The Tomatini from La Petite Maison – well on its way to becoming a contemporary classic in its own right – was created at LPM’s Dubai outpost in 2010, where Jimmy Barrat is said to have drawn on the flavours of his home on the French Riviera. Tomatoes are at their peak in summer, but with restaurants in various locations around the world, and year-round demand for the drink, seasonal and geographical variation is a consideration. 

“Tomatoes are living ingredients, with sweetness, acidity and texture shifting with the seasons,” says LPM beverage director Tibor Krascsenics. “That challenge is part of the beauty, working closely with suppliers in the UK, tasting constantly, and adjusting the balance to let the tomato express itself at its best.” 

Making use of the abundance of fruit currently in season is The Queen’s Walk at newly-opened Nancy’s in London, taking inspiration from Borough Market stall Humble Crumble. The classic dessert in question might have autumnal associations, but this drink is all about the sunshine, from its in-season clarified blueberry juice to the swirl of custard soft serve atop the drink. 

“Coming into blueberry season now, we’re able to juice them at their peak to make a bright, sharp juice that we combine with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla, because it isn’t a crumble without them,” says head bartender Martha May Markham. 

Figs are in season too, and so are their leaves, an ingredient that the team at Somerset farm-to-table restaurant Osip are making the most of with their Fig Leaf Negroni. “This is a fragrant twist on the Italian classic, built around the distinctly British aroma of fresh fig leaves – an ingredient associated with late-summer gardens,” says bar manager Andrea Marcon. “Infusing the Campari with fig leaf lends the cocktail softer notes, and brings a fresh, herbaceous elegance to the serve.”