Spring in a glass: the unique cocktails in London making Kiyori the lounge of the season
Around the Chelsea Flower Show, running this year from 19 to 23 May 2026, the city goes properly all in....
Around the Chelsea Flower Show, running this year from 19 to 23 May 2026, the city goes properly all in. Blossom in every florist window, peonies on restaurant tables, and a sudden city-wide confidence about horticultural opinions that make it even into awkward elevator conversations.
London at peak spring has a particular mood: floral, brighter, a little pleased with itself, and firmly in the market for a drink that can meet the moment. Not every cocktail bar in London is equipped for this. The ones serving truly unique cocktails in London, that is, cocktails with a point of view rather than a seasonal garnish, are rarer than the menu descriptions suggest.
Chelsea Flower Show 2026
The week London turns floral
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show returns from 19 to 23 May 2026, transforming the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea into the world’s most prestigious floral exhibition. Expect show-stopping gardens, rare plant displays, and London’s brightest botanical talent on full display.
- Dates: 19–23 May 2026
- Location: Royal Hospital Chelsea, London SW3 4SL
- Opening times: 8:00 am–8:00 pm (Tue–Fri), 8:00 am–5:30 pm (Sat)
- Highlights: The Great Pavilion, show gardens by leading designers, artisan gardens, and the latest in sustainable planting. The 2026 edition promises a strong focus on biodiversity, climate-resilient plants, and boundary-pushing floral artistry.
- Getting there from/to Aki: A 15‑minute taxi or 30 minutes (3 stops) by tube (Sloane Sq. to Oxford Circus).
Kiyori: a vaulted lounge where Japanese precision meets spring botanicals
Perched beneath Aki London in the original bank vaults of Grade II-listed One Cavendish Square, Kiyori is an entirely private floor with its own bar, its own entrance, and a cocktail menu that treats seasonality as structure rather than garnish. Accessed by a backlit spiral staircase, it is separate from the restaurant above in every sense that matters.
The Arrival
A backlit spiral staircase
An entirely private floor, accessed by its own entrance beneath Aki. By the time your guests reach the vaulted lounge, they have already left the restaurant and the street behind. The descent is the transition.
The Space
Vaulted interiors by Francis Sultana
Bronze and gold tones, mirrored surfaces, original commissioned artwork. A warmth that feels genuinely considered, almost as styled and manicured for a floral show of its own. The kind of room that rewards arrival: the pace drops, the light is right, and the space has a quiet confidence that makes you want to stay.
The Approach
Japanese bartending philosophy
Balance and clarity over volume. Floral notes with structure behind them. Botanicals with direction. Nothing trying too hard to impress you. A drinks list that feels genuinely suited to the season rather than dressed up for it.
The Menu
Six botanical themes
Sakura, Fushimi Inari, Geisha, Hokkaido Beach, Mount Fuji, Shibuya, Samurai and Ninja Museum, and Akihabara District. Each theme explores a Japanese place, tradition, or cultural reference through cocktails that balance structure, flavour, and seasonal brightness.
The Timing
Open when the light is still generous
Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm. Arrive with the spring evening still bright outside and ease gradually into the vaulted lounge. A short walk through Marylebone in full bloom makes a natural preamble and puts the evening in exactly the right key.
After Hours
Aki, the restaurant above
Your evening does not have to end when the last cocktail is finished. Aki London waits above, offering modern Japanese dining in a Grade II-listed banking hall. A natural continuation for guests who want the night to keep unfolding.
Uniquely cool cocktails in London perfect for Spring
The problem with most cocktail bars in London is that they are optimistic about the wrong things. Sweetness does not equal freshness. A pastel palette does not equal restraint. And a drink garnished with a dried flower does not equal botanical intelligence, no matter how photogenic it looks on your Instagram reel.
Kiyori gets there through a Japanese journey, which turns out to be exactly the right approach. Japanese bartending has long prioritised balance and clarity over volume, which means the floral notes here have structure behind them, the botanicals have direction, and nothing is trying too hard to impress you.
Cool cocktails in London’s most talked-about new lounge
Kiyori was designed for spring evenings that ask to be savoured, not rushed. Hidden inside the original bank vaults of Grade II-listed One Cavendish Square, the lounge pairs bronze and gold interiors, mirrored surfaces, and commissioned artwork with a calm, luxurious atmosphere that feels made for long conversations.
Open from 5pm Wednesday to Saturday, it also makes the best kind of prelude to a night out in Marylebone. The short walk from a blooming May evening into a room like this turns the whole experience into something more deliberate, and that is exactly why it works so well as a spring cocktail bar in London.
