The 'quirky' cocktail bar loved by celebrities named the best in Essex

Enjoying some food and drinks at fete!
-Credit:fete


A “cosy” and “quirky” cocktail bar with “unparalleled ambiance” has been voted as the best in Essex by our readers. Every so often, we ask our readers to shout out their favourite businesses and this time it was the turn of cocktail bar enthusiasts to have their say.

After a round of nominations we whittled it down to just five and we are now able to reveal the winner. The Fête Lounge in Upminster has been voted the readers’ choice as the best cocktail bar in Essex.

One reader described it as their “go to bar”. They said: “The Fête Lounge serves the best cocktails in Essex. It’s also got a cosy and edgy vibe. They are my go-to bar.”

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Husband and wife Joshi and Nooreen opened Fête back in 2016, and have gone from strength to strength ever since then. Joshi has a history in hospitality, with Nooreen having experience in business - and together they have created a bar with a chilled community vibe and a menu of over 100 cocktails.

Some Fete cocktails
Some Fete cocktails -Credit:fete

Fête is not just a bar, either. It offers lots of cocktail masterclasses, afternoon teas and even bottomless brunches perfect for any occasion.

Inspired by Nooreen's Caribeean heritage, many of the dishes and drinks pay homage to a relaxed and chilled out Caribbean cocktail bar. Nooreen and Joshi said that one of their most popular cocktails is the Piarco Popcorn Tini, which is coconut rum with popcorn syrup, caramel and sea salt.

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Nooreen said: "It's just so nostalgic, every sip just reminds you of the cinema. It's lovely to create some unique drinks that people have probably never tried before."

It is not just locals who love the bar, either. Fête has been visited by some pretty famous names! Love Island star turned documentary creator Zara McDermott once visited with her then boyfriend, Adam Collard.

The bar at fete
The bar at fete -Credit:fete

Celebrities such as Eddie Hearn and Jacqueline Jossa have also used Fête's private event service for birthdays and all sorts of celebrations. Nooreen and Joshi hold lots of private events, from a mobile bar that can be parked at a venue or the option to hire out the Upminster bar - and these just keep getting busier!

Nooreen said of winning the best cocktail bar in Essex award: "It's something you hope for, as a business owner. We have worked so hard for this, and it is absolutely brilliant to be recognised.

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"We have our amazing regulars, with people bringing their kids and then they bring their kids - it's almost a generational thing. It's supposed to be a personal sort of vibe."

Our staff are abolutely brilliant, we wouldn't have got to where we are without them. Some staff members have worked here since day one, others have been here for the majority of our journey."

Joshi added: "We just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who voted. And a massive thanks to everyone who has travelled from far and wide to visit The Fête Lounge."