The best cocktail bars in London

What is it? The second iteration of the beloved Dalston drinking spot, bringing bold boozing to Soho.

Why we love it: Taking drinks you know to sexier, more modern places, brothers Max and Noel Venning are masters of both inventiveness and quality. Expanding the narrow intimacy of their east London OG spot for a central London crowd, their Soho offering loses none of its magic - and experts have told us it’s the best bar in London for a first date. Expect surprising twists on the classics (a clear White Russian; a martini with a dash of Koseret tea), plus oysters, small plates and a decent wine list for those not of the spirit-loving persuasion.

Address: 13 Manette Street, Soho, W1D 4AP.

Opening hours: Mon-Thu 3-11.30pm, Fri 3pm-12.30am, Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 3-10.30pm.

Expect to pay: Most cocktails £15.

What is it? Upmarket mixed drinks in a down-to-earth and devilishly cool location.

Why we love it: Boasting an adventurous drinks menu that’s always changing, Satan’s Whiskers is a beacon in Bethnal Green’s barscape. With vintage posters and taxidermy dressing up the walls, there’s no risk of stuffiness within these covert corners. Instead, sit back and soak up their now-signature hip hop soundtrack while you sip on an impressive cast of cocktails made by their truly expert bar team; recent concoctions include a Shark Attack with vodka and a secret sour mix.

Address: 343 Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, E2 9RA.

Opening hours: Sun-Thu 5pm-12am, Fri-Sat, 5pm-1am.

Expect to pay: Most cocktails are around £13.

What is it? A tucked-away test kitchen for nearby bars Discount Suit Company, The Sun Tavern and Parasol.

Why we love it: Finding the Umbrella Workshop is all part of the fun. Head down an alleyway it doesn’t look like you should be heading down and you’ll be greeted with the site of a teeny, tiny 12-seater bar situated in a 19th century atelier. At once dramatic and extremely cosy, it would be perfect for an illicit liasion were you that kind of person. If not, use it as a place to try out a host of weird and wonderful cocktails that might end up on the menus of the other Umbrella Project bars. On our last visit we tasted a baklava old fashioned and saw God. 

Address: Unit 10, Cleeve Workshops, Boundary Street, Shoreditch, E2 7JD.

Opening hours: Daily 12-10pm.

Expect to pay: Cocktails around £13.50.

What is it? A laid-back basement bar ensconced within the beloved Zedel complex.

Why we love it: The low-lit Bar Américain is a glorious hideaway from the bustle of the outside world; a pocket of calm beneath the bowels of Piccadilly Circus. Equally wonderful whether you’re treating it as a way-station en route to dinner at Brasserie Zédel, a nightcap-dispensary before heading home, or an evening’s entertainment all in itself (with terrific bar snacks), it’s one of the loveliest bars in London, with an art deco look that’s changed little in its years of existence. Just as timeless is its approach to building a cocktail list, with its wares centred around pre, during and post-prohibition.

Address: 20 Sherwood Street., Piccadilly, W1F 7ED.

Opening hours: Mon-Thu 5pm-12am, Fri 4pm-12am, Sat 3pm-12am, Sun 4-11pm.

Expect to pay: Cocktails from £14.75.

What is it? A two-part bar, with chilled out drinks in the front and a swanky, boutique vibe out the back.

Why we love it: Owned by power couple Alex Katrena and Monica Berg, Tayēr and Elementary is Shoreditch’s ultimate twofer. At the front is Elementary, an all-day hangout with high benches and stools, serving classic cocktails on tap and cheeky snacks including fried ‘marshmallows’ (aka tapioca bites with truffle honey and pecorino). At the back, Tayēr ups the ante with an experimental, ever-changing menu that’s helped to place them in the upper echelons of the World’s Best Bars list. Both spaces are chic, industrial and - remember this bit - walk-in only. Make sure, whatever the day, to order their One Sip Martini: perfection in miniature. 

Address: 152 Old Street, Shoreditch, EC1V 9BW.

Opening hours: Tue-Wed 3pm-12am, Thu-Sat 3pm - 1am.

Expect to pay: One Sip Martini £4; full size cocktails from £13.

