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London Cocktail Week: the highlights

Here’s our picks of the best bits from London Cocktail Week so you can concentrate on the drinking

Written by
Laura Richards
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London Cocktail Week is back! From October 4, the capital’s best bars, mixologists and drinks vendors will open their doors or take up home in the Cocktail Village at the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, giving you the chance to try some of the finest potions, tipples and cocktails in London

All you need to take advantage of this ten-day celebration (October 4-13) is to purchase a £10 festival pass and download the DrinkUp.London app to activate it. Yes, it’s longer than a week, but what better way to celebrate the event’s tenth birthday? A pass gives you access to £6 drink deals at participating bars as well as entry to the Village.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the choice of things to do during London Cocktail Week, fear not. Below we’ve highlighted our pick of satellite events, as well as plucking out a few of our favourite London bars participating in this year’s activities. Cheers! 

The best events during LCW

  • Bars and pubs

Some of the best bars from all over the world will be popping up in London. From New York’s hot new properties Katana Kitten and Mister Paradise to Mexico City’s Licorería Limantour, mixologists from these esteemed establishments have devised signature cocktails for your drinking pleasure. Read on to find the best pop-up bars from around the world that you need to visit during London Cocktail Week. 

An enormous ‘cocktail village’ is coming to Shoreditch
  • Restaurants
  • Drinking

We know what you're thinking. Another pop-up in Shoreditch? Gimme a break. But does your average pop-up have a dedicated Porn Star Martini Bar or a scorching hot tropical paradise with VR headsets and real sand? Thought not. The boozehounds behind London Cocktail Week are bringing their epic Cocktail Village back to the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane – and with it being its tenth birthday this year, it’s going all out.

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Meet pygmy goats at London’s gin martini townhouse
  • Restaurants
  • Drinking

For London Cocktail Week, Hendrick’s gin will be bringing back their Gin Tini Martini Townhouse, a celebration of all things teeny-weeny. That means ‘micro pianists’, a pygmy petting zoo and, yes, the chance to cuddle some adorable little therapy goats. What’s more, there’ll be takeovers by some of the world’s biggest bars, with NYC’s Nomad Bar going up against Singapore’s Manhattan Bar on the Friday, Barcelona’s Two Schmucks versus Amsterdam's Super Lyan on the Saturday, and a head-to-head between Little Red Door from Paris and Panda & Sons from Edinburgh on the Sunday. 

Our favourite £6 drink deals at London Cocktail Week

Bar Américain
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Soho
  • price 2 of 4

The art deco palace is serving six quid Penicillins (Scotch, lemon, honey, ginger).

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Bloomsbury Club Bar
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Bloomsbury
  • price 3 of 4

Fancy a Strawberry Old Fashioned? Of course you do. Especially when it’s served in this gorgeous setting.

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Blind Pig
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Soho
  • price 2 of 4

The playful restaurant-bar is serving a chocolate-flavoured concoction.

Cocktail Trading Company
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Shoreditch
  • price 2 of 4

Blow out the candles on a special cocktail made from victoria sponge syrup and served in a cake case.

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Every Cloud
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Hackney
  • price 2 of 4

Don’t miss the chocolate cereal milk punch being poured at the fun Hackney hangout.

Fam
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Marylebone
  • price 2 of 4

Vodka, fennel, soda: boom! Fam always gets it right.

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Funkidory
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Peckham
  • price 2 of 4

Peach Please is on the menu, a vanilla vodka and peach combo.

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Hacha
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Mezcalerias
  • Dalston
  • price 2 of 4

Say ‘hola’ to the Smoked Chilli and Chocolate Margarita at this east London ‘agaveria’.

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Homeboy
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Islington
  • price 2 of 4

Try the Bananasauras Rex for size – one for the sweettooths. 

Kwãnt
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Mayfair
  • price 3 of 4

Enjoy a souped-up G&T at the Mayfair’s most ‘Casablanca’ hangout.

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Little Mercies
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Crouch End
  • price 2 of 4

One of London’s best cocktails is on offer for £6 – melt away with a White Chocolate Old Fashioned at Little Mercies. 

Luca
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Restaurants
  • Fusion
  • Clerkenwell
  • price 3 of 4

The Autumnal Spritz is the perfect foil for the chillier weather. 

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  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • South Bank
  • price 3 of 4

One of the top bars in the capital serving £6 cocktail is an opportunity not to be sniffed at – grab a Circle Fizz while you can.

The Mulwray
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Chinatown
  • price 2 of 4

Get cosy up at the Mulwray with a thyme-infused gin tipple.

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Nine Lives
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • London Bridge
  • price 2 of 4

Come over all tropical at Nine Lives, where they’ll be shaking up a Strangely Sour.

Redemption
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Restaurants
  • Vegan
  • Notting Hill

You can still enjoy LCW while off the sauce. Over in Notting Hill this sober bar is serving a Dry 75.

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Ruby’s
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Dalston
  • price 2 of 4

What could be more indulgent than a blend of Scotch, honey and fig-flavoured creme de figue. 

Satan’s Whiskers
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Bethnal Green
  • price 2 of 4

It’s always party time at Satan’s Whiskers – but especially during London Cocktail Week, when they’re serving £6 daiquiris.

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The Sun Tavern
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Pubs
  • Bethnal Green
  • price 2 of 4

Order a round of Meady Bitches at this rockin’ cocktail spot in Bethnal Green.

Supermax
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • King’s Cross
  • price 2 of 4

Disco drinks are the order of the day at King’s Cross spot Supermax. Get involved with a Mocha Manhattan. 

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Tayēr + Elementary
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Bars and pubs
  • Cocktail bars
  • Old Street
  • price 2 of 4

This clever bar is serving highballs with their very own liqueur range at their core. Good luck sticking to just the one.

Find more amazing cocktails in London

  • Bars and pubs

So many cocktails, so little time. So just stick to the best cocktail bars in London by using our ranked list below. You'll find everything from dark and dirty speakeasy joints and secret bars to bold and brash party spots meant for a night out on the tiles. What they all have in common is mixed drinks that will blow your mind – and hopefully not your budget. 

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