The menu is actually something to tell your friends about
Christopher is the Echo’s Senior Life reporter covering restaurants, bars, shopping, events, concerts, and shows around Merseyside. Alongside his current role, Christopher led Liverpool’s Eurovision Song Contest 2023 coverage as its dedicated reporter. Christopher joined the Echo in 2022 after years of freelance writing focusing on pop culture and entertainment.
Slowpour is tucked away in a basement on Bold Street(Image: christopher megrath)
A new bar that ditches the glamorous aesthetics in favour of expertly crafted cocktails has opened in the city centre. You could easily overlook Slowpour as it hides beneath a Bold Street wine bar with no glaring neon signs or bold advertising to draw attention, but I promise it’s worth your time seeking out.
Slowpour is tucked in the basement of wine and coffee shop Rope & Twines. You can access the venue by entering the main doors of the latter and asking one of the team to guide you downstairs.
Slowpour operates independently of Ropes & Twines and aims to create a “cosy and intimate” space for guests to unwind for hours with an eclectic selection of music personally curated by the owners.
The bar only opened on Friday but it didn’t stop two of my friends and I from popping in as one of the first customers on the official opening. I was taken aback by the dark and moody interiors but the menu stole my attention for the rest of the night.
Slowpour is tucked in the basement of Ropes & Twines(Image: christopher megrath)
The menu is divided in two: light and dark. On the left, you have clear spirits like Belvedere vodka, Lost Explorer Mezcal tequila and Aluna white rum. On the opposing side are the primarily brown liquours such as Diplo Ex Rum, Gendronach and Woodford whiskeys for patrons capable of tolerating a stiffer concoction.
The menu is intricate and intriguing. I was forced to swallow my pride as a former mixologist and ask the staff the nature of a few of the spirits. You won’t find the crowd pleasers in Slowpour but given the plainly expert knowledge that’s gone into crafting the menu I doubt the bartenders will have a problem serving your requests.
The menu is further divided by taste experiences. Guest have a choice of light and dark options from strawberry, cherry, coffee, mint, chilli, tomato, ginger and rose based drinks. There’s also a non-alcoholic version of every one of the 16 items leaving, no stone unturned. There’s nothing to fault and honestly quite remarkable to see every possible order, preference and tolerance has been considered from opening.
Slowpour’s cocktails are expertly fashioned(Image: christopher megrath)
I ordered the light coffee cocktail consisting of Alunana, coconut water and espresso foam. I was able to sample my guests’ drinks too which include the light strawberry and light rose. While we waited for our drinks to be served, we were afforded time to admire the venue.
I assumed the basement space was previously used as a keg room but I was later informed it was actually occupied by a bar until recently. Ropes & Twines offered the space for hire and events, with a small area for bartenders to hide behind to fix up drinks for guests.
The below ground venue is rustic, dark and moody. Exposed brick walls and concrete floors cover every inch of the premise with a fresh slap of white paint to brighten the room under white lights dotted around the perimeter. A number of white circular tables are placed around the close quarters bar with dimly lit metallic lanterns placed at the centre of each to create a sense of ambience.
Slowpour is tucked away in a basement on Bold Street(Image: christopher megrath)
Slowpour is one of those venues perfect for a date or after dinner drink. It manages to create a lot by installing so little and letting the surroundings do the talking. I love that there’s a place like this on Bold Street. We almost never had a chance to visit because it was full apart from a single empty table. Lucky us!
The staff were attentive, chatty and friendly throughout our entire stay, on hand to guide us through the menu or top up our water without hesitation. Low music sound tracked the evening without stealing too much of my attention. I could relax in my own bubble, but the close proximity to other tables allowed me to strike up a conversation with another group briefly.
Our drinks arrived just as ornately as they were printed with Turkish delight garnishes and thick coffee cream floats acting as discussion points for the table. They disappeared just as quick as they arrived.
I’ve rambled endlessly on how much I hate new venues offering more of what the city already boasts but Slowpour ditches the “traditional” offers and influencer-bait for an intimate venue that knocks its menu out of the park.
There’s not much else you could reasonably ask of a cocktail bar than good drinks and ambience. Slowpour offers both in spadefuls. The atmosphere is cosy yet cool, and the menu is intimidatingly professional. This is one venue you should definitely go out of your way to visit.