Actor Idris Elba Is Opening a Cocktail Bar

Actor, DJ, and producer, Idris Elba has announced that he will open The Parrot, a new and “intimate” (60 seater) cocktail bar and live music venue, in early October, at the Waldorf Hilton, on Aldwych in central London.

Elba, a co-founder, is joined by brothers Lee and Nicky Caulfield — Hollywood actor assistant-turned fixer and professional musician, respectively — as the trio promise a “whole host of A-List surprises, from a hidden cocktail menu to regular, unannounced secret shows and an exclusive guest list.” And, for those wondering, the venue will offer “access to the London bar scene’s first chauffeur-driven, branded car.” (An Aston Martin, branded with The Parrot logo, which will ferry VIP guests “in unrivalled luxury.”)

What else?

Inspired by the tropical home of its namesake, The Parrot’s menu will offer an inspired choice of cocktails, featuring premium and bespoke creations that offer customers the ultimate experience.

Food-wise, guests will be offered “vibrant and delicious small plates” created by The Waldorf’s resident executive chef, Karl Richardson. Those small plates, though short on detail, do nonetheless “perfectly encapsulate the theme of this tropical hideaway.”

The partnerships do not stop with Aston. For there’s “The Yamaha London Stage at The Parrot,” too: From here, the venue will provide nightly entertainment, with a professional house band “performing covers of songs we all know, with talent direct from the West End, bringing a unique energy to the heart of London.”

The Parrot’s aforementioned “completely unannounced” secret shows, will draw on the three owners’ contacts books — “from the stars of stage and screen to the next big thing,” they say.

More soon.

• The 15 Essential London Cocktail Bars [ELDN]
• The Hottest Cocktail Bars in London, Right Now [ELDN]