The most-loved bars and pubs in London

London’s current infatuation with all things agave has spawned dozens of new bars specialising in the Mexican spirits du jour. But while you might find more extensive collections of tequila and mezcal elsewhere, few agave-focused bars can match the sophistication of this elegant Latin American-themed spot in the Grade II-listed former Police Station that now houses the NoMad hotel.  There’s an old-school gentleman’s club kind of grandeur to this low-lit space, decked out in dark wood booths, green leather seating, an imposing marble-topped bar and walls covered in vibrant photographs taken on the streets of London and Southern California. On the menu, you’ll find a seasonally-changing delection of half a dozen takes on the margarita, plus six bar classics and another dozen or so drinks categorised as ‘refreshing’ or ‘spirit forward’. Most cocktails are agave-based, but the menu also incorporates a host of trendy ingredients from across the globe, from yuzu and white miso to pandan and cachaça. And for beer drinkers, there’s the hotel’s own Mexican Sour, a collaboration with King’s Cross-based brewery Two Tribes. Alongside this, the bar serves up a solid menu of mostly Mexican bar snacks; zingy guac is served with a hefty pile of crunchy tortilla chips, creamy prawn croquettes come topped with salty, umami shavings of bonito and churros are accompanied by thick chocolate sauce and fudgey dulce de leche crema.  Order this On our visit, the star of the show was a chocolate...

Keep your eyes peeled for this one: it’s sunk beneath Greek Street, accessed through a dodgy-looking doorway and a seriously scruffy staircase. If there’s a less salubrious introduction to a bar in London then, well, we’d like to see it. These days, the term ‘speakeasy’ is bandied about with reckless abandon by bar owners desperate to adorn their venue with an elusive, exclusive and illicit allure yet few are the genuine McCoy – not least because if you’re shouting about what you’re doing, then you’re not a genuine speakeasy. This old school drinking den and members club, however, is refreshingly free of any such affectation. Known as Trisha’s, due to the leading lady of the venue, Trisha Bergonzi, there’s a small bar, a scattering of tables and chairs and pictures of boxers, mafia types and Italian football teams adorning the worn walls. There’s a very small courtyard out the back and only one proper lavatory. It looks like the kind of place where someone would get whacked in ‘The Sopranos’. True to a real speakeasy, the drink selection is pretty average. There are some bottled beers, a couple of wines and a quite random selection of spirits. The New Evaristo Club has some very devoted regulars. If they aren't entertainment enough, there are some jazz nights.

Since its opening in 2016, the outwardly unassuming Dalston cocktail bar Three Sheets – owned and run by brothers Max and Noel Venning – has become a city-wide favourite, known for the inventiveness and quality of its drinks, which often play on established classics. Unsurprisingly then, for Three Sheets’ second iteration, the Vennings have pulled up in Soho, London’s storied cocktail hub, to launch a new menu of brilliantly re-thought standards upon a more central crowd. While the Dalston spot is narrower and more secret-feeling – maybe a touch cooler, if you really want me to say it – the W1 iteration adapts to its new surroundings. It’s warmer and fancier, all soft, inviting booths and dark wood. So far, so Soho.  The Mezcal Sunset is the grown-up older sister of a tequila sunrise, only more Ibiza than Benidorm In keeping with Soho tradition, you must – once you are installed in your plush seat, or on your bar stool – begin with a martini. The Three Sheets bartenders are seasoned pros, who will make yours however you like it, but the house Dirty Martini is worth a go even if you’re a purist. Done with Belvedere, a little olive oil, and some Koseret tea to take the edge off the booze, it’s a gentler take on the OG, and even those who like the drink blisteringly alcoholic will appreciate the riff. For something more serene as you’re getting settled in, go for Three Sheets’ signature pre-bottled French 75 – a bubbly blend of gin and Chardonnay, plus some lilting...

Outdoor spaces are big business come summer, and this seasonal pop-up between Waterloo and Westminster bridges is one of the biggest and best in London. Returning for its summer season from Thursday April 17, it boasting lovely views over the Thames and an eclectic programme of entertainment encompassing drag shows, DJs, live performances and themed club nights. What’s on at Between the Bridges? This summer’s events programme includes plenty of tried-and-tested favourites, from Barrioke with EastEnders actor Shaun Williamson (Friday May 9) and Taylor-themed party Swiftoggedon (Sunday May 25) to the Old Dirty Brasstards performing Abba (Friday June 6), Motown-themed immersive dining experience Soul Supper (various dates) and weekly bottomless brunches themed around everything from Whitney Houston to Dirty Dancing.  There’s plenty of free entertainment on too, including after-work drinks on Thursdays soundtracked by old-school hip hop and RnB from resident DJs, Friday night’s Dock Discos featuring contemporary house and disco tunes, and Guilty Pleasures featuring nostalgic 90s and noughties pop bangers every Saturday evening.  What food vendors are at Between the Bridges? The South Bank has long been a hub of great street food, and this year Time Out is getting in on the act, partnering with Between the Bridges to launch Time Out Eat Street, a mini food market featuring some of our favourite street food vendors from around the city, as selected by our Food & Drink Editor,...

It’s only rock’n’roll, but east Londoners clearly love it. The brainchild of Australian sisters Verity and Sharmaine Cox, Blondies is a down-and-dirty Mecca for music-lovers and a decided riposte to those who say London has lost some of its grit. The tiny bar (with a capacity of about 50) is comprised of delightfully wonky furnishings, which is down to the fact that the Coxes created almost everything themselves. That DIY spirit is reflected in the regular gig nights, which have attracted everyone from Grammy winners Mastadon to legendary Swedish hardcore punks Refused. There’s also a good chance you’ll find team Time Out holding down spicy margaritas and working our way through the ever-changing menu of superior craft beers, including their very own Blondies branded beer. Time Out tip Keep an eye on the ‘upcoming events’ section of the bar’s website, as big bands love to get back to basic at Blondies. What’s nearby? You’re less than a five-minute walk from My Neighbours the Dumplings, a sensational dim sum joint that’ll soak up the booze.

