The best cocktail bars in London

What’s the vibe? Two star bartenders and their globally-renowned two-part bar. Elementary is in the front, a laidback daytime hangout serving pre-batched party drinks. Tayēr is in the back and is like a very cool house party but with elevated tipples.

When to visit When you don't quite know what you want – this is two bars in one.

What’s on the menu? It’s hard to pin down since it’s a constant evolution, particularly in Tayēr. But don’t miss the frozen cocktail in Elementary, which changes on a regular basis, or the One-Sip Martini, a riff on an iconic cocktail.

What’s the vibe? Upmarket mixed drinks in a down-to-earth and devilishly cool location.

When to visit Thursday night; the weekend starts early here.

What’s on the menu? Some of the best cocktails to be found in Bethnal Green’s buzzy booze scene.

What’s the vibe? Undeniably cool yet unpretentious hangout along the Crouch End Broadway.

When to visit Visit when you’re in need of a fancy drink fix but could do without the pace of central and east London.

What’s on the menu? One of the best Bellinis in north London.

What’s the vibe? Tucked away in the basement of One Hundred Shoreditch, this is a hotel bar that really doesn’t feel like a hotel bar. 

When to visit Seed Library is open until 2am on Friday and Saturday, so this is one to roll to when everywhere else starts shutting up shop.  

What’s on the menu? Megastar mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana – aka Mr Lyan – is behind the Seed Library’s menu, so expect 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 lolly.

What’s the vibe?  A tasteful, boujee, and most importantly: vibey spot at the top of the Standard hotel in King's Cross.

When to visit  It's open late – until 2.30am Thursday to Saturday – so make this your final spot of the night.

What’s on the menu? Kiss Me; made with gin, sour cherry cordial and lime, is a zingy citrus-tinged mouth storm. 

What’s the vibe? Diminutive Dalston bar and café run by by brothers Max and Noel Venning and filled with friends. There's also now a Soho branch.

When to visit When you fancy cocktails on a laidback, neighbourhood level and lit by candlelight.

What’s on the menu? Seasonal drinks with cute little tweaks, like a perfect, pre-batched French 75 poured from a champagne bottle at your table.

What’s the vibe? Seriously laid back, and lively without being overbearingly noisy.

When to visit When you want to chill with a proper West End cocktail – but without paying Belgravia prices.

What’s on the menu? Flawless classics that don’t try to improve on what’s already perfect.

What’s the vibe? From the team who brought you White Lyan, Super Lyan and Dandelyan, here comes Lyaness. Mr Lyan’s latest bar occupies the same spot as Dandelyan but has a radical new approach to cocktails.

When to visit When you want drinking to be a nerd-out experience.

What’s on the menu? 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. The White Sbagliato is among our faves.

What’s the vibe? Lively and always busy, but quiet because of its size.

When to visit Early evenings are perfect for a cocktail before dinner in Soho.

What’s on the menu? Italian classics, short and strong. The Spritz never tasted so good.

What’s the vibe? Upstairs is a light-filled aperitif bar, downstairs is a brooding basement with a whisky library. Both are brought to you by a world-class drinks team.

When to visit It’s great for a first date. If it’s going well, you can take it downstairs. Wink, wink.

What’s on the menu? The Sgroppino is a prosecco cocktail filled with lemon sorbet. Unmissable.

What’s the vibe? People-watching with the 1 percent.

When to visit As close to late night as possible – at least you can pretend you’ve got a room upstairs…

What’s on the menu? Make your first stop the martini menu. A trolley is wheeled to your table and the drink’s made right before you.

What’s the vibe? Edgy Bethnal Green setting with chic French influence and a gold-coin-covered bar.

When to visit Monday and Wednesday nights, when live piano music is paired with your cocktails.

What’s on the menu? The Champagne Piña Colada is the stuff of local legend. But drinks made with calvados (French apple brandy) are worth seeking out, too.

What’s the vibe? If Rick James and Jay Gatsby got together to throw a bash, it would probably look like this hotel bar.

When to visit Head here to kick off an evening on the tiles.

What’s on the menu? The Vesca Negroni is an instant London classic.

What’s the vibe? The London outpost for the Standard also has a downstairs bar, which is rather cool despite its incredibly retro, TfL-inspired look.

When to visit The post-work King’s Cross crowd files in, but you should also time a trip to coincide with one of the lobby’s brilliant events – including live jazz and slamming DJ sets.

What’s on the menu? Rum punch on tap, a Bergamot Spritz and the Last Word, with gin, chartreuse, maraschino and lime.

What’s the vibe? A home away from home with chummy staff, a wall of vinyl to be treated as your own hipster jukebox and a ‘fam’ photo wall.

