With exam stress over, at least until summer anyway, it’s time to unwind and enjoy the night time delights of Exeter. We bet you’re itching to head back to Cellar Door, Mosaic, Timepiece and who hasn’t missed the appealing aroma of Arena… Okay, so maybe the dazzling lights of Exeter’s infamous clubs do become slightly more appealing after a game, or three, of ring of fire. But, if the New Year had inspired you to broaden your horizons, and embrace a slightly classier establishment as your after dark haunt, HCX has rounded up the best cocktail bars in Exeter, so you know which ones are worth your time. If you’re looking for somewhere to mix up your usual pre-drinks, or you want a place to simply have a chat with friends, there are plenty of places to suite various needs (and budgets!)
- The Oddfellows
This is a personal favourite of HCX. Oddfellows bar and cocktail lounge is located on New North Road, a stone’s throw away from both Exeter town centre, Longbrook and Sidwell Street. Oddfellows is perfect for a quiet drink, or two, with friends, family or a loved one. What with the eclectic blend of modern decor mixed with shabby chic wooden tables and benches, along with masses of candles and prettily strung fairy lights in an airy conservatory, you would be mistaken for thinking you were in the South of France rather than the West Country. Oddfellows is also home to an intimate upstairs cocktail bar. Coined as “a little oasis of indulgence” they pride themselves on their cocktail skills, and their ability to mix a drink to anyone’s taste. Cocktails range from £5-£11 so depending on whether your student loan is running low, or you are in need of a treat, there is something to suit most budgets. If you’re lucky enough to be accompanied by a HCX lady you may even be able to wangle a discount from us! They pride themselves on their use of fresh and local ingredients, and you can really tell in the quality of the drinks. The cocktail lounge also offers private cocktail classes that are perfect for birthdays and other special occasions.
Check out HCX’s article about our experience at one of these master classes here.
- 44 Below
As the name suggests, our next pick, located on Queens Street, markets itself as a trendy basement bar. Situated underneath restaurant “Urban Burger”, the bar has a very modern feel with bare brick walls and a minimalist feel. However, it manages to avoid seeming cold through its array of plush comfy sofas, a feature fire place and the chilled out atmosphere. 44 Below steers clear of being labelled yet another stereotypical cocktail bar.
The family run restaurant above allows burgers and buffets to be served in the bar, whilst the cocktails are served in a variety of quirky drinking vessels, such as teapots… It’s like a contemporary Mad Hatters Tea Party so what’s not to love? Whilst this defining feature can mean cocktails come at a price, 44 Below offers Happy Hour on Friday’s between 5pm to 8pm, perfect to celebrate the end of a hard week full of lectures, seminars and Timepiece, and again on Saturday between 6pm and 7pm. Happy Hour proves great value with two cocktails costing £5, perfect for you and your girlfriends, and with pints at a mere £2.50, your male housemates can’t complain they are being left out of the fun.
- The Monkey Suit
This is another firm favourite with HCX. We even had our first meet and greet of the year here!
The Monkey Suit is a vibrant bar without any air of pretentiousness. This may be to do with the rather eclectic feel that the place embodies. Full of large leather sofas, intimate tables for two, lots of cosy nooks and crannies, which are utilised to the maximum with sturdy wooden benches, and a mismatched array of paint colours, wall art and lights, the Monkey Suit feels more like an oversized living room than it does a swanky cocktail bar. With that in mind, what better place to pre-drink; located on Sidwell Street metres from Arena, it’s the ideal choice. Homely atmosphere aside, the cocktails are most certainly up to scratch. They do a mean Long Island Iced Tea, however my personal recommendation would definitely be their Raspberry Daiquiris. With cocktails starting at £3.95 all week, Monkey Suit is perfect for the student budget!
- The Bike Shed
This is cocktail drinking with a twist. The Bike Shed Theatre & Bar, located on Fore Street, is quite literally a hidden gem. This bar sends you underground into a cellar underneath Exeter city town centre. Here you can enjoy watching some innovative & new theatre, performed by both national and local theatre companies, washing it all down with a cocktail or two. This underground retreat feels like the hidden dens you used to make when you were a child, what with the array of goodies collected, such as bikes and street signs to name a few of the less obscure findings, adorning the walls.
The cocktails start at £5.50 and peak at £7.00. Whilst this may seem a bit of a pinch compared to the dirt cheap doubles of a Timepiece Wednesday, when you have a look at the ingredients used you really get a fair bit for your money. I personally think they are worth the cash purely for their eccentric names, my favourite of which has to be “Freaki Tiki”, surely any drink with that name guarantees a good night…
- Pitcher & Piano
Last but not least is this trusty old favourite. With chains all around the country it’s safe to say Pitcher and Piano must be doing something right. Amongst the classic favourites like Cosmopolitans and Mojitos, Pitcher & Piano also pride themselves on their house cocktails that are mixed by their own “cocktail experts”. They have also thought about those of us who are watching the calories, something which, sadly, cocktails are laden with, by introducing a brand new range of skinny cocktails. Whilst this is all well and good, both the skinny and normal cocktails start at £6.75 and can peak at £25.00 for, a quirky take on the classic pitcher, the Mad Hatter. Maybe this bar, found on the corner of Queen Street housed in a gorgeous Grade 2 listed building, should be saved for those special occasions then!
Photo credits
http://www.devon.yourmealticket.co.uk/venues/000013/
http://www.urbanburger.co.uk/44-below/
http://www.themonkeysuit.co.uk/
http://www.goodcafeguide.co.uk/The-Bike-Shed-Theatre-and-Bar-Exeter
http://www.pitcherandpiano.com/where-are-we/Exeter