Setting up shop in the space formerly occupied by well-loved Haggerston hang-out Pamela, Ellie’s has given the Kingsland Road venue a lick of paint and some softer lighting but kept the ethos roughly the same: an easy-going neighbourhood drinking spot that’s big on vibes and low on unnecessary pretence. We went on a Wednesday evening, where groups of mates were sat under their glowing green sign, sipping on potent £8 martinis and munching on paper-wrapped takeaway from the next door chippy (there are plans, we’re told, to open a rotating kitchen residency in the near future). On a balmy summer’s night, their open front and pavement tables are a welcoming place to work your way through Ellie’s punchy cocktail list, from a pleasingly tart raspberry daiquiri to an always-welcome spicy marg. With rows of stools pulled up to the bar, an excellent playlist of alt throwbacks, and a ‘kitchen at the party’ feel to its small-but-cosy confines, you can easily imagine the weekends getting far looser.  Order this On Wednesdays, their all-day happy hour deals include a £5 Guinness and £6 spritz. Ellie’s go-to, however, is their martini: we went dirty and gin-based, and felt pretty giddy after just one. Time Out tip  Need something to soak up the cocktails? Dalston’s plethora of Turkish ocakbasi grills are just a short stumble up the road.

London has been overrun with ‘listening bars’ in the last couple of years, but few, if any, take such a fastidious approach to their drinks list as this Hackney Road specimen opened by Michael Sager (of Sager + Wilde fame) in 2023. Partly inspired by Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, the decor in the corner bar is similarly atmospheric; all bare plaster walls, dark wood and mid-century furnishings. The cocktail list is divided into two main sections. ‘Equal Parts’ highlights short, strong drinks made with equal measures of each ingredient, while ‘Signatures’ features more unique recipes incorporating a variety of trendy ingredients: think mezcal, calvados and plenty of savoury components. There’s also a compact list of bottled beers, low-intervention wines, one slushie and a handful of no/low offerings, with olives and nuts to nibble on. Order this The ‘Flor’ is a clean, pleasingly saline and thoroughly refreshing martini made with olive oil-washed vodka, fino sherry and distilled tomato water with just a hint of basil. It’s everything that’s good about the savoury cocktail trend, and dangerously drinkable. Time Out tip If you’re looking for somewhere to take a friend who doesn’t drink, this place is a great option. Few alcohol-free drinks satisfy the craving for something bitter and grown-up, but Equal Parts’ small but perfectly formed no/low menu definitely does; so convincing was an alcohol-free negroni that my sober friend thought he’d been given the wrong drink.

Don't be fooled by the name: this red and yellow boozer just off Oxford Street's ropier end is not a hotspot for sherries and fine tapas. In fact, it’s not even a bar. Bradley’s is definitely a pub, and with its jumble sale decor and tattered furniture, it sure puts the 'shabby' in 'shabby chic'. But don't be put off: Londoners love Bradley’s for its low-key and unpretentious vibe. At the tiny two-floor venue, the atmosphere is warm and friendly (except for when there's a Spain v England football match on), the drinks are a fair price for area and, the real showpiece, there's a vinyl jukebox pumping out Motown classics and disco bangers in the ground-floor bar. So fond of this place are the locals that in summer months the thirsty post-work crowd forgo chairs and tables (and walls) and take to the street outside, much to the annoyance of taxi drivers who use Hanway Street as a sneaky shortcut.

A relic of a pub, the Palm Tree has no time at all for the modern trappings most east London hostelries. But people still traipse to this middle-of-nowhere Mile End venue for something money can’t buy – the Palm Tree provides a Cockney experience more intense than Danny Dyer pulling pints at the Queen Vic. Signed pictures of obsolete celebrities and forgotten jockeys line the walls above the oval-shaped bar, and spaces that aren’t plastered with memorabilia are covered in gold chintz accented by cabaret-esque red lighting. Regulars can be real characters, but it’s refreshing to visit somewhere with a distinct lack of hipsters. Its canalside position is appealing to summer strollers, but it’s the evening vibe that’s the real draw. There’s often a live jazz band, and since there are no neighbours within shouting distance, late-night knees-ups often get lairy.

If you want to drink well in London, Hackney has long been one of the best places to do so. The pubs are unparalleled and you’re rarely more than five feet away from a small-plates restaurant with an erudite line in natural wine. Over the past decade Hackney has also been refining an excellent collection of astutely un-grotty dive bars, from the emo-adjacent Blondie’s in the far reaches of Clapton to the satan-worshiping Helgi’s, which you’ll find right next door to Mare Street’s latest booze hole. The overall vibe is Sex and the City directed by Tarantino Rasputin’s comes from, weirdly, the same folk as cult sandwich slingers Dom’s Subs. And though there’s not a single sarnie on the menu here, cheap hot dogs help place Rasputin’s somewhere in the middle of a niche Osakan mini bar and rowdy Texan drinking den. It’s a giddy little space, and one lit mainly by sultry red light but also TV sets pumping out cult movies. Film noir-worthy shutters on the front windows let in minimal distraction from the street, and the resulting effect is a chaotic kind of chic.   When we visit, it’s early on a Thursday night, and there’s a spaghetti western soundtrack to punters basking in the neon glow. Some are sat on mid-century sofas next to equally neat coffee tables, or perched by the long, well-stocked bar. Most are drinking sweet but powerful five olive martinis, which at £7 might just be the best value cocktail in town. The overall vibe is Sex and the City directed by Tarantino. The...