Here’s where to get them – getting caught in the rain is optional
With its yellow hue, pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry garnish, the piña colada is the seventies in a cocktail – though it was actually invented a few decades before, at the Caribe Hitlon Hotel in Puerto Rico in 1954. It’s not always been considered the coolest serve but now the piña colada is finally getting the glow-up it deserves, with bartenders using premium rums and other luxe ingredients to make it more sophisticated. And there’s still nothing that screams holiday vibes quite like the combo of rum, pineapple and coconut. Here’s where to get the best piña coladas in London.
Albers
De Beauvoir spot Albers says it does “quite good grub”. We defo agree, and we’d also say it does quite good drinks too – just look at this clarified piña colada.
23A Englefield Road, London N1 4JX
albers.london
MA/NA
MA/NA is the newest opening from the Thesleff Group and it’s gone big, with maximalist interiors, caviar and Kobe on the menu, and bamboo piña coladas.
30 Upper Grosvenor Street, London W1K 7PH
manarestaurants.com
Fred Bakery
Who says piña coladas are just for drinking? Fred Bakery has turned them into pastry form, aka croissants layered with coconut cream, cherry compote, pineapple, toasted coconut flakes and sourdough crumble.
52–53 Margaret St, London W1W 8SQ
@fredbakery
Coupette
Bethnal Green bar Coupette has put a luxe twist on the piña colada, using two types of rum, pineapple liqueur, pineapple juice, coconut sorbet and champange.
423 Bethnal Grn Rd, London E2 0AN
coupette.co.uk
The Absinthe Parlour
Frozen and made with absinthe? If you thought piña coladas couldn’t get any better, you need to try this version from the Absinthe Parlour.
11 Mare St, London E8 4RP
thelasttuesdaysociety.org
Ridley Road Market Bar
If you need to cool off after throwing some shapes at Ridley Road Market Bar, reach for a frozen piña colada – they even do pink ones.
49 Ridley Road, London E8 2NP
ridleyroadmarketbar.com
Norbert’s
Name a better combo than rotisserie chicken and piña coladas. That’s exactly what you can get at East Dulwich spot Norbert’s.
Melbourne Terrace, Melbourne Grove, London SE22 8RE
norbertslondon.com
Photo credit: Anton Rodriguez
Roses of Elagabalus
This queer clubhouse in Dalston famously has a no-phones policy, so we can’t show you what the piña colada looks like but we can tell you it’s bangin’.
578 Kingsland Rd, London E8 4AH
@rosesofelagabalus
