When the National Portrait Gallery reopens this summer after a three-year renovation we were expecting it to feature a rooftop restaurant by Richard Corrigan and a ground floor cafe by the folk at Daisy Green. What we didn’t know, until now, was that the Daisy Green team have also been hard at work creating an underground cocktail bar.

Larry’s Bar, named after Sir Laurence Olivier, used to be a Victorian coal storage spot under the gallery. It’s now been transformed, quite literally, into what looks to be a very elegant drinking spot. There will be 100 portraits from the gallery’s huge collection on the walls of the bar celebrating the stars of the West End and lots of intimate booths for enjoying a cosy drink.

On the cocktail list, you’ll find a dirty Martini, a Hepburn (a twist on a White Lady) and a Larry’s Negroni. The White Lady’s a bit of cocktail history that has strong ties with the NPG – it was created in Ciro’s nightclub which used to stand where the gallery’s HQ now is.

We’re already signing up for the Martinis & Masterpieces on Fridays and Saturdays. That gives you access to the gallery in the evening along with a flight of mini cocktails.

The bar food also sounds like they’ve given a lot of thought to it with a lobster roll served with Exmoor caviar, a Mushroom Garden parfait with Wiltshire black truffles and no fewer than three Scotch eggs to choose from.