Best cocktail bars in London

As a drinks writer who has spent nearly a decade covering the capital's bar scene, I can say with total confidence that London is one of the best cocktail cities in the world, buzzing with cutting-edge mixology, top-tier bartender talent and, most importantly, really delicious drinks. What excites me the most is the sheer variety on offer, from sleek Mayfair hotel bars with martini trolley services to no-nonsense neighbourhood hang outs, there's something for everyone and it's impossible to get bored. There's plenty here in the list below to keep your Friday nights and weekends busy; make sure you check back for more as I'll be updating this guide with the best new cocktail bar openings.

For more like this, check out the World's 50 Best Bars, the best London hotel bars to visit, the best listening bars in London and the best London pubs for food lovers. Also check out our London food guides, including the best restaurants in Fitzrovia, best restaurants in Shoreditch, best restaurants in Marylebone and best restaurants in Notting Hill.

"My go-to cocktail bars in London are Swift in Soho, particularly its slinky downstairs bar which always feels properly grown-up and glamorous, as well as Three Sheets's original Dalston site for its hip neighbourhood bar vibes and succinct yet excellent cocktail list. I also recently visited El Siete in Soho, another addition to the city's agave scene that serves a properly poky spicy margarita."

Best London cocktail bars

Cato, Covent Garden

With moody interiors, inventive cocktails and low-lit vibes, Cato strikes a clever balance between polished cocktail bar and playful drinking den. Spread across two levels, the space channels a subtle New York energy.

Upstairs, the House of Julep centres around the bar’s signature serve: a mint julep made with herbs and mint grown in-house, alongside three inventive variations. Classic cocktails are given a savoury twist, from wild garlic martinis to kimchi margaritas and marmalade boulevardiers.

Downstairs, the Colour Has Flavour menu takes a more conceptual turn, exploring flavour through colour in drinks inspired by synthesis: ‘white’ pairs elderflower with cheese, or sweet woodruff with cream. Some of the wackier cocktails proved fairly love-it-or-hate-it within our group but that’s part of the appeal – best enjoyed with experimental friends and a willingness to try a sip of everyone else’s. catobar.co.uk

Without Papers, Shoreditch

Situated just off the bustle of Kingsland Road, Without Papers brings a fresh wave of British-Italian character to the London bar scene. Founded by long-time friends and industry veterans Massimiliano Bosio, Marco Piroli and Gaetano De Simone, the bar brings together Italian generosity with the unpretentious charm of British pub culture.

The cocktail list draws inspiration from British favourites, nostalgic Italian flavours and timeless classics. Our Mediterranean gimlet was a vibrant, silky and perfumed combination of Tanqueray 10, house-made Mediterranean cordial and Sicilian grillo wine. The Fuhgeddaboudit – essentially a take on a boulevardier but here infused with 'nduja – offered smoky, spicy, savoury depth. And our Cannoli Milk Punch presented a clever balance of creamy, tangy flavours, with rum, amaretto, pistachio and clarified ricotta, plus a mini ice cream sandwich garnish for good measure.

Other highlights include frozen martinis – try the grappa version for a complex, interesting alternative.

A well-curated wine list shines a spotlight on progressive Italian and British viticulture and includes an English sparkling selection. If you're peckish, opt for a sharing board. Our cheese board featured an artfully presented selection of British and Italian cheeses, including nutty, creamy Mayfield and moreish 24-month-aged parmigiano reggiano. withoutpapersbar.com

Bar Américain, Piccadilly Circus

This timeless subterranean bar is a reliably excellent spot for cocktails in one of the busiest parts of central London, and is generally one of our go-to recommendations for drinks in Piccadilly Circus – ideal for pre-theatre cocktails, an aperitif before heading across the foyer to sister restaurant Brasserie Zedel or just for a quiet drink, albeit in very smart surroundings.

Inside it’s as if you’ve stepped into the 1930s, a study in art deco opulence but stylishly grown up rather than gimmicky, with leather seating, lashings of varnished wood, golden fixtures and Paul Colin’s 1920s lithographs of Josephine Baker on the walls.

