Ski lodge bars in London

This huge London Bridge ski bar is bustling in all the right ways. But it keeps that all-important cosiness with twinkling fairylights and sprigs of holly all around you. Grab a mulled wine or a hot toddy and chat with friends, or take it to the dancefloor for a winter cheese fest. When you’re done, you’ve got the whole Alpine Village to explore. 

You’re not a true Londoner if you haven’t been to Pergola Paddington, right? And we know, most people think of it as a summery destination, thanks to the walls covered in flowers and the endless cocktails. But this winter, Pergola has had a revamp - and it’s now a fully-fledged ski lodge bar, called ‘Pergola On The Piste’, complete with cosy wooden cubbyholes, checkered tablecloths and yes, skis hanging on the walls. What could be better?

You’ll find Dick’s Magic T-Bar nestled away at the winter revamp of Dinerama, Street Feast’s Shoreditch street food mecca. The savvy team there have seen the need for a cosy rest beside the fire after all that grazing at stalls from the likes of Club Mexicana, Fundi and Yum Bun. So at Dick’s you’ll find roaring open fires, furry cushions, frozen toffee vodka and even a mountainous backdrop. It may be merely wallpaper, but it sure beats views of the 149 to Edmonton Green rolling by.

This seasonal ski lodge is taking over a Tower Hill rooftop bar, should you want to scale its heights for a bit of downtime. Take a gondola-themed lift up to the twelfth floor before breaking a sweat with virtual-reality skiing then cooling off with schnapps and steins of beer. Then get steamy all over again when you move onto glugging glühwein and boozy hot chocs to a europop soundtrack.    

Hippo Inns has a whole pub dedicated to the slopes. Find cuckoo clocks, cable cars you can sit in, bière and beyond across the pub’s three floors, as well as memorabilia from the Ski Club of Great Britain. It’s perhaps not the right theme for summer, but if you’re pining for that Alpine life right now, get down there faster than a pro on a black run.

Taking inspiration from the slopes of Courchevel, this year sees the Coq d’Argent transform again into a wintery spectacular. Along with festive decorative touches, two chalet-style huts available for private hire have been installed on the roof, and there are tables for guests wanting to sip on winter warmers and Hennessy cocktails. The food menu packs in some real wintery treats, too, including raclette. Brrrr-ing it on!

Get a more authentic slice of Switzerland slap-bang in the centre of Soho. The St Moritz has had fans of après-ski cosying up in its wintry lodge of a restaurant for decades. Its wooden shack frontage, Swiss flags and adorable window boxes set the tone as you enter, and skis are mounted on the walls indoors in case there was any doubting the St Moritz theme. Diners gather round fondue pots like it’s the ’80s, washing it down with warming bottles of Swiss red.

Swiss roll your way out of this bar after a banging sesh on the cheese and vin chaud. Laax Baby! is a pop-up inside swanky Mews of Mayfair bar bringing a touch of Switzerland’s #slopelife to the posh London ’hood. Shots of frozen apple-and-sage gin should get the party started before you submerge yourself into fondue like it’s a bubbling, slope-top hottub. And relaaax!

Stepping into 100 Wardour Street’s atrium this winter is the IRL equivalent of entering a snow globe, as the glass-ceilinged space has been given a seriously frosty makeover. Park yourself down on a fur-covered sofa and push the boat out with a Champagne Cocktail or two. The Ice Ice Baby is a wintery twist on a Negroni that should help produce some fresh-off-the-slopes rosy cheeks.

Can’t make it to the Alps this winter for a spot of skiing? Archer Street is here to make up for the après-ski missing from your life. Festive cocktails and relaxing furry loungers will make up for the lack of a winter break, while banquette booths and alcoves provide that all-important chalet cosiness.