A pumpkin spice latte, but make it alcoholic.
No, I’m not verbalising the fever dream of every basic PSL Girl— I’m actually talking about a real and mystical unicorn of a drink that exists right here in Southampton.
Just as Mrs. Lovett’s infamous meat pies sparked speculation about the secret that could make them so incredible, one truly has to ask what sort of mixological witchcraft is going down in Southampton’s unassuming Attic— the wildly underappreciated weekend-exclusive hidden gem. (However, I can safely say that The Attic is free of Sweeney Todd vibes!)
Instead, it gives speakeasy energy— characterized by candlelight, an eclectic jazz soundtrack, and eccentric decor that harkens to another, classier time. In The Attic, adrift on a pleasant cocktail buzz, the cares of your real life fade away. Surrounded by antique furnishings and big band music, you’re free to imagine a different, more glamorous life for yourself if only for a few magical hours.
In The Attic, you can be anyone— a poet, a dreamer, an heiress shrouded in mystery; reinventing yourself seems possible in the magical, obscure bar where you can truly escape. Long before you ever pick up a drink, the elegant allure of The Attic invites you to relax and transform yourself. But once you do indulge in one of The Attic’s unique craft cocktails, you’d best be prepared for an experience you won’t taste anywhere else.
Do they have a deal with some kind of holy cocktail spirit? Has God Himself blessed The Attic as a holy, sacred place? Both seem perfectly plausible the moment you taste The Attic’s unassuming signature drink.
Open on Friday and Saturday nights only (despite my relentless begging), The Attic is home to— quite simply— the best cocktail I have ever tasted in my life. Created by the inhumanly talented cocktail wizard Chris Austin, the alcoholic pumpkin spice latte— known by my Instagram followers as The Holy Spice— is the drink I imagined would only ever be accessible in heaven.
(If you want to order it for yourself, technically its name is The Chai Tea, but I’m starting an official petition to have it renamed The Holy Spice).
However, despite my obsession with The Holy Spice, they do have other drinks— including the whimsical Melondramatic, the arresting Basil Margarita, and The Heist (a unique cocktail with a side of historical fun facts best explained by Chris himself!)
So, even if The Holy Spice isn’t your thing, there’s something magical for everyone waiting in The Attic. So, do yourself a favour and support one of Southampton’s most charming local businesses this weekend!