When to visit When you’re seeking neighbourhood vibes in the centre of town.

What’s on the menu? The FAM margarita, which is made with white grapefruit and agave. 

What’s the vibe? Unstuffy hotel bar with an English-gents-club-meets-library look, the cabinets filled with booze rather than books.

When to visit Early evening when a jazz duo twangs away by the door – pull up a stool at the bar for drinks with a view.

What’s on the menu? Drinks inspired by Tarot cards from 1910, which were designed by the bohemian occultist Pamela ‘Pixie’ Colman Smith. Magic. 

What’s the vibe? A veritable disco lounge with a stonking sound system.

When to visit When you feel like getting into the groove as well as the booze, head on down on Wednesday to Saturday, 5pm to 7pm, for the capital’s most fun happy hour aka 'Aperitivo Hour'.

What’s on the menu? The cocktails here are either vermouth-heavy or a revamped take on one of the classics.

What’s the vibe? A neighbourhood bar in Peckham with as much emphasis on big tunes as there is on big drinks.

When to visit Warm up for the weekend with a Thursday night trip. There’s no way of leaving without at least a light buzz from all that funk. 

What’s on the menu? Cocktails help you get funked up, too – from a Fela Kuti-inspired sour to a Holy Negroni.

What’s the vibe? Casual, sunny and funny – and always vibey at weekends.

When to visit Weekdays are chill-days, but this is Notting Hill and a party is never far away.

What’s on the menu? Cheeky tiki drinks with a massive measure of fun.

What’s the vibe? A sweet and stylish cocktail boudoir owned by the team behind top restaurants The Palomar and The Barbary.

When to visit For cosseted drinking in among chic details and French-accented staff.

What’s on the menu? Achingly on trend tipples, from mezcal- and bourbon-based cocktails to rum and vermouth numbers.

What’s the vibe? Big chill: laughing locals quaffing classy cocktails
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When to visit On an East End night out that needs something a bit classy.

What’s on the menu? No-messing-about twisted classics, all done perfectly.

What’s the vibe? Money without snootiness. It's pricey but not pretentious. 

When to visit Earlier in the evening to get a table without a long wait. Later in the day for people watching.

What’s on the menu? It pushes the envelope with some brave experimentation, but these eagle-eyed bartenders never miss the bullseye.

What’s the vibe? East London ‘agaveria’ Hacha channels a bit of authentic Mexico via its knowledgable owner, tequila ambassador Deano Moncrieffe.

When to visit When you want a laid-back education on mezcal and its saucy siblings.

What’s on the menu? The bar’s hot line-up of agave-based spirits is weaved into magical cocktails, including the dazzling Mirror Margarita – a see-through take on the classic.

What’s the vibe? A bar of two halves in West Hampstead: upstairs is a shiny spot serving low-abv bevvies, while the basement is a darkened whisky den.

When to visit This bar works for any mood, whether you’re playing the part of designated driver or party animal.

What’s on the menu? On our last visit we enjoyed The Everlong, an effervescent alcohol-free joy, and the Diamond in the Rough which contains three different whiskies.

What’s the vibe? A tiki paradise on Upper Street.

When to visit When you can no longer handle London’s grey skies.

What’s on the menu? Rum – and lots of it. Order in a punchy cocktail by using a buzzer at your table (told you it was paradise!).

What’s the vibe? Irish-run Homeboy is a packed and party-ready bar that serves sharp cocktails alongside pints of Guinness.

When to visit Bring your group of six – there’s plenty of room for a session on the craic.   

What’s on the menu? Irish whiskey-based drinks, from an Irish Coffee to a Wogan.

What’s the vibe? A quirky but classy hideout serving some of the best cocktails in east London.

When to visit: If you want to avoid the masses when out on a big one (or as big as it can get right now!) in the 'Ditch.

What’s on the menu? Flavours from all around the world. 

What’s the vibe? London Bridge’s very own tropical basement hideaway.

When to visit After dark when the disco-lounge soundtrack truly hits the spot.

What’s on the menu? Cocktails with a conscience – this bar operates a zero waste policy – and with a kick.

What’s the vibe? A subterranean hideout metres from the Old Street roundabout.

When to visit If you don’t want live music (and a cover charge), early evening’s best.

What’s on the menu? Some of the most madcap/inventive cocktails in London, which hark back to various drinking eras; Pre-Prohibition, Prohibition and Post-War.

What’s the vibe? A down-to earth tiki dive bar in a converted store halfway down a traditional London marketplace.

When to visit When you want to drink cheap cocktails while soaking up kitsch beach bar vibes.

What’s on the menu? The cheap-o Ginger Mojito may not be the most sophisticated drink in the city, but we love it because it tastes great and comes without a drop of pretension.