When it comes to after-work drinks in the City, this new spot really sparkles.

The Venue
Those familiar with the Jewel brand are likely to have visited the high-profile central spots in Covent Garden and Piccadilly. If you haven’t, this is the third Jewel, the biggest of the bunch, and it offers several themed rooms with OTT decor – huge chandeliers, wallpapered walls, booth-style seating and elaborate chairs are spread across several floors. The themes include the Suit Room, with its stripy walls and suits and ties in cabinets, the Dress Room, a small elaborate area with – you guessed it – plenty of dresses, and the Shoe Room, a room with a dark wood and fancy footwear. It has a great location for its target audience of City workers – it's a stone's throw from the One New Change shopping centre and St Paul's Tube station.

The Atmosphere
While it's open from midday for those who want a fancy bar to lunch in, the atmosphere really kicks off on Thursday and Friday nights, where the street-level area can be so busy you may struggle to get to the bar. This is when booking a small area is advisable. Expect to see the usual suited and smartly dressed City crowd, with an older clientele during the day. Staff are friendly and provide an efficient table service if needed.

The Music
While there's a more mellow chart sound during the day, DJs crank it up in the evening, blasting out commercial tunes to the cocktail-sipping crowd.

The Food
During the day they serve a lunch menu with hearty mains such as steaks, alongside interesting-sounding salads. The evening's focus is on sharing platters that are a secondary to the drinking, rather than the other way around. Sharing boards start at £10 and include a Mediterranean board, a British cheese board, a seafood board and an antipasto board, and there's pots and nibbles from £2, too. If you have a large group, however, the sharing selection (£18) is a good call, as the portion is pretty impressive and it includes a lot of the smaller dishes you can purchase separately. The dish includes a deliciously filling and very cheesy roast pepper and smoked cheddar quesadilla, good-quality and super-succulent lamb koftas, rich yet moreish mini chorizo sausages, as well as subtly spiced Thai fish cakes, plus plenty of warm chargrilled flatbreads and a selection of dips (you can ask if you want something specific).

The Drink
Cocktails are the name of the game at Jewel – but they do come at a City price, starting at just under £8. They're expertly made with fresh ingredients, however, so it's worth the extra couple of quid. The Sloe Gin Sin (£8.65) is a rich, fruity cocktail, made of blackberries, Gordon's Sloe Gin, Chambord liqueur and a sour blend of fresh lemon and lime juices, while the classic Champagne Cocktail is a stronger – yet equally easy to drink – mix of Angostura Bitter and Courvoisier-soaked sugar topped with champagne. If you're after wine, the bar offers a decent menu – working closely with Justerini & Brooks. Bottles start at around £17. The Finca La Florencia Malbec (£20.50) is an easy-to-drink red wine that goes well with a lot of the dishes on the menu.

The Last Word
With its flamboyant decor, fabulous cocktails and committed staff, St Paul's Jewel is already a big hit in the City.

venue information venue map view london review write a review image gallery (7) book tickets venue hire