The Kiyori cocktail menu
Hanami
Sakura
£18
Traditional practice of enjoying the transient beauty of cherry blossoms, Kakunodate Prefecture
Made with: Roku Japanese gin, Mancino Sakura, lychee blossom and orchid, finished with Sakura air foam.
Profile: A delicate floral composition that captures the fleeting beauty of cherry blossom season. Light, lifted, and elegantly perfumed — the ideal spring cocktail for those seeking a botanical serve with genuine Japanese pedigree.
Hokkaido beach
Hokkaido
£18
Japan’s most iconic beach, snow – sand – sea, Hokkaido Prefecture
Made with: El Dorado 3 yo rum, Etsu Ocean gin, pandan and kaffir, coconut, pineapple and turmeric.
Profile: A tropical escape that channels Japan’s northern coastline. Saline, bright, and sun-drenched, this cocktail layers island rum with oceanic gin and Southeast Asian botanicals for a drink that transports you to the beach in a single sip.
Fushimi Inari shrine
Torii
£18
1000 torii gates, spirituality, Kyoto Prefecture
Made with: Aperitif house blend, sesame, orgeat and fig leaf soda.
Profile: A dry, nutty aperitif with a distinctive green note from fig leaf. Understated and contemplative, this cocktail mirrors the quiet spirituality of Kyoto’s vermilion gates — complex without being loud, refreshing without being simple.
The art of Geisha
Maiko
£18
Entering the secretive world of Japan’s geishas, Kyoto Prefecture
Made with: Sencha green tea, vanilla, lychee, ginger and matcha air foam.
Profile: An elegant, creamy green tea cocktail with the soft sweetness of lychee and the warmth of vanilla. Crowned with a cloud of matcha air foam, it is as poised and refined as the tradition it honours — a drink for those who appreciate subtlety over spectacle.
Mount Fuji
Fuji-San
£18
Japan’s most iconic stratovolcano, Chubu Prefecture
Made with: Illegal mezcal, coconut, mango, Muyu vetiver.
Profile: A layered cocktail with the smoky depth of mezcal meeting tropical fruit and earthy vetiver. Like the volcano that inspired it, this drink builds from a solid, grounded base to something unexpectedly bright — a complex sipper for those who like their cocktails with real structure.
Shibuya
Womb
£18
Tokyo nightlife, Tokyo Prefecture
Made with: Konik’s Tail vodka, Maraschino, vanilla, dill, honey melon.
Profile: A fresh, fruity cocktail that channels Tokyo’s electric after-dark energy. Crisp vodka meets the unexpected herbaceous lift of dill and the sweetness of honey melon — urban, playful, and surprisingly sophisticated, much like Shibuya itself.
Samurai and Ninja museum
Seppuku
£18
Samurai sword experience, Kyoto Prefecture
Made with: Courvoisier cognac, cherry wood-aged awamori, sesame, ginseng tea, absinthe.
Profile: A rich, savoury cocktail with genuine edge. Cognac and awamori provide a warm, aged foundation, while sesame and ginseng add an earthy, almost medicinal complexity. The absinthe brings a sharp, decisive finish — a drink with the precision and gravity of a samurai blade.
Akihabara district
Koshu
£18
Known as the center of Japan’s otaku culture, Tokyo Prefecture
Made with: Suntory Toki whisky, smoked El Gobernador pisco, shiso, yuzu liqueur.
Profile: A smoky, citrus-driven cocktail that balances Japanese whisky with South American pisco for an unexpected cross-cultural collaboration. Shiso and yuzu bring herbaceous brightness and a distinctly Japanese character — unconventional, bold, and unapologetically individual.
Kiyori: the perfect post Chelsea Flower Show cocktail bar
The follow-on drink should feel like a continuation of that mood rather than a departure from it. That is where Kiyori earns its place. The botanicals making an appearance on the cocktail menu, the Japanese approach to floral ingredients, the commissioned artwork on the walls and the carefully layered interiors all carry the same sensibility as Chelsea’s best gardens: details that reward attention, restraint that reads as confidence, and a strong enough aesthetic point of view that nothing feels accidental.
For anyone planning May properly, the useful links are the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026, the Kiyori bar, and the Kiyori cocktail menu. One runs for five days. The other is open all spring.
