The best cocktail bars in London
London’s bar scene is one of the slickest and most inventive in the world. There are hundreds of drinking dens – old-school pubs, swish wine bars, stripped-back micro-breweries, widescreen rooftop bars – in every corner of the capital. But these are our 12 all-time favourites to visit for the city’s best cocktails.
Simon UptonSide Hustle, Covent Garden
NoMad might just be one of the coolest hotels in London, so it’s only right that one of its many cocktail bars makes it onto our roundup of the best in London. Side Hustle welcomes both guests from the hotel and walk-in punters to sip on the finest agave concoctions in what used to be Covent Garden's old police station. Interiors are dimly lit and furnishings are retro – polished dark wood walls are filled with Martin Parr prints, globular lights lead the way to plush leather booths, and stools sit under the marble-topped bar which hosts an impressive array of spirits that climb up to the ceiling. With a Mexican-inspired menu, it only makes sense to sample the two seasonal house margaritas. The sweeter of the two – our favourite – is made with strawberry, tomato, jalapeño and cucumber; the other has a smoky, creamy consistency with a mix of verdita, avocado, triple sec and lemon.
For something quirky try the Frida for two, with Ocho Reposado Tequila, Paranubes rum, melon, guava, cinnamon and cream. It’s served inside a giant metal skull decorated with a pineapple top and flowers because… why not? Food is just as impressive as the drinks; make sure to order the mole verde dip to start, a smooth blend of tomatillo, pistachio and hoja santa, along with a few tostadas and tacos between you. There's pork carnitas, baja-style prawn and wild mushroom to name a few. A happy slice of Mexico in central London. Sophie Knight
Address: Old Police Station Entrance, 28 Bow Street, London WC2E 7AW
Website: thenomadhotel.com
Nightjar, Carnaby
Nightjar, the iconic East London speakeasy, is famous around the world as a pioneer of the London cocktail scene. The first bar opened more than a decade ago, and its indulgent, creative drinks quickly caught the attention of industry insiders, making it a regular fixture on lists of best bars around the world. Its newest opening, in Soho's Kingly Court just off Carnaby Street, is everything you'd expect from a new Nightjar; a vast and mouthwatering drinks menu, live music and old-school glamorous decor in an easily-accessible location that feels a million miles away from London's crowded streets.
Cocktails are, of course, exceptional. The menu honours three distinct historical eras in 20th-century cocktail-making – pre-prohibition, prohibition and post-war – alongside beloved Nightjar signatures and large-format sharing cocktails. Expect surprises along the way – whether that's in the form of a fiery marshmallow topping or unusual edible garnishes. Our tip is to go for the Lupita; a stunning combination of tequila, lemon liqueur, prickly pear cordial and lime, it's delicate and simple – and oh-so easy to sip.
Address: Kingly Court, 49-51 Carnaby Street, London W1F 9PY
Website: nightjarcarnaby.com
Coupette, Bethnal Green
This French-accented, thoroughly East End bar opened in 2017 – a Calvados bar that you might find in a Normandy village, set in Bethnal Green. With a line-up of classic French drinks, the menu changes regularly – it might be a summery roster of cocktails made with Lillet Rosé and citrusy Italicus, or one inspired by East London’s edgy side, spotlighting whisky, chocolate bitters or rum. Bar snacks continue the French theme, with crepes on the menu. But this place is mainly about the drinks – a spot for some of the smartest cocktails in this corner of London, and easily the best bar for developing a real appreciation of Calvados.
Address: Coupette, 423 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 0AN
Website: coupette.co.uk
Untitled, Dalston
Master mixologist Tony Conigliaro has had a dedicated fan base since he opened 69 Colebrooke Row and Soho’s Bar Termini (which also features on this list). His alchemist approach makes use of everything from blowtorches to vacuum distillation to meticulously craft his cutting-edge tipples. This spot on Dalston's Kingsland Road is a minimalist space of polished concrete and foil-papered walls, inspired by Andy Warhol's Factory. Before the evening kicks off, everyone is offered a Wish – a palate cleanser of dehydrated gel infused with beetroot, raspberry and rose. The stripped-back menu keeps the details quite vague – ask the team to point you in the direction of a drink you’ll enjoy. Snow is distilled with clay, chalk and enoki vodka, while New Moon fuses sake, Japanese vodka and mineral water. A £45 set menu includes house bread slathered in whipped cashew, carrots, English asparagus, cavolo nero and black rice and vanilla ice cream with whipped caramel custard, alongside other veg-focussed dishes.
Address: Untitled, 538 Kingsland Road, London E8 4AH
Website: untitled-bar.com
Addie ChinnBar Termini, Soho
The second bar on this edit from cocktail king Tony Conigliaro – for this Old Compton Street joint, he partnered with Illy coffee's Marco Arrigo to create an all-day Italian pit stop that’s named after Rome’s train station and pulls in everyone from coffee snobs on their morning commute to discerning cocktail drinkers looking for an after-work drink. Waiters weave around the retro space in white jackets and black ties as you take a spot at the bar. The must-order drinks here are the famous Negronis – they’re pre-made and aged, and run from the Classico to a Superiore (infused with pink peppercorns) and the Robusto, a caramel-tinged serve. Snack on coppa and prosciutto crudo while you sip, and pick up a bottle of your favourite Negroni to take home – they’re illustrated by tattoo artist Mo Coppoletta, and pretty enough to display long after the contents are gone.
Address: Bar Termini, 7 Old Compton Street, London W1D 5JE
Website: bar-termini-soho.com
Three Sheets, Haggerston
The Manchester-born Venning Brothers honed their cocktail skills at Conigliaro’s 69 Colebrooke Row and Manchester’s Crazy Pedro's before opening Three Sheets, a slick neighbourhood bar in the East End. The cocktail menu is short and succinct, and cocktails change regularly as the brothers come up with fresh inventions: the menu might include the refreshing Blackcurrant Americano, smoky Picante (tequila, pineapple and ancho) or the Earth Martini, created using London-made small-batch vodka Victory. This is the sort of neighbourhood bar that now rules London’s cocktail scene.
Address: Three Sheets, 510b Kingsland Road, London E8 4AE
Website: threesheets-bar.com
Hacha, Dalston
Mezcal has been appearing on more and more of the best London bar menus over the past few years, as well as at restaurants such as El Pastor and Temper. Dalston spot Hacha, though, is entirely dedicated to the Mexican spirit and its better-known sister, tequila. It’s a green, bright space just along from Three Sheets that thankfully avoids any Day of the Dead clichés. The menu takes a handful of classic cocktails and reinvents them with tequila and mezcal. The Mirror Margarita, a crystal-clear serve spritzed with Cointreau and grapefruit, is one of East London’s most sought-after drinks. Tacos topped with crispy beef or pan-fried seabass, all made fresh in the kitchen, make this a great place to kick back with brilliant Mexican dishes too. In 2021, they opened a second spot in Brixton that's worth a visit as well.
Address: Hacha, 378 Kingsland Road, Dalston, London E8 4AA
Website: hachabar.com
Lyaness, South Bank
One of London’s most famous mixologists, Mr Lyan (aka Ryan Chetiyawardana), is behind this exceptional bar at Sea Containers London, the smart South Bank hotel. The previous iteration of this space, Dandelyan, topped The World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2018 before being closed by Lyan to make way for a fresh project. That project turned out to be Lyaness, a blue-and-grey, Art Deco space that’s already back on The World’s 50 Best Bars list just a couple of years after reopening. The menu pivots around seven unique ingredients used in cocktails such as the Marigold Gimlet (Bacardi, oyster honey, brioche and apple blossom) and the 21st Daisy (Grey Goose, green sauce liqueur, white cacao, passion fruit). Top-notch canapés include flat breads (topped with curry goat or roast courgette) and crab sourdough. In its new iteration, Lyaness is doing something new – and it’s well worth experiencing.
Address: Lyaness, Sea Containers London, 20 Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PD
Website: lyaness.com
The Fumoir, Claridge's
The Fumoir, in London institution Claridge's, is one of the prettiest bars in the world, as well as one of the best. Though the phone-book-like drinks list will have rare-spirit fans drooling, to go ahead and order anything unmixed would seem something of a shame. This is the perfect time and place for a cocktail – preferably a classic one. This Art Deco spot has been open since 1929 – the line-up of old-school drinks emphasises its long heritage. The illustrated menu details each cocktail’s history, from Espresso Martinis to Old Fashioneds via Negronis, Margaritas and a textbook Martini. The menu then splits into light drinks (made with Pisco, Campari, Tanqueray and plenty of citruses) and dark (bitters, absinthe, Hennessy). Bar snacks are as bougie as you might expect: order caviar, oysters or even lobster Wellington with truffle fries. Why not? This is Claridge’s.
Address: The Fumoir, Claridge’s, Brook Street, London W1K 4HR
Website: claridges.co.uk
Smokey Kudu, Peckham
This was Peckham’s first seriously smart bar when it opened in 2020 – part of the Kudu Collective headed up by South African young gun Patrick Williams and his partner, Amy Corbin. Their first restaurant opened on Queen’s Road in 2018, quickly earning a Bib Gourmand and the approval of London’s restaurant critics. Two minutes’ walk from the original restaurant, under the station arches at Queens Road Peckham, their first bar is small, with a pink marble horseshoe bar backed by vintage mirrors and an enormous blown-glass chandelier from Venice. Though it's firmly rooted in Peckham – better known for its car-park rooftops than swanky bars – this spot is a properly slick place to drink. Classics have been given a South African twist: a Braai Negroni is made with mezcal, rooibos, sloe, amaro and thyme, while a Queens Road Sour uses smoked Amaretto, rum and Italian bitters. You’re not in Queens Road Peckham any more.
Address: Smokey Kudu, Arch 133 Queens Road, Peckham, London SE15 2ND
Website: kuducollective.com
The Connaught Bar, Mayfair
Art Deco masterpiece Connaught Bar came out on top of The World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2020. The timeless Mayfair hotel in which it’s set has been an institution in London since the 19th century, and was given a revamp in the early 2000s that’s maintained its position as one of London’s best hotels. The bar itself is a cubist spot decked out with shimmering mirrors and a glamorous throwback to the city’s opulent past. Drinks are mixed at the table – order bespoke Dry Martinis or a perfectly balanced Bloody Mary alongside plates of tuna tartare, Korean fried-chicken oysters and black truffle pizza. This is one of London’s glossiest addresses.
Address: The Connaught, Carlos Place, London W1K 2AL
Website: the-connaught.co.uk
Spiritland, King's Cross
Part of a recent breed of music-focused bars, Spiritland is inspired by Japan’s jazz kissaten – tea rooms with next-level audio equipment – and has raised the bar for London’s most committed music fans. The team here puts music on a pedestal. It’s a café, workspace and recording studio during the day; a bar, restaurant and events space in the evenings; and each night, a different DJ takes to the decks. But this is not a club: there’s no dancefloor, and it has a welcome table-service policy. Creative cocktails include the Naked and Famous (mezcal, bitters, apricot and ginger ale) and tart Rhubarb Sbagliato (gin, rhubarb, rosé and umami). There are craft beers sourced everywhere from Huddersfield to Byron Bay, while the European wine list includes bottles from Slovenia, Hungary and England. Graze on small plates of mortadella or gochujang BBQ chicken, or take on a salt beef hot sandwich.
Address: Spiritland, 9-10 Stable Street, London N1C 4AB
Website: spiritland.comLike this? Now read:
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