Bars & Pubs

The beautifully over-designed main lounge (there are two more bars on different floors) is in 1970s sci-funk style, with brass 'bubble' walls and red leather seating. Dick Bradsell, undisputed king of the London mixologists, no longer tends bar here but his spirits live on. A whole chapter of the 18-page drinks menu pays homage to Bradsell classics, such as the Rose Petal martini (£8) or the Bramble (Bombay Sapphire, crème de mure, £7). The menu is a sweeping historical tour of England's love affair with the mixed drink, from claret cups to sangarees to sours. The bar staff here are proud of this heritage and it shows - not in arch haughtiness, but in a real desire to make sure you enjoy a great drink, be it a vintage classic or something from London's cocktail renaissance.

Time Out Bars, Pubs & Clubs Guide 2008/9