Bars & Pubs

This centenarian hotel was renovated top to bottom in 2007 by hotelier Campbell Gray (he of One Aldwych fame) and designer Mary Fox Linton, transforming its discreet, highly regarded but old-fashioned bar into a swish landmark destination for connoisseurs of life's good things. Ian Fleming was a regular and it's believed that Dukes' martinis, flamboyantly made at guests' tables, played a part in shaping the legendary Bond character. You can get the Vesper martini here, but Dukes' own versions are stirred, not shaken. Choose from frozen Potocki vodka (a Polish rye variety) or Plymouth gin. The extra-dry vermouth is spritzed into the chilled glasses with a perfume-style atomiser and there's a veritable rumba of lemon peel over the rims. With the expert barmen performing theatrically for each group of customers, there's a definite buzz about the place. And though the bill at the end of the night may well be best approached with your eyes closed, the payload is probably the best martini in the world. Trendy flavours (balsamic vinegar, chocolate, passion fruit, rose petal) and other such concoctions are available - but best leave those to the inevitable stream of well-heeled tourists. Drinking Dukes-style is really all about the Way of the Dry Martini.

Time Out Bars, Pubs & Clubs Guide 2008/9