Choose from two cocktail menus. From the 20s-inspired Postcards from Paris we try the Avante-Garde: softly earthy, smoky and savoury from mezcal, porcini aperitif, beetroot bitter liqueur and sancho pepper. Cocktail history nerds will thoroughly enjoy the Prohibition menu, which takes you on a tour of 19th- and 20th-century classic cocktails – do try the 1884-era martini-like Turf Club, where maraschino and absinthe give subtle anise and fruity backbone to navy-strength gin. brasseriezedel.com/bar-americain

El Siete, Soho

El Pastor Soho has revamped its basement bar and turned it into a stand-alone venue – pink doors lead down below the street venue into a moody agave den dripping in Mexico City inspired brutalist, modernist aesthetics, with Luis Barragán pink walls, chrome, volcanic stone, terrazzo bar and banquettes, all gilded in sultry red lighting.

The menu is structured around the number seven – so seven different margarita expressions, seven agave cocktails and seven twists on classics (hello there, blackberry cosmo). The marg section ranges from ultra modern, like the 777 Margarita served in a stainless-steel flask to keep it icy cool, to a camp frozen melon number. We often find that bars serve a spicy marg woefully lacking in heat but El Siete offers three different levels of spice for its take. Daredevils, we plump for the hottest which arrives garnished with three fat chillies and it duly slaps us around the chops but still remains balanced and deliciously sippable – a total winner. We also enjoy the Nopal which comes spiked with prickly pear for fruity, floral notes that complement the tequila – this is a great option if you prefer a softer, less aggressively zingy marg.

We also recommending delving into the other agave cocktails – the Máximo Sexy with The Lost Explorer mezcal, manzanilla, Lillet and a corn-stuffed olive is like a rich, complex martini with evocative smoky, fruity and saline notes. We also snack on pleasingly affordable £2 dinky tostadas topped with prawns and yellowfin tuna.tacoselpastor.co.uk/el-siete

Homeboy, Islington

Homeboy promises modern Irish hospitality and delivers it in spades. The acclaimed bar was established in 2018 by Dublin native Aaron Wall (Callooh Callay, London Cocktail Club), bringing NY dive bar vibes to Islington's Essex Road. Now something of a hub in the neighbourhood, it continues to serve excellent, refined cocktails in a warm, familiar space.

Leaning solidly into whiskey, the drinks menu offers clever twists on classic flavours. We loved the sidecar-adjacent Wogan, which brings together Teeling Small Batch whiskey, apricot liqueur, lime and a hint of salt; and would choose the Taoiseach – with Redbreast 12 whiskey, triple sec, red vermouth and pomegranate – over a manhattan on most occasions. Special mention goes to the Luca, a complex, martini-style marvel featuring reposado tequila, white vermouth, tomato water and celery salt tincture – highly recommended if you like drinks with a savoury edge. Irish coffees in hot or frozen versions are just the ticket for those in need of a pick-me-up.

Service is exceptional – friendly, knowledgeable and effortless – and a key part of what makes Homeboy such an enjoyable visit. Food is inviting and generous, with the likes of burgers, Guinness stew and proper Irish Sunday roast (including a vegan option). Beloved Irish deli staple the chicken fillet roll also makes an appearance – ours was delicious, and massive. homeboybar.com

Swift, Soho

Swift has three different sites in London – its Borough and Shoreditch outposts are well worth a visit but we’ve always had a fondness for the original Soho bar on Old Compton Street. It’s a two-part affair, with a light and bright, more casual space on the ground floor that’s just for walk-ins (do try the signature sgroppino with lemon sorbet, prosecco and St-Germain) and a secluded, slinky downstairs lounge that remains one of our favourite places to get a cocktail in central London, all inky, shimmering surfaces and moody lighting. It feels properly grown-up and chic but – crucially – never pretentious or unapproachable. It’s a place to cloister oneself away from the hectic city above.

