London's top 50 bars and pubs

Hotel bars

Artesian

Artesian
Rum’s the thing at the Langham Hotel’s Artesian, where a 50-strong list is growing steadily as the staff are trained in each new variety. Prices are serious, and the decor seems confused between sleek minimalism and opulent old-fashioned luxury, but for excellent cocktails with all the trappings, Artesian is hard to fault.
Artesian, Langham Hotel, 1C Portland Place, W1B 1JA (020 7636 1000/www.artesian-bar.co.uk) Oxford Circus tube.
Read review of Artesian

Blue Bar
Displays of wealth can border on the vulgar at the Blue Bar, but the glamour tones are pitched to such a surreal sheen that it all feels strangely normal. Cocktails are seriously well crafted – but there’s only one reason people come here, and it ain’t the drinks. In terms of social statements, the Blue Bar is a great, glittering exclamation mark.
Blue Bar, The Berkeley, Wilton Place, SW1X 7RL (020 7235 6000/www.the-berkeley.co.uk) Hyde Park Corner tube.
Read review of Blue Bar

Article continues

Dukes Hotel
This discreet cocktail bar offers a famed martini menu, eight Modern Classics and 25 Classics. Vintage malts and cognacs are another speciality. Some 20 wines include a Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine du Grand Tinel and a merlot Faucon Bleu.
Dukes Hotel, 35 St James’s Place, SW1A 1NY (020 7491 4840/www.dukeshotel.co.uk) Green Park tube.
Read review of Dukes Hotel

Library
Elegant surroundings and innovative cocktails. In the house champagne cocktail, Aperol mixes with orange juice and limoncello. Garlic, cognac and ginger beer combine in a Garlic Affair; and Wokka saké, fresh mint and strawberry purée mingle in the house martini. The choice of vintage armagnacs and cognacs is legendary. Of the dozen wines, all come by the glass.
Library, The Lanesborough, 1 Lanesborough Place, Hyde Park Corner, SW1X 7TA (020 7259 5599/www.lanesborough.com) Hyde Park Corner tube.
Read review of Library

Lobby Bar
The Lobby Bar of One Aldwych offers 30 kinds of martini, based on original mixes or brand. The six-strong house selection allows the use of crushed fresh chilli in a Chilli del Toro, and fresh tamarillo in a tamarillo martini. Fresh cantaloupe melons flavour the cantaloupe daiquiri, fresh passionfruit pulp the Mexican Passion. Bar snacks (organic gravadlax, mini wagyu steak burgers) maintain quality control.
Lobby Bar, One Aldwych, WC2B 4RH (020 7300 1070/www.onealdwych.com) Covent Garden or Embankment tube.
Read review of Lobby Bar

Long Bar
Quality spirits monopolize the cocktail menu at the high-design Sanderson hotel's Long Bar: Wyborowa lemon and Polstar cucumber in the Sanderson martini; Kurant Absolut in the Long Bar Hi Ball; Sauza Gold tequila in the Apassionata martini. Four pricey wines of each colour come by the bottle and glass.
Long Bar, The Sanderson, 50 Berners St, W1T 3NG (020 7300 1400/www.sandersonlondon.com) Oxford Circus or Tottenham Court Rd tube.
Read review of Long Bar

Mandarin Bar
It’s worth popping into the bar at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Knightsbridge for an evening of decadent escapism. As well as catering for whisky aficionado, the drinks menu offers a fine selection of well-prepared cocktails; our frothy French martini was vast and delicious. Attentive table service and nightly jazz round off a sophisticated but unstuffy experience.
Mandarin Bar, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA (020 7235 2000/www.mandarinoriental.com) Knightsbridge tube.
Read review of Mandarin Bar

West End | Hotel bars | Spirits & cocktails | Real ale & good beer | Historic pubs | Good mixers | Wine bars | Gastropubs

Page 2 of 8
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8