There are bars, and then there are places. Lilli by Akira Back Bar is the latter.
Set on Wallenberg Place in the heart of Mayfair, the bar is designed to be lingered in. Plush green seating, a bespoke chandelier and a curated art collection give the room its character — whilst above it all, a dramatic hand-painted ceiling mural by British artist Will Foster transforms looking up into its own quiet spectacle. Every detail has been considered. Every visit rewards attention.
The cocktail programme is where the English garden and the Asian kitchen meet on equal terms. Seasonal botanicals — blossom, quince, elderflower — are balanced against notes of sakura, yuzu, sake and shichimi spice, each serve a reflection of the culinary philosophy that Akira Back has brought from Seoul and Tokyo to Mayfair. The Ponzu and Gochujang Bloody Mary reimagines a brunch classic through the Korean kitchen; the Neroli Sour highball — gin, neroli blossom and yuzu — is the perfect hour before Sunday roast; and the Sakura Negroni, built on sake and cherry blossom vermouth, closes the evening with something altogether more considered.
Alongside the cocktail menu, the bar offers a carefully chosen selection of fine wines, craft beers and premium spirits. The full Lilli All Day Menu is available throughout — meaning the bar is as suited to a long, unhurried dinner as it is to a single, perfect Negroni. Walk-ins are always welcome. The bar has its own entrance on Wallenberg Place and is open to all.