In our opinion the two best places to sit are either at the bar, where you can watch the bartenders do their thing – just the ticket for a solo cocktail – or in one of the sleek crescent booths (an excellent date night spot). The latest cocktail menu celebrates Swift entering its 10th year and divvies up drinks into four sections: Bright, Delicate, Rich and Stiff. It gets extra points for including a booze-free serve in each.

On the lighter end of the spectrum, the bright-green Kew Gardens with basil, cucumber, prosecco and Gin Mare, delivered spritzy, verdant flavour, while the Chameleon marries the funk of Del Maguey Vida mezcal with green chilli, cachaça, lime, coriander and green pepper for a lively, vegetal, smoky take on a marg – do try this if you're a fan of more savoury drinks.

The Stiff section celebrates spirit-forward cocktails, which as long-time devotees of boozy serves we interrogated especially closely. The Amber Cane comes out swinging, a seriously punchy, potent drink featuring Swift’s own blend of Jamaican rums with madeira and Bénédictine – we loved it. To round it all off, White Water, while not as lethal as the former, was a seductively smoky, tropical blend of Monkey Shoulder and Ardbeg 10 with coconut falernum and banana.

If you want to continue the evening, don’t leave without trying the famous Irish coffee, a deliciously rich and silky creature that as far as we’re concerned is a miles better than an espresso martini. barswift.com

Forbidden City at A.Wong, Pimlico

Andrew Wong’s two Michelin starred vision of pan-Chinese cuisine is an unmissable experience but at the end of last year he also opened a standalone bar underneath his restaurant that convincingly makes the case for its own pilgrimage. Interiors are discreetly plush with black velvet chairs, dark wood and flashes of scarlet red, with tasselled lamps and ornamental birdcages.

Cocktails come with twists inspired by Chinese flavours and ingredients. We’ve always thought that a negroni stands up rather well to spice and the bar’s version, infused with star anise, sichuan pepper and cinnamon is a winner, harmonising with the botanicals in the gin and vermouth. Spice also enhances The Xinjiang, which features tangy pomegranate granita with vodka, preserved plum and warming structure from ginger and cumin.

Ultra-refined bar snacks are seriously impressive: we particularly liked oysters swimming in a punchy ‘fish fragrant’ aubergine sauce, superb steamed dim sum and deeply savoury wonton noodle soup. The bar also offers a £55 set menu complete with cocktail – a rather bargainous proposition if you’re keen to sample the high-end cooking of A Wong without the accompanying high prices of the 30-course tasting menu upstairs.

awong.co.uk

FlipDog, Shoreditch

Red hot pokers aren’t typically a calling card when it comes to cocktail bars, unless you’re at FlipDog, where plunging 1,200C-heated ‘loggerheads’ into drinks is very much the vibe.

Spread over two floors in Old Street’s Imperial Hall, the street-level space is a more casual 12-seater bar that focusses on crisp highball serve, while the larger downstairs, where we sat, is more industrial, with perforated metal tables and booths, and walls covered in densely colourful, surrealist print. This is all accompanied by the sight of bartenders stylishly plunging red-hot loggerheads into cocktails, like techno medieval blacksmiths.

The drinks programme, created by ex-Tayer & Elementary’s Igor Brovko, showcases technique and process, particularly in cocktails made with the aforesaid loggerhead, which far from being gimmicky is actually an old 17th-century method where putting a super-heated or chilled poker into the drink transforms the textures and aroma of the liquid. This is elegantly demonstrated in Morning on the Platform, a seductive, earthy and smoky marriage of toasted sesame Buffalo Trace, Laproaig, amaretto, oloroso sherry and coffee, served with a scoop of chocolate ganache.

Other drinks also shine in a varied, imaginative menu. NECTA 2 is a delicate, chic take on a colada-style cocktail with nectarine eau de vie and persimmon, while YDM is one for the martini lovers, floral and ethereal with mango skin vermouth, mango brine, yuzu and gin. flipdog.uk

The Prince, Old Street

‘Sharp, strong, social’ – three words that certainly have their place in hospitality and give a good indication of what to expect from new Old Street cocktail bar The Prince. Service is sharp, in the sense of clean and friendly; drinks are strong, in concept and execution as well as ABV; and the vibe is undoubtedly social.

