mint Julep.
“There’s not a bar in the world I know of that specialises in Juleps,” says Angelos Bafas (ex-Nipperkin, Niju and Humo), the award-winning bartender and author who devised Cato’s menu. He describes this versatile blend of bourbon, muddled sugar, fresh mint and crushed ice – popular in America’s Southern states – as a forgotten classic. Shaped by Bafas’s ingredient-led approach, Cato’s Mint Julep gets a homegrown spin via herbs, including several strains of mint, taken from the planters clustered throughout the handsome ground-floor space. It’s a careful touch that adds just-picked freshness across a menu defined by provenance.
“We try to push the boundaries of our creativity by focusing on British ingredients, showcasing how classic cocktails can be made using domestic produce,” says Bafas, nodding to shelves of spirits that, alongside global big-hitters, includes the likes of Northumberland’s Hepple Gin and Ad Gefrin whisky. Meanwhile, produce from small suppliers ranges from Devon chilli to Norfolk shiso (Japanese basil). “Ten years ago that might have just been a Michelin thing, but it’s not a ‘concept’ anymore – it’s the only way to do it.”
Spanning two floors on Covent Garden’s Mercer Street, a stone’s throw from Guinness’s vast new complex, Cato’s aesthetic is understated but elegant, its no-reservation ground-floor bar channelling the charisma of New York’s historic taverns. Beyond Cato’s signature Juleps, highlights include the house Martini, given a saline kick from gin infused with rock oyster shells, a Basil Smash and a rhubarb Paloma. Snacks include fried oysters, which Alexander served in his original tavern, reinterpreted here with a gooseberry relish; cured meats by Islington’s Cobble Lane; and cheeses from neighbours Neal’s Yard Dairy. “We’re not reinventing the [wheel], we’re just trying to deliver something a little more developed while striving to use small farmers, distilleries and brands,” Bafas says.
Step downstairs, however, and a more intimate space reveals itself, defined by low lighting, cosy corners and a stripped-back bar area, setting the tone for a more curated experience that delves deeper into flavour. Here, the multisensory menu of 14 cocktails is defined by colour. “We’ve taken produce and spirits from across the UK and paired those with ingredients with the same hue,” Bafas explains. Dulse and cherry lend their colour to a “red” Manhattan; a “white” Martini is accented with Neal’s Yard cheddar; and an umami-forward Old Fashioned melds brown butter, chicken broth and chestnut to silky-smooth effect.
Next door is The Study, an experimental space and library for events and masterclasses, providing a destination for bartenders to pop in and pick up new skills – reflecting the importance of community to Cato’s co-founders, Andrew Taylor and Aiste Bart, who run hospitality group Bart & Taylor. “Cato’s Tavern was a rarity, as you’d find politicians and actors mingling with the average New Yorker. He was the ultimate host, bringing people together from all walks of life, and that reflects what we’re trying to do here,” says Taylor, noting Cato’s 1am closing time – a rarity in central London. “The bars that last are those that are timeless. We think this place is beautiful, but there’s nothing overly fancy, no Andy Warhols worth millions on the walls. Instead, Cato is about good people, good food and good drinks.”
Cato opens on Friday February 6.
Cato
17 Mercer Street, WC2H 9QJ
Hours:
Tue to Fri 3pm–1am (downstairs from 6pm)
Sat midday–1am (downstairs from 6pm)
Sun midday–midnight