What is it? An undeniably cool yet unpretentious hangout on Crouch End Broadway.

Why we love it: When you’re in need of a fancy drink fix but could do without the pace of central or east London’s bawdy bars, Little Mercies has got you covered. Bustling and busy, their small plates are globetrotting, from croquettes and padron peppers to bao and char siu celeriac, while their signature cocktails are equally playful, and reasonably priced too. Pop in to try some of their limited edition pours like the intriguing Banana Mizuwari, with bourbon and green coffee distillate, and leave with pre-mix cocktail cans to takeaway for a fiver.

Address: 20 Broadway Parade, Crouch End, N8 9DE.

Opening hours: Tue-Sat 6pm-12am.

Expect to pay: Boozy cocktails from £10; non-alcoholic cocktails from £5.

What is it? A hotel bar that really doesn’t feel like a hotel bar, tucked away in the basement of One Hundred Shoreditch. 

Why we love it: Megastar mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana – aka Mr Lyan – is behind the Seed Library’s menu, serving up his cult classics (the clean and crisp Cream Margarita) alongside bonkers inventions; the Orkney Breezer has been filtered through a sheep’s pancreas, but somehow tastes like a Solero ice lolly. All taking place in the relaxed and supremely welcoming lower level of these swanky Shoreditch lodgings, with terrazzo tables, cool pine panelling and soft 1960s stylings, Seed Library is another sterling addition to Mr. Lyan’s cocktail empire.

Address: 100 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, E1 6JQ.

Opening hours: Wed-Thu 6pm-1am, Fri 6pm-2am, Sat 4pm-2am, Sun 5pm-12am.

Expect to pay: Cocktails from £15.

What is it? A neighbourhood bar in Peckham with as much emphasis on big tunes as there is on big drinks.

Why we love it: Rejigging their operations during the pandemic, Funkidory became, if anything, even more funky, adding a vinyl record selling arm to their already-excellent cocktail bar. Unsurprisingly, the tunes here are always on point. The drinks they accompany, meanwhile, include a snappy list of cocktails putting intriguing spins on familiar favourites, like the pleasingly-named Bananaperol Spritz. Peckham might be full of watering holes, but Funkidory is easily one of the most inviting.

Address: 42 Peckham Rye, Peckham, SE15 4JR.

Opening hours: Tue-Thu 5-11pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-12am.

Expect to pay: Cocktails £12-14.

What is it? A light-filled Soho aperitif bar upstairs; a brooding basement with a whisky library downstairs.

Why we love it: A swish, two-level cocktail bar on buzzy Old Compton Street, Swift can take you from day to night in one easy stop. Upstairs, they take walk-ins for their brighter, more casual aperitivo and wine menu, with lighter cocktail mixes, Irish coffee and small bar snacks (nocarella olives, chilli crackers) also available. Downstairs it’s a Don Draper-style mecca of low lighting, whiskies and headier mixes. On Sundays, they even have a regular live jazz band between 7pm and 9pm to soundtrack the last precious hours of your weekend with appropriate flair.

Address: 12 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1D 4TQ

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 3pm-12am, Sat 1.30pm-12am, Sun 1.30-11pm.

Expect to pay: Aperitifs upstairs from £10; cocktails downstairs from £13.

What is it? Mr Lyan’s swish river-side spot for a proper nerd-out booze experience.

Why we love it: Occupying the same spot as Dandelyan, Mr Lyan’s superlative former venture, which was previously named the world’s best bar, the mixology king has taken an even more radical approach for Lyaness. The whizz kids behind the bar have created seven new ingredients (‘infinite banana’ and ‘ultra raspberry’ among them) that form the pillars of a wildly inventive cocktail menu, with drinks called things like Digital Fruit and Multi-Milk (the latter featuring burnt milk, milk wine and thunder mushroom). A compact bar bites and sharers menu is also available, should you want something a little more solid.

Address: 20 Upper Ground, South Bank, SE1 9PD.

Opening hours: Mon - Thu 5pm-12am, Fri: 4pm-1am, Sat 1pm-1am, Sun 1-11pm.

Expect to pay: Cocktails between £17-£19.

