9 Of The Best Cocktail Bars In London

There is something about a cocktail – provided it is proper and doesn’t come out of a sickly-sweet mix – that will always make us feel like sophisticates. There is a glamour inherent to such concoctions, not least because of the theatre of their creation: the mixologist’s skill, the fruit or olive garnish, the proper glassware, the little bowl of smoked nuts to nibble alongside, and, perhaps chiefly, that it is made just for you. They conjure images of starlets sipping Margaritas in Art Deco bars in London or New York in the 1930s and make us feel like we’re just a touch more likely to deliver a winning witticism in the manner of Bette Davis than we were before we had one.

Now, like many other such convivial offerings, cocktails have had an artisanal upgrade, with a fresh eye on quality, seasonality and provenance of ingredients. And these are some of the top London cocktail bars in which to elegantly sip a beautifully made creation while propping up the bar. Cin cin.

Tayer + Elementary

This Old Street establishment, the vision of two starry bartenders, is a tale of two halves. You’ll find the relaxed affair that is Elementary at the front; at the back, you’ll discover the more swinging, party-vibe Tayer. What unites the two is the excellent cocktail offering (though we also recommend trying to food which comes courtesy of a series of residencies and thus is ever-changing). Seasonal, contemporary ingredients. Sharp, industrial-style aesthetics. This is a truly modern take on mixology. Discover more.

Bar Termini

This lively Soho drinking den, named for the scrappy area around the station in Rome, manages to combine elegance and fun – a feat that is exceptionally hard to pull off. Appositely reminiscent of the classic work-a-day bars found up and down the length of Italy, its Spritz Termini is the perfect way to kick off an evening. The Death In Venice (Campari, grapefruit butters and prosecco) is also knock-out, as is the Peach Bellini (peach puree, almond blossom and prosecco). Order a plate of prosciutto crudo or Italian cheeses to soak up whichever concoction you plump for. Discover more.

The Bar Below

Heading to star chef Ollie Dabbous’ Hide? Then make time – whether before or after – for a sublime sip at The Bar Below, the moody watering hole beneath the foodie mecca. Do try the Iron Butterfly, an inventive concoction of Diplomatico Planas rum, sake, fig: fruit and leaf. Discover more.

The Beaufort Bar at The Savoy

All jet black and gold, The Savoy’s cossetting and dusky Beaufort Bar oozes charisma. If you have deep pockets and want to feel like you’re in a world of old Hollywood glamour, this is the bar to gracefully sashay to. Discover more.

Callooh Callay

The wonderfully named Callooh Callay first opened its doors in 2008 in Shoreditch and, fifteen years on, will still have you exclaiming Rudyard Kipling’s words from the first sip. As they say, ‘At the time, cocktail bars in Shoreditch were few and far between. We wanted to open a venue which delivered high quality drinks and service, but without any of the pretension that came along with those things in 2008. We also wanted to do things a little differently with our design and with our menus, for which we have become pretty famous.’ Named amongst the Top 50 Cocktail Bars in 2023, 2022 and 2019, it is an absolute must try for any cocktail lover. Discover more.

TT Liquor

A former police station turned cocktail bar and bottle shop, TT Liquor puts a new spin on the idea of spending a night in the cells. They say, ‘our Cellar Bar serves out seasonal cocktail menus designed around different journeys or concepts accompanied by a soulful soundtrack.’ We say: do try the impressive range of margaritas. Discover more.

The Connaught Bar

Named the eighth best bar in The World’s 50 Best Bars in 2022, to step into the Connaught Bar is to enter a candlelit world of gleaming glasses and soft chatter in which nothing bad could ever happen. We recommend the Fleurissimo, which was created in honour of former guest Princess Grace of Monaco and involves Rémy Martin VSOP Cognac, home-made Connaught bitters, Violet liqueur, sugar cube, Laurent-Perrier champagne. Spectacular. Discover more.

The Blind Pig

The Blind Pig, which exudes speakeasy vibes, is found at Jason Atherton’s Social Eating House on Poland Street. Like the food, the drinks offering is as inventive as it is dangerously moreish. We are big fans of Pooh’s Honey Pot (Dark rum, Mead, cider brandy, honey, orange blossom, honeycomb, Piglet) and Harry Potter’s Best Bottled Butter Bitter (Monkey Shoulder Whisky, Kamm & Sons, Samuel Adams beer, thyme, butterscotch). Irresistible, no? Discover more.

Fitz’s Bar

The Kimpton Fitzroy’s Bar is moody, glamorous and Gatsybian in its decadent elegance. Simply, there is no finer Negroni in London. Discover more.

By Nancy Alsop
May 2023