Made in.. The Botanist - Perfect for People Watching.

If you're in the Sloane Square area, and in the market for a mean cocktail, The Botanist has for a long time been your go to place. The bar is always doing a booming trade, as elegantly dressed professionals (for some reason everyone seems to be in a dress or a suit) spill out on to the street sip their Bellinis and Cosmopolitans and watch the (sophisticated) hordes go by. The prime Sloane Square positions makes it popular with bankers and Chelsea socialites (indeed we saw two of the girls from Made in Chelsea dithering outside, having filmed a scene at nearby Tiffany) but there is a vibrant older crowd there enjoying themselves too.

The Botanist treads the line well between elegance and modern sophistication. True to its name, there are stunning bouquets of flowers dotted around and the bar is a grand silver affair. Whilst there is a restaurant area attached, the main reason people come here is for the creative cocktail menu with it's mix of Botanist originals and twists on old favourites.

They weren't cheap (cocktails are £9 upwards) but we were impressed with our Empire Collins and Original Singapore Sling. The barman took the time to mix everything properly, and the garnish was fresh, simple and modern.

There is a lively atmosphere at The Botanist, but due to its popularity and lack of outdoor space (drinkers spill onto small marked areas on the Sloane Square pavement), unless you're there for a quick drink and some serious people watching you'd be wise to arrive early. And if you are there for some people watching... boy have you come to the right place! As well as our Made In Chelsea sighting, the sartorial choices of our fellow drinkers (several in floor length gowns) were definitely worth the trip, as well as a classic "banker moment" in which a Ferrari roared up outside while some model-type tried her best to catch everyone's attention as she got inside. Despite this description, the place feels surprisingly unpretentious. This is probably due to the huge age range of our fellow drinks. On the whole, everyone seemed to be kicking back and unwinding with a good drink in hand - even those in the evening gowns!