The London cocktail bars that will make the dark evenings so much better

Make use of those cold, dark nights by having a drink at one of these fantastic spots

The clocks will soon be turning back, the nights will be drawing in and the temperature won’t get higher than single digits – winter is most definitely on its way. Whilst it’s tempting to stay huddled up at home under the nearest blanket, the cold season actually presents a wonderful opportunity to discover the city’s best haunts for cocktails. Whether you find pleasure in the strong kick of an Old Fashioned or the fruity flair of a Mai Tai, the wintry drear of outdoors will soon be forgotten once you find a comfortable spot at the bar. Below we’ve selected 3 spots in London whose tipples are of top quality…

Down the winding cobbled street of London’s St James is the iconic Dukes. Full of old-school London charm, it’s an internationally renowned drinking spot that was once frequented by Ian Fleming, and it’s not hard to see why. Famous in particular for their outstanding martinis, you can easily imagine the James Bond author tucked away in one of the bar’s blue velvet chairs enjoying something of the shaken, not stirred variety. But if you do visit Dukes, don’t miss out on trying one of their other cocktails, mixed by expert bartender Alessandro Palazzi. With a profound knowledge of everything from vodka to vermouth, Palazzi pours notoriously strong yet tasty tipples, making this the ideal location for quality drinks in the capital.

Gallery, drawing room, or gentleman’s club? The Scarfes Bar at the Rosewood Hotel delightfully embodies all three, with its decor boasting snug velvet sofas, bookshelves packed with intriguing antiquities, and walls filled with the provocative history-themed paintings of artist Gerald Scarfe, from whom the bar takes its name. There’s plenty to keep you going through those long winter nights as you’re spoilt for choice at this luxurious bar. As well as a seriously creative menu of cocktails, there’s also a selection of over 200 single malts and a rare iteration of sloe gin. Combined with a wood lined interior, live evening music and roaring fire, Scarfes is a perfectly cosy setting where one will curl up for a drink and not want to leave.

Forget the abhorrent winter weather by grabbing a drink in Oriole, which feels nothing less than balmy with its palm tree printed walls. A flashy follow up bar from the same team that created the already successful Nightjar, it’s certainly fitting that this place is named after a tropical green and yellow feathered bird. A sense of the exotic is only deepened by the clever design of Oriole’s menu. Described as “the fruits of exile, empire and exploration”, their delectable cocktails bare names like “Roman Holiday” and “Road to Hanoi”, which can’t help but remind one of far-flung destinations. Complete with a jade and gold tinged interior that’s punctuated by luxurious leather furnishings, Oriole is a fantastically warm and inviting setting to spend an indulgent weekend.

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