Lab

Founded by Douglas Ankrah, Lab has long been at the forefront of London’s cocktail scene. Some see it as the most innovative and exciting bar in the capital, others find it distinctly unenjoyable. We’ve been forced to side with the latter on occasion – affronted by overzealous doormen, drowned in a crush of intoxicated trendies and dying of thirst by the time we’ve been tended to at the bar – but then you’d be a fool to come here for a quiet drink, especially at weekends. What Lab does is exuberance with panache, its intimate two-floor interior decked out with colourful retro aesthetics, its music euphoric and its (fairly priced) cocktail list among the finest in town – and handled by some of the best mixologists in the world. From the Streets Ahead section, you could try an Unbeetable (Miller’s gin, fresh beetroot and thyme, with a dash of passionfruit syrup, £6.90), or, from the Hall of Fame, a Kool Hand Luke (Myer’s rum, fresh limes muddled with dark brown sugar and Angostura bitters).

Time Out Bars, Pubs & Clubs Guide 2008

Services:

Dress code: no ties
Function room: Bar available for hire
Music: DJs 8pm Mon-Sat

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Latest user reviews

If we could rate "drinks" in the above categories, the LAB (short for the London Academy of Bartending) would list among the very best in London, and you really are missing out if you do not visit at least once to taste some of the fantastic drinks on offer! A good piece of advice is to book a... [More]
Anonymous  Jan 29 2008