The Bootlegger
A wicked slice of prohibition New York has made its way to Cardiff city centre. Conceived by Haverfordwest siblings Lee and Gary Miller, Bootlegger has all the cool hallmarks of a 1920s speakeasy but without the fear of being shut down by the Feds.
Situated in the heart of Womanby Street, the Miller boys have done a fine job with the interior. The stair entrance welcomes you to a spacious room split on two levels. At the top, a Gin Bar choc-full of fine booze and fresh fruit ready for the cocktail shaker (there are a whopping 120 on offer). Below a short flight of stairs is where the live music takes place with artists turning out soul, jazz, blues, 50’s/60’s rock’n’roll and funk. The live music is nightly and entry free (there's also ample space to shake your thing).
My friend and I decide to take full advantage of happy hour (like the live music, constant throughout the week). I order a Caipirinha and my friend chooses a Strawberry Cheesecake (each to their own). Mixologist Drew is great company and rather than just slamming all the ingredients together and shaking them up, he asks us about our personal tipple tastes. Do we like things sweet? Or maybe a bit more sharp? Once we make our decisions the drinks are served up.
They are both bang on the money. The Caipirinha, to my taste, is sharp and refreshing. The Strawberry Cheese is a delightful, boozy dessert in a glass. Away from the bulging cocktail list, there's an exhaustive list of gins, wines, prosseco and also some excellent craft ales courtesy of local brewers Crafty Devil. Bootlegger's mantra is that it's a place for ordinary people to have a great time. We concur.
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The Bootlegger
5A Womanby Street
Cardiff
CF10 1BR
029 2037 3482
cardiffbootlegger.co.uk
@CdfBootlegger