​​What’s is it? A small, low-lit room (how every good bar should be) on an Islington backstreet.

Why we love it: With a subtle jazz-age energy, this truly classy joint has staff who are incredibly serious about what they do. Come for the live acts on a Thursday, or the in-house pianist tinkling away on Wednesdays and Sundays. And always remember to book – this place is popular for good reason. Order a mojito-adjacent Barber Shop Fizz, a cocktail made with gin, lime, mint patchouli and birch and soda, will leave you feeling fresh.

Address: 69 Colebrooke Row, Islington, N1 8AA.

Opening times: Tue-Wed 5pm-12am, Thu 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat: 5pm-2am, Sun 5pm-12am.

Expect to pay: All cocktails £15.

What is it? A special occasion bar nestled in the ultra-fancy Mayfair hotel of the same name.

Why we love it: You don’t go to The Connaught Bar for casual after-work drinks. An entire section of their cocktail menu is dedicated to ‘vintage’ pours that start at £130 and go up to a loan-necessitating £2,210 for their Silver Jubilee Rob Roy. The rest of the offerings are hardly bargain prices, but for a special occasion and a unique experience, they’re distinctly more manageable. With marble floors and plush leather sofas, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a James Bond movie as spiffy waiters wheel out a martini trolley and mix the indulgent beverage right in front of you - experts have told us they make the best in London. It’s unlikely to become a lifestyle choice, but as a one-off luxury, it’s delightful.

Address: The Connaught, Carlos Place, Mayfair, W1K 2AL.

Opening hours: Mon-Sat, 4pm-1am.

Expect to pay: Cocktails start at £25.

What is it? A classy spot for cocktail quaffing on the streets of Hoxton.

Why we love it: This tiny cocktail bar has a motto, which actually reads more like admissions criteria: ‘Great Cocktails, No Wallies.’ Pass the test (it’s not actually a test, don’t worry), and you’ll find yourself in a small but perfectly formed subterranean spot that’s all exposed brickwork and tastefully muted colours. Their cocktails, meanwhile, are world class. A Pepino Caliente is their take on a classic margarita, featuring mezcal, chilli liqueur and cucumber, while their Garden Gimlet with vodka, rye, Suze, basil and tomato is their ‘remix’ of a dirty martini. Happiness Forgets, but bars like this, we remember.

Address: 8-9 Hoxton Square, Hoxton, N1 6NU.

Opening hours: Daily 5-11pm.

Expect to pay: All cocktails £11.50.

What is it? A packed and party-ready bar that serves cracking cocktails alongside pints of Guinness.

Why we love it: Don’t expect any shamrocks or fiddles at Homeboy, an Irish-run bar on Essex Road that mostly avoids clichés. Guinness is, naturally, a favourite here but their cocktail menu is also worth shouting about, with many featuring a little homeland nod. A sweet Whiskey Smash (Irish whiskey shaken with mint and orange) is a winner and their Irish coffee might well be one of the capital’s best. The Wogan, meanwhile, is beautifully strong and sharp – with apricot brandy also in the mix. Homeboy call it ‘modern Irish hospitality without the twee’ and we’re fully on board.

Address: 108 Essex Road, Islington, N1 8LX.

Opening hours: Mon-Thu 3-11pm, Fri 3pm-1am, Sat 12.30pm-1am, Sun 12.30pm-11pm.

Expect to pay: Cocktails £11-£12.

What is it? A subterranean hideout metres from the Old Street roundabout.

Why we love it: Featuring some of London’s most madcap cocktails, categorised variously as ‘old school’, ‘mid-century’ and ‘modern’, Nightjar has a suitably speakeasy atmosphere to host these sorts of libations. Enter via an unassuming door, before descending a set of stairs to a dusky, low-lit room replete with olive-green green leather, dark panelling and flickering candles. There’s nightly live jazz, with an emphasis on the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s, plus the sort of quirky drinks presentation that’ll have you spamming the ‘Gram in no time.

Address: 129 City Road, EC1V 1JB

Opening hours: Sun-Wed 7pm-1am, Thu-Sat 7pm-3am.

Expect to pay: Cocktails £14-18.