Birmingham has no shortage of places to order a drink, but knowing what to order is half the fun. Whether you are a martini regular or someone who usually asks the bartender to choose, the best cocktails in Birmingham are the ones with personality behind them. Here are the serves worth trying at WashWorx, our cocktail bar in Birmingham Southside, from familiar favourites to drinks that arrive with a little theatre.
Start with the house recommendations
Look for the small red star on our drinks menu. It marks the bar team’s own picks. The Margarita is made with El Jimador blanco, Cointreau, fresh lemon and gomme, and it is clean, sharp and easy to love. The Pornstar Martini brings together vodka, passionfruit, vanilla and pineapple for something sweet and fruity, while the Lychee Martini pairs vodka with lychee, apple and lemon for a lighter, more floral sip. If you only try one thing, start here.
Dry ice cocktails with a bit of theatre
This is where WashWorx earns its reputation. Drinks marked with the dry ice symbol arrive with a cloud of smoke rolling over the glass, so you see them before you taste them. The Zombie is the showpiece: spiced and white rum, apple, orange, pineapple, lime, grenadine, orgeat and bitters. It is also a house recommendation.
Handle With Care mixes gin with orange liqueur and orange, and Dirty Load combines vodka, melon liqueur and apple for a fruity, playful serve. They suit a big night out, and on Fridays they sit perfectly alongside the DJs and drag performances at Untidy Fridays.
Classics, done properly
If you prefer your cocktails traditional, there is plenty to choose from. The Espresso Martini uses vodka, coffee liqueur, vanilla and espresso. The Aviation combines gin, maraschino, violet and lemon, and the Old Fashioned Bourbon keeps things simple with bourbon, aromatic bitters and gomme. For something tropical, the Mai Tai mixes white and spiced rum with pineapple, orgeat and lime, and the Amaretto Sours adds lemon and egg white for a silky finish.
Mocktails worth ordering
Good mocktails in Birmingham should feel like an occasion, and ours are prepared with the same care as everything else on the menu. Smoke & Mirrors blends passionfruit, orange, lemon and gomme syrup with dry ice, and Rinse & Repeat combines apple, pineapple, lemon and grenadine, also served with dry ice. For something sweeter, try Hidden in Plain Sight with bubblegum, passionfruit and orange, or Vanishing Act with cherry syrup, lemon juice and lemonade.
How to choose if you are not sure
Ask the bar team. Tell them whether you like your drinks sweet, sour, strong or refreshing, and they will point you in the right direction. If you want something lighter, the menu also has spritzes and bellinis, including an Elderflower Spritz with elderflower liqueur, prosecco and soda. The Washhouse shots, such as The Nightcap with coffee liqueur and Irish cream, are a fun way to start a round with friends. Add something from our tapas and drinks menu, and you have a proper evening sorted.
Try them for yourself
Ready to taste the best cocktails in Birmingham city centre? Browse the full drinks menu, see what’s on at WashWorx, or book a table and come and see the smoke for yourself. Planning a celebration? Ask us about private hire. Still deciding where to go? Read our guide to the best cocktail bars in Birmingham.