The best bars in Covent Garden

Inside the Nomad Hotel – which was once the Grade II-listed Bow Street Magistrates’ Court – you'll find Side Hustle, an atmospheric bar in the former police station, with low lights, leather booths, a Californian-inspired menu (try the build-your-own beef short rib tacos) and enough tequila and mezcal cocktails to guarantee a good night’s sleep.

You know what London is missing? A colossal bar in the middle of Covent Garden where you can watch Nightmare on Elm Street, The Omen and The Shining on 30 silver screens while simultaneously cheering on the Europa League. Said no one ever. Yet Bloodsports, from the same minds behind Meatliquor, seems to really be onto something here. This is the sort of unpretentious late-night fun that has been lacking in central London for far too long.

Muse is not your average brass-and-marble speakeasy. Just off The Strand, it’s like stumbling into an elegant little laboratory dedicated to turning small-batch and sustainably sourced British spirits into memorable (and reasonably priced) cocktails. What marks it out is its location: right in the heart of the Royal Society of Arts, a Georgian temple to creativity that once counted Charles Dickens and Benjamin Franklin as regulars.

Since 1972 the resolutely old school Le Beaujolais has been famed for its selection of wine and cheeses. The historic restaurant downstairs is members' only but the retro ground floor bar is open to all. There's a strong 1980s feel here, but it's the perfect semi-hidden destination to sink a reasonably priced Côtes du Rhône from an exclusively French wine list. 

The ‘longest-surviving cocktail bar in London’, the American Bar has been knocking about since 1893. Come to gaze at Frank Sinatra’s cigar lighter and Noel Coward’s powder compact while sipping a Fernet-Branca-addled Hanky Panky (which was created at The Savoy in 1903) and indugle yourself in the swanky art deco surroundings. Not cheap, but it’s one of the world's most acclaimed luxury hotels. Walk-ins only. 

Chef and restaurateur Stevie Parle’s Town is a big, shiny, retrofuturistic space dominated by an open kitchen peeking out from a glossy green wall, with a dining room that competes with Sketch and Bob Bob Ricard for high-concept aesthetic loveliness. Its stand-alone bar has been given just as much consideration, with a small but mighty menu designed by Kevin Armstrong, of cocktail-pouring institution Satan’s Whiskers in Bethnal Green. You probably won’t find a better-priced martini in central London, with three variations available at £12 each, the best of which is the Dill Boy. A clean, ever-so-slightly vegetal iteration featuring potato vodka, dill-infused akvavit and a few drops of bright green dill oil, it’s how we’d imagine James Bond’s KGB counterpart would order his favourite drink.

For a relaxing tipple and a bite to eat, The 10 Cases delivers the goods. It’s got a Continental bistro vibe, and serves tempting, predominantly Old World wines by the glass and with small plates galore.

Kitsch, messy and a late-night legend, this basement bar attracts a regular crowd of debauched luvvies and miscreants. The club is members only, but the trick to enjoying its way-past-midnight hospitality is to arrive before 8pm and stay put.

Upstairs, there’s a small but swanky bar, perfect for a pre-theatre tipple or nightcap, while downstairs is where the real action is. A small live stage hosting jazz, world music and cabaret, is surrounded by tables, where all manner of dates, after-work drinks and chattery catch-ups happen over full dinners as well as cocktails and bar nibbles. Try ‘Cities of the Plain’ – a naughty concoction of mezcal, habanero spirit and cherry liquor.

Though it's only been around for a decade or so, the grand European cafe that is The Delaunay feels like its been here for decades. The interior is an utter treat; all green leather banquette seating, dark wood, brass rails, antique mirrors and a black and white marble floor. You'll find the bar before entering the main dining room, and the menu is as wilfully vintage as the interiors, with cocktails inspired by 1930s theatreland and shimmering star power of Laurence Oliver, Vivien Leigh and Noël Coward. Fabulous stuff, darling.

When someone says ‘wine bar’, this Covent Garden spot is exactly what you’ll picture – rustic, cosy, and filled with bottles. The focus is on organic wine by female producers, and includes drops by the glass – although carafes are where you’ll find the best bargains. Food-wise, the emphasis is definitely on cheese.

Back in the late 1980s, this was the place to be. A hidden cellar with a faintly industrial feel, it carried with it a certain easygoing democracy, a welcome change from style-trial nightclubs and members-only enterprises such as the Groucho. It’s still standing the test of time, unlike many of its eighties’ peers.

This former public loo is convenient in a whole new way, now a cocktail bar dishing up a daily happy hour. It’s popular thanks to its over-the-top look, with lurid neon and flowery booths. If all that doesn’t scream ‘party’ to you, try taking a trip to the toilets, kitted out with disco balls and dance anthems.

A gaudy neon arrow points the way to this tiny basement, where cabaret, lounge singers and drag acts ensure things go with a swing.

A fairly cosy wine bar in equally cosy Neal’s Yard, La Compagnie Neal's Yard takes its cue from its older sister bar in Paris. So have a sophisticated time on the wine, with plenty of interesting options available by the glass and great paired with a plate of cheese.

Stereo is made for big nights out. Just on the south side of Covent Garden's glorious Piazza, this subterranean venue offers up cocktails named after classic rock tracks (anyone for a whiskey, vermouth and rosemary Hotel California?) live music, DJs and American-style bar snacks to power you through the evening. 

So the theme is a little naff at The Escapologist, which takes its name from some Victorian scoundrel or other. But the 20-strong cocktail menu makes it well worth a visit.

Just a leap from the piazza on the way down to The Strand, Eve Bar has an ominous dark entrance and a witchy-looking, biblical theme. Temptation comes in the form of experimental bar snacks and cocktails with all the dry ice in the world. Some of these drinks are delectable, even if they don’t all meet the mark. And service is super-friendly – just what you need in this crowded part of town. It's downstairs from chef Adam Handling's Frog and is his first standalone bar.