Ah, another bar with a monosyllabic name and virtuous intentions I hear you say, but Sprout is certainly one of the more noteworthy openings this year. Located on the ground floor of Templeton Garden, a new hotel by the Miiro Group which is a hidden gem in itself, Sprout joins nearby Twice Shy in rectifying a somewhat lacking bar scene in Earl’s Court.
As with Waltz, the menu has both a fixed section of signature serves and a regularly-changing one, though their core philosophy is to have one key ingredient for each drink and elevate it, while honouring classic technique. They pitch themselves as “quietly anarchic” and drinks like a ‘Sweet Pea Spritz’, a ‘Red Onion Manhattan’ or ‘Anchovy Gimlet’ certainly raise an eyebrow on paper. I was keen to find out how these would turn out in reality.
Starting with a ‘Rhubarb Ramos’ on this first visit, I ordered it precisely because it’s not what I would normally have and was intrigued by this this riff on a classic. Fortunately, my fear that it would be too sweet was unfounded; rather, this subdued study in pink monochrome was delightfully tart with some very deft shaking on show (and witnessing such expert technique is partly why we go to bars).
The ‘Tomato Collins’ was similarly successful: carbonation is de rigueur (perhaps following the success of Crossroads’ brilliant industry textbook ‘Bubbles’), as is the use of distillates. Comprising San Marzano consommé, strawberry wine (made by fermenting strawberries themselves), Courvoisier VSOP and a little Aperol, I was impressed by the careful use of sweetness and even umami (as well as the block of perfectly clear ice). I can see this moreish highball being a true hit, nay even a modern classic.
Rhubarb Ramos
Tomato Collins
Courgette Martini
Slightly less successful, for my taste anyway, was the ‘Courgette Martini’. I totally understood the concept behind it and the courgette was certainly pronounced (consistent with the bar’s philosophy to anchor drinks around a central idea), but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as the ‘Tomato Collins’ and it seemed to lack the finesse of the other drinks, just poured Termini-style straight from the fridge and sans garnish (though top marks for the glassware).
But pleasingly they passed the classic cocktail test with flying colours. They seem to be able to turn their hand to any classic, provided they have the ingredients in the back bar, which is always music to my ears. A Plymouth gin martini, enjoyed on the terrace, was faultless: served in a chilled glass, a twist, dry as a bone. (And on a summer evening that terrace overlooking the tranquil gardens at the back of the hotel is simply wonderful.)
Inside the bar it is similarly comfortable, with plush stools and banquettes you can sink in to. Other than the slightly incongruous sight of beers being poured from cans into glasses like a scene from Phoenix Nights (because they don’t have any on tap), the service I experienced was nothing short of excellent – chatty, knowledgeable, pleasant and quick. This is perhaps unsurprising given the bar’s senior staff are mostly Lyan Group alumni. Also, all drinks are handily priced at £14 each, which is reasonable for the post code and makes splitting bills with friends a doddle.
Whether as a west London drinking haunt in its own right or for a curtain-raising sharpener before dinner at the hotel’s restaurant Pippin’s, this bar is lovely and well-worth a visit.
Templeton Garden
1-15 Templeton Place
London
SW5 9NB
July 2025
