With its towering ceiling, heritage features and quirky secrets, The Lost & Found is perfect for either a relaxed catch-up with friends, or as a starting post for a night on the town.
A grand, grade II-listed building at the top of Bennett’s Hill has been transformed into a whimsical Victorian-inspired watering hole. It pays tribute to Hettie G Watson, a nineteenth century botanist, explorer and collector of butterflies.
While the history may be dubious, the spirit of this woman very much comes to life in the floral decor, elegant specimen jars and rows of leather-bound tomes. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to sneak a peek behind the bookshelf that conceals a secret chamber…
At the bar, the staff knock up a selection of time-honoured cocktails, along with a host of new inventions. ‘Lost Cocktails’ are a menu of drinks revived from times gone by, like the Cherry Smoked Rum Manhattan (£7.95). This is a concoction of rum, maraschino cherry syrup and Lillets Rouge and Blanc: wine-based aperitifs popular in the early twentieth century.
‘Found Cocktails’ is the list of Hettie’s own inventions, including the Sloe Gin Cobbler (£7.95) - no doubt inspired by an expedition to the English countryside – where the gin is combined with cognac, lillet rose, lemon juice and sugar syrup create a dark autumnal fruit blend.