Legendary bartender Salvatore Calabrese has announced he is leaving Playboy Club London where he opened his own bar, Salvatore’s.
After five years running the Mayfair bar, the Maestro is moving on – but is already set to open a new bar in Hong Kong and hopes to develop another “more intimate” venue in London.
Salvatore’s Bar has been a key part of Playboy Club London since it returned to the capital with a new site in Park Lane in November 2010. It is well-known for its cocktails, including drinks made with vintage spirits from the 20th and 19th centuries.
“It’s been quite a ride,” he said. “I feel like I’ve achieved something of note for London’s incredible night-time scene.”
During this time, he has also opened bars for Playboy, Bound by Salvatore at The Cromwell in Las Vegas and Mixology101 in Los Angeles.
Playboy London has not yet commented on what his departure will mean for Salvatore’s bar in Mayfair but said there would be news “in the next few weeks”.
Salvatore has run bars in London for more than 40 years, including Duke’s Hotel, the Lanesborough and Fifty St James club. “You’ll appreciate that after four decades of late nights in London, and after running bars in casinos and fancy hotels, I’m ready for something different,” he said.
Salvatore is also a past president of the United Kingdom Bartenders Guild and the author of numerous books including Classic Cocktails which was published last year in a new edition.
Announcing his departure, he added: “I feel like our drinking culture is at something of a crossroads. Everyone is drinking less, but hopefully making better choices when they do drink, better informed by the drinking revolution that has occurred.”
