cato, Covent Garden’s newest cocktail bar, is bringing the Kentucky Derby to London with an exclusive late-night viewing party on Saturday 2 May. cato’s ground-floor bar, known as the House of Julep, will take guests track-side with the race televised live from Louisville.
Limited to just 20 tickets, mirroring the number of horses in the Derby, each guest will be assigned a number. The winning ticket holder will be crowned on the night, enjoying the evening on the house and the full return of the price of their ticket.
Tickets are priced at £55 per person and include a welcome pickleback on arrival, three bespoke Mint Julep cocktails, and a selection of Southern-inspired snacks.
Taking place in the bar’s ground-floor space, the House of Julep, the evening offers a rare opportunity to experience the race in an atmospheric setting inspired by the drink that defines it. Known as the official cocktail of the Kentucky Derby, the Mint Julep sees more than 120,000
drinks poured each year at Churchill Downs. At cato, guests are invited to explore its legacy in the very space dedicated to its origin story.
Named after Cato Alexander, the 19th-century Manhattan bartender credited as the world’s first celebrity mixologist and the man who popularised the julep, cato brings a distinct New York energy to London, channelling heritage cocktail culture through a contemporary lens.
Located on Mercer Street, cato is the latest opening from hospitality group Bart & Taylor, in partnership with award-winning bartender and author Angelos Bafas (Mr. Ungarnished). Together, they have created a two-level bar rooted in New York soul, hospitality craft and quietly radical cocktail design, all set within Covent Garden.
For one night only, cato brings the pageantry of Churchill Downs to central London – serving up high-stakes Derby drama and the best mint julep this side of the Atlantic.
Tickets can be purchased here: https://catobar.co.uk/whats-on/kentucky-derby