Food review: Trippets Lounge Bar

Described as an establishment for ‘fizz, gin, dining and jazz’, the award-winning independent bar offers an ever-increasing range of 89 gins, amongst other drinks such as wine and beer, as well as a scrumptious taster menu of food available from noon, Wednesday through Saturday, and brunch most Sundays.

It is run by Debbie and Carl Shaw and has been open for around four years.

Heading inside on what was a bitterly cold Wednesday evening, we were greeted by the friendly bar manager who welcomed us to grab a drink at the bar before taking our seat.

There we met owner Debbie, who was on hand to impart her encyclopaedic knowledge of all things gin.

I’ll admit I’m not the biggest fan of the staple gin and tonic so was a little sceptical when encouraged to try one.

After being given a taste of each tonic, I decided to step out my comfort zone and order Liverpool Valencia orange gin, pairing it with an orange tonic and a fresh orange wedge – a drink so nice I ordered a second before we headed to our table.

Trippets has a somewhat dark and atmospheric interior with monochromatic décor and candelabras aplenty.

Seated next to the window we were served bread and oil to start before later placing our order. The menu is primarily tasting plates, perfect for sharing, with plenty of side options, so you can make it more like a standard main if you’d prefer.

We went for a selection start after it was recommended to try a few plates first then order more if needed afterwards.

The team were very accommodating for the vegan in the group, adapting the menu to offer something suitable and suggesting other ingredients they could add to make the dish viable for his dietary needs.