Kiyori is a Japanese-inspired cocktail lounge set inside the original bank vaults beneath Aki London at 1 Cavendish Square, Marylebone, London W1G 0LA. Open Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm, the bar serves a menu of eight signature cocktails (£18 each) organised around Japanese cultural themes including Sakura, Hokkaido, Mount Fuji, and Shibuya. Designed by Francis Sultana with bronze and gold interiors, mirrored surfaces, and commissioned contemporary artwork, Kiyori offers a private, vaulted lounge accessed by its own entrance and a backlit spiral staircase. Japanese spirits including Suntory Toki whisky, Roku gin, and cherry wood-aged awamori feature prominently, alongside yuzu, shiso, matcha, sakura, and pandan. No reservation is required for drinks; walk-ins are welcome. The lounge sits directly beneath Aki London, a contemporary Japanese restaurant, making it a natural prelude or follow-on for dinner in Marylebone.
Visit This Spring
Come and find us beneath Aki on Cavendish Square
Kiyori is our cocktail lounge in Marylebone. Botanical serves, Japanese spirits and a room that knows how to hold a spring evening. Open Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm. Chelsea runs for five days. We are open all season.
Frequently asked questions about Kiyori
Everything you need to know before your visit to our Marylebone cocktail lounge
Where is Kiyori and how do I find the entrance?
Kiyori is located beneath Aki London at 1 Cavendish Square, Marylebone, London W1G 0LA. The lounge has its own dedicated entrance separate from the restaurant above — look for the backlit spiral staircase that descends into the original bank vaults. The nearest tubes are Oxford Circus and Bond Street, both a two-minute walk away.
What are Kiyori’s opening hours?
Kiyori is open Wednesday to Saturday from 5pm until late. We recommend arriving early on weekends to secure a comfortable spot, particularly during spring and summer when the lounge is at its most popular. The bar is closed Sunday to Tuesday.
Do I need a reservation for Kiyori?
No reservation is needed for drinks at Kiyori — walk-ins are always welcome. If you are planning to dine at Aki before or after your visit to the lounge, we do recommend booking a table at the restaurant in advance, especially on weekends.
How much do cocktails cost at Kiyori?
All eight signature cocktails on the Kiyori menu are priced at £18. Each drink is built around Japanese spirits and botanicals, with ingredients including Suntory Toki whisky, Roku gin, yuzu, shiso, matcha, sakura, and pandan. The full cocktail menu is available to view here.
What kind of cocktails does Kiyori serve?
Kiyori’s cocktail menu is organised around Japanese cultural themes and destinations, from Sakura (cherry blossom season) and Hokkaido (Japan’s northern coast) to Shibuya (Tokyo nightlife) and Mount Fuji. Expect Japanese spirits paired with seasonal botanicals, floral notes with structure, and a bartending philosophy that prioritises balance and clarity over sweetness. The menu includes both spirit-forward serves and lighter, more refreshing options.
Can I visit Kiyori without dining at Aki?
Yes, absolutely. Kiyori operates independently with its own entrance and bar, so you are welcome to visit for cocktails whether or not you are dining at Aki. That said, many guests choose to combine both — a table at Aki for dinner followed by cocktails downstairs in the vault makes for a complete evening in Marylebone.
What is the dress code at Kiyori?
Smart-casual. The vaulted, bronze and gold interiors by Francis Sultana reward a little effort — think an elegant shirt or dress rather than trainers and sportswear. The space has a quiet, considered atmosphere that guests tend to match naturally.
Is Kiyori available for private hire?
Yes, Kiyori can be booked for private events and exclusive use. The lounge occupies an entire private floor within the original bank vaults, making it a distinctive setting for celebrations, corporate entertaining, and special occasions. For enquiries about private hire, please contact the Aki team through the enquiries page.
Is there food available at Kiyori?
Kiyori is primarily a cocktail lounge, with a focused menu of bar snacks and light bites designed to accompany the drinks. For a full dining experience, Aki London — a contemporary Japanese restaurant serving robata, sushi, sashimi, and a £75 signature tasting menu — is located directly above the lounge. Many guests choose to dine at Aki first and then descend to Kiyori for post-dinner cocktails.
How far is Kiyori from the Chelsea Flower Show?
Kiyori is approximately 15 minutes by taxi or 30 minutes by tube from the Royal Hospital Chelsea, home of the Chelsea Flower Show (Sloane Square station to Oxford Circus, three stops on the District and Central lines). It makes an ideal post-show destination for a botanical cocktail in a setting that shares Chelsea’s appreciation for detail, restraint, and seasonal beauty.
Are there non-alcoholic options at Kiyori?
Yes. While Kiyori’s signature menu focuses on spirit-driven cocktails, our bartenders can prepare non-alcoholic serves on request. The neighbouring Aki restaurant also offers a dedicated non-alcoholic cocktail including the Yuzubai (£12), made with Tanqueray 0.0, coffee cordial, and homemade yuzu soda.