Led by Will Hawes (formerly of Milk & Honey and Booking Office 1869), and Aaron Wall (of acclaimed Islington bar Homeboy), The Prince is a warm, intimate venue with an interior of dark wood, forest green and gold evoking 1920s charm. We enjoyed the genuine sense of inclusivity and camaraderie – sit at the bar if there's space.

Signature drinks include black velvet, a beguiling mix of Guinness and champagne – closer to a champagne cocktail than a pint; and Buster's Stout Punch, a blend of three rums, cognac, lemon sherbet and stout, which sounds lethal but was in fact fruity and impeccably balanced. The real highlight though is the martini menu: a 10-strong list of favourites including the gin-vodka hybrid vesper, and the slightly savoury gibson, served with a pearl onion. Order straight from the list or let the bar staff tailor a martini to your exact preference – in our case, a 6:1 gin-vermouth ratio, three olives and freezing cold. "It's your drink," as the menu says, "it should be perfect for you." theprincebar.com

The Black Duke, Vauxhall

The Vauxhall roundabout was an unlikely dining destination until Jackson and Frank Boxer launched their much-praised Brunswick House in the surrounds of a Grade II listed Georgian mansion in 2010, and thanks to a restoration of the building’s 18th-century cellars they’ve now launched The Black Duke, making two good reasons why you need to visit.

Inside, dripping candles add flickering cosiness to the carefully revived space, which includes 300-year-old fireplaces and chimneys restored to working order. Exposed brickwork, vintage tables and leather seating complete a pared-back yet inviting setting.

The drinks list is pleasingly short and to the point – start with a one-sip negroni before moving on to crowd-pleasing cocktails with a twist; alpine herbal liqueur génépi adds herbal complexity to the house martini, while an excellent bergamot margarita highlights the floral charms of this citrus fruit.

Elsewhere, non-alcoholic drinks included superior no/low brands like Botivo, and you can get £5 glasses of the house champagne, Pol Roger, between 6-8pm. Elevated snacks include devilled eggs, generous cheese, pickle and charcuterie plates, and a must-order grilled potato bread with green garlic butter. brunswickhouse.london

Little Bat, Islington

Neighbourhood bar is a descriptor that can be used too liberally when it comes to London drinking spots but it’s perfect for Little Bat. Sister bar to Callooh Callay in Shoreditch, it’s casual and fuss-free yet stylish, with refreshingly affordable cocktails. Dark, sultry and dimly lit, it’s a great choice for low-key birthday drinks with friends or perhaps one last drink on a night out.

A refreshed cocktail list has plenty to enjoy. Flutter By is a light, pretty agave cocktail with Codigo Rosa tequila complemented by floral, fruity notes from strawberry aperitif and elderflower liqueur. Little Bat also nails the classics: we tried a warming, spicy boulevardier (the negroni’s winter cousin) with Fielden rye whisky, and there’s also a pithy roster of ‘Cold AF’ martinis. Our vesper did not disappoint, crystalline, boozy and icy cold.

There’s also a revamped food menu courtesy of chef-consultant James Cochran – those looking for bar snacks can try the likes of toasted sourdough bread with whipped gravy butter, seriously addictive buttermilk fried chicken with jerk spiced hot honey glaze, and beer-battered Whitstable oysters. Or turn it into a proper dinner and add mains such as jerk spiced slow-braised shoulder of mangalitza pork or torched Cornish mackerel with hazelnut tahini, finished off with aged Berkswell basque cheesecake for dessert. littlebatbar.com

Parasol, Stoke Newington

From the team behind The Sun Tavern, Parasol is a latest addition to the slew of cool cocktail bars in Dalston. With a subtle exterior, stepping down concrete stairs reveals a plush curtain, behind which lies a speakeasy-style bar underneath the depths of Stoke Newington Road. Dark, cosy and with booths and tables plus seats underneath the paper lanterns at the bar, it’s a large space with a disco ball at-the-ready for DJ sessions until the early hours at the weekends.

Those more sweet-inclined shouldn’t miss the fragrant Baklava with bourbon, amontillado, pistachio, honey, cardamom and orange blossom, or the whimsical Kinder Bueno with Irish cream liqueur, whisky, cacao and clarified milk. It was the Korean Jesus that stood out from the crowd – a gochujang twist on a spicy margarita balanced with plum soju, honey and with added aromatics from ginger and coriander. Fans of zingy, citrus flavours shouldn’t miss the silky Yuk Fu with Chilean pisco, green chartreuse, earthy matcha, pandan and coconut, and a piece of lemongrass delicately balanced on top.

Alongside the house, ‘disco’ and sharing cocktails sit beers, ciders – including Parasol’s own Umbrella London brand – and a sizeable wine list. Bar snacks are kept simple but effective: paprika-topped creamy hummus and crisp Gordal olives make for great counterparts to the liquid refreshment. parasol-london.co.uk

Cinco, Dalston

Hidden away underneath sister restaurant Corrochio’s, Cinco is a rustic, sultry basement den with flickering candles and bare concrete walls decorated with Mexican art. First and foremost a bar that specialises in agave and Mexican spirits, its collection – including rare bottlings – is curated by Corrochio founders Daniel Corrochio and Amy McQuarrie from their travels across Daniel’s native Mexico. The bar even has its own in-house mezcal available to try and buy.

Cocktails are surprising and layered, showcasing the full breadth of what agave spirits have to offer. The Doña Mago uses raicilla (another agave spirit), tomato liqueur, plum sake, Ancho Reyes chile liqueur and plum and tomato cordial for a fabulous margarita-esque drink with smoky, fruity, tangy charm. Another next-level take on a marg comes in the form of the El Chihuas, with sotol (another Mexican distillate, made from the desert spoon plant), fig, guanabana and yuzu liqueurs. The end result is a tropical, creamy drink with a delicate floral edge. The Mujer Moderna features butter-washed Abasolo whisky, Nixta corn liqueur, crème de cacao and chocolate bitters for an opulent, cocoa-tinged interpretation of an old fashioned.

Cinco also has a nice little roster of no- and low-alcohol cocktails made using alcohol-free spirits and Mexican ingredients – the La Bikini Cero, with non-alcoholic agave spirit, chilli syrup, verdita water and pineapple has a pleasing spicy kick. corrochios.com

A Bar With Shapes For A Name, Dalston

The name of Remy Savage and Paul Lougrat’s Bauhaus-inspired bar takes pictorial form – the signage on Dalston’s Kingsland Road featuring a yellow triangle, red square and blue circle. If that sounds a little complicated then rest assured once you step into the bar – colloquially referred to as Shapes – everything takes a decidedly more minimalist turn. Inside, bare bones interiors look more akin to a science classroom than anything else, with bartenders flitting around in brightly coloured jumpsuits.

The drinks list at Shapes is pleasingly pithy – just seven house cocktails and six bottled cocktails. The martini-style Habanero is an ingenious affair, using a distillate made from yellow habanero peppers that delivers all the vegetal flavours of the pepper minus the heat – funky and savoury, with a zingy Campari jelly garnish. The xscold is a surprising twist on a marg – here, eucalyptus adds a menthol edge to the herbaceous flavours of Amarás espadin mezcal and Ocho 8 tequila for a refreshing agave treat. From the bottled cocktails, a manhattan uses Buffalo Trace bourbon fat washed in olive oil, and a turmeric distillate, for a boozy whisky cocktail with dried date notes and fruity, earthy richness. clubbauhaus.com

Lyaness, Southwark

Drinks maestro Ryan Chetiyawardana’s flagship bar is lauded for its innovative mixology, and also happens to be one of the nicest places to enjoy a cocktail on the South Bank. On the ground floor of the Sea Containers hotel, it combines a light, bright palette of sky blue walls, electric blue banquettes, opulent gold accents and a sleek emerald green marble bar (leftover from the site’s previous iteration, the award-winning Dandelyan) with glorious views of the Thames.

Lyaness is a fresh, modern take on what a hotel bar should be, with yearly changing cocktail menus a product of meticulous research and freewheeling creativity. The latest, Collaboration Menu, is themed around cooperation and the coming together of ideas. If that all sounds rather serious then, rest assured, the drinks themselves are fun and full of flavour.

The menu makes use of 12 housemade ingredients, from savoury and creamy KitKat-so, a koji and KitKat combo, to the sweet-sour-umami Bitterless Aperitif, a fusion of grapefruit, radicchio and plantain.

The zippy Vantapink Gimlet is a tangy, tart confection of Botanist gin, ‘spite cordial’ made with dock leaves, rhubarb and fermented nettles, while the No Spoon Old Fashioned, matching Del Maguey mezcal with walnut honey and hibiscus-based ‘purple bitters’ is punchily smoky and spicy. Top billing on our visit went to the Pitstop Fix, using Port Charlotte 10 whisky, KitKat-so, linden honey, tropical chilli and lemon for a delicious next-level sour – smoky and savoury, creamy and silky. lyaness.com

Connaught Bar, Mayfair

Low-lit, slinky, plush luxury is the name of the game at this acclaimed hotel bar, whose tastefully decadent surrounds – metallic accents, mirrors, a mutedly rich palate and plenty of seating to sink into – is matched by impeccable, meticulously attentive service and even more impressive cocktails. So impressive, in fact, that it was voted World's Best Bar in 2021.

If you only order one drink let it be the martini – made at a trolley by your table with theatrical, expert aplomb (watching them pour the martini in a high, silvery stream into your glass is a sight to behold). Tanqueray No Ten is the recommended serve, along with a blend of vermouths and your choice of homemade bitters (ranging from tonka bean and lavender to cardamom, on our visit). The end result is spot on, silky textured and very generous in size – don’t drink one on an empty stomach. the-connaught.co.uk

Bar Kinky, Fitzrovia

Hidden underneath modern Georgian restaurant Kinkally, Bar Kinky lives up to its name with sultry interiors and a bold, left-field approach to ingredients and flavours.

The small 17-seater bar occupies a sleek, vault-like space with stainless steel walls, sensual red lighting and a techno music soundtrack. The focal point is the marble central island bar around which customers sit – the vibe is somehow intimate yet hectic, with bartenders offering attentive and speedy service.

Cocktails look deceptively pared back but have plenty going on behind the scenes, from inventive ingredients to playful garnishes. Bossy is a delicious margarita/gimlet hybrid, with El Rayo Plata tequila, orange, hazelnut and cacao delivering layered flavours and delicate zestiness with soft chocolate notes, plus savouriness from a Georgian seasoning in lieu of a salt rim.

Chocolate also plays its part in the smoky and seductively smooth Snatch, alongside truffle, vermouth and Ojo De Dios Mezcal; while Bureau, Bar Kinky’s take on a French 75, is a fruity, fizzy crushable delight with East London Gin, sparkling wine and a frozen pomegranate ball that keeps the drink chilled and subtly changes the flavour as it melts. kinkally.co.uk

Nine Lives, London Bridge

Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of London Bridge is a cosy oasis of a bar, serving up some of London's best cocktails. Nine Lives has a buzzy atmosphere, balancing the vibe of a live DJ with the volume at just the right level so you can still chat comfortably. Their new cocktail menu is headed up by William Campbell-Rowntree; the Mello cocktail, a mixture of vodka, Cocchi Americano and honeydew was beautifully refreshing. Equally good was the Godfather sour – made with bourbon, it had a pleasantly balanced taste. To eat there's a small but enticing menu from head chef Ramon Ramos, of tacos, from baja to barbacoa, and small plates. We liