Martinis and Monster Munch: Brutes at Mayfair cocktail bar confirmed for April opening

You know what Mayfair needs? Another cocktail bar. And it’s getting one: Brutes.

Brutes at Mayfair was announced in Summer 2025, but we now know when it’ll open. It’s soon — April 2026.

The bar lives on Bruton place. Its name isn’t as aggressive as it sounds. And Brutes describes itself as a positively friendly “neighbourhood cocktail bar” and martini shop.

While we don’t have the full menu just yet, we’re promised an array of classic martini cocktails, with a “produce-led” menu. But there are a few quirks ahead for Brutes visitors.

You’ll choose a base spirit, style and garnish, with cocktail characters including “dry, wet, dirty and brutal.” That last one is a bit of an eye-opener, but Brutes offsets some of the cocktail impact with side garnishes.

Some blue cheese olives? Pickled onion Monster Munch? Chicken scratchings? We’ll have to wait to see which cocktails those come paired with.

Cocktails with a punch

One cocktail we do know about so far is the Seventh Stall. It combines “wasabi leaf” vodka, house hot sauce, yellow tomato and “mustard seed caviar,” which is mustard seed prepared in sweetened vinegar — not actual caviar. Mouth watering yet?

The mixologists will also be able to suggest cocktails based on the weather, and Brutes has an in-house barometer to help out on that front.

A 12-seater bar is the centre of Brutes. It’s a cosy vibes-based affair, not some sort of cocktail superstore. But there’s also a back bar, ideal if you don’t need to be in the heat of the cocktail-making action.

“At Brutes, we set out to create a bar with a real sense of place, something rooted in London and the street it lives on. The bartenders take centre stage, creating a communal atmosphere where guests feel part of something unfolding through drinks, music, and service,” says Brutes co-founder Guy Mazuch.

He’s worked with business partner James Stevenson to make Brutes a reality, whose collective career includes stints working with Michelin-starred restaurants and Ronnie Scott’s, among other establishments.

Brutes will be open Wednesday to Saturday next month. You can follow the bar on Instagram for updates on the exact date.

• The best cocktails bars in Britain have officially been named – and 25 of them are in London

Skip the search — follow Shortlist on Google News to get our best lists, news, features and reviews at the top of your feeds!