The best bars in London
From classic cocktail haunts to sequestered speakeasies, these are the London watering holes worth knowing
London’s thriving bar scene is renowned the world over, its bartenders and mixologists rightfully lauded for their innovative use of ingredients and exceptional technical skill. Whether you’re looking to enjoy an alfresco aperitivo, sip an expertly poured martini or sample a glass of funky natural wine amongst Salomon-clad Dalstonites, the capital has you covered…
The Connaught Bar
Any cocktail connoisseur worth their salt will be well acquainted with The Connaught Bar, a bastion of old school elegance in the heart of Mayfair. Master of mixology Agostino Perrone’s signature Connaught Martini (served from a martini trolley with bespoke bitters) is simply unparalleled.
Tayēr + Elementary
Shoreditch’s Tayēr + Elementary offers two bars for the price of one. Take your pick from Elementary, a relaxed all-day walk-in only environment with classic cocktails on tap, or Tayēr, a more experimental bar that uses its own house-made liqueurs to create complex flavours that will keep your tastebuds guessing.
Viajante87
One of the more recent additions to Notting Hill’s vibrant bar and restaurant scene is Viajante87, a sexy subterranean bar with creative cocktails inspired by the team’s travels through Latin America. It’s open until 2:30am on the weekends with resident DJs playing a mix of Latin-inspired tunes, disco, house and funk.
Bar Termini
Tony Cogigliaro, the genius behind Dalston’s Untitled and Islington’s 69 Colebrook Row, has captured the essence of aperitivo hour with the Italian-inspired Bar Termini. The tiny Soho spot serves as the perfect pre-dinner pit-stop for a negroni or two: choose from the super-smooth Classico, pink-peppercorn-infused Superiore, rose-petal Rosato or elegantly aged Robusto.
Three Sheets
Brothers Max and Noel Venning have taken the London bar scene by storm, with a host of openings in recent years – from Little Mercies in Crouch End to a recently-opened second Soho branch of Three Sheets. However, it’s the duo’s original Haggerston spot, minimalist and marble-barred, that remains an essential visit.
Bar Américain at Brasserie Zédel
Dart below the chaos of Piccadilly Circus to find Bar Américain, an opulent, art-deco basement bolthole that’s become something of a Soho institution. A menu of classic cocktails is divided into pre-prohibition, prohibition and post-prohibition eras.
Sager + Wilde Hackney Road
Sager + Wilde is an intimate, Parisian-style neighbourhood wine bar where the staff really know their stuff – and aren’t precious about it. Pop in for a casual glass of wine or linger into the evening over a bottle or two and some charcuterie: it’s an ideal date spot.
Amaro Bar
Amaro Bar is a little slice of Italy in Kensington. Helmed by the Savoy’s former head mixologist, Elon Soddu (also of Amaro's sister bar Twice Shy in Earl's Court), it boasts a legendary line-up of bartenders who bring five-star service and a whole lot of charm as they pour inventive cocktails in a luxurious yet unpretentious setting.
Swift
The multi-award winning Swift is a Soho stalwart that offers the best of both worlds: casual post-work or pre-theatre cocktails in the buzzy ground floor space and live music and an extensive whisky menu in the sexy speakeasy-style bar downstairs.
Scarfes Bar
Named in honour of the British political cartoonist Gerald Scarfe, whose designs line the walls and feature on the menu, this bar is as playful as its namesake’s caricatures. Tucked away in Covent Garden’s Rosewood Hotel, it bills itself as “an homage to the classic gentleman’s clubs of yore,” but it certainly doesn’t take itself as seriously. Score a spot by the open fire, order a drink and settle in for a night of jazz.
Mu
A venture from the team behind Dalston’s Japanese-inspired hi-fi restaurant and listening bar Brilliant Corners, Mu is all about live jazz, fireside cooking and punchy cocktails. Its setting is as stylish as the east London crowd who haunt it.
Dukes Bar
Come cocktail hour, martini enthusiasts in the know make a beeline for Dukes. The lush St James’s parlour was once a favourite of Ian Fleming, who – legend goes – came up with Bond’s iconic ‘shaken not stirred’ martini order. Alessandro Palazzi, head bartender at Dukes since 2007, is revered amongst cocktail enthusiasts the world over for his creative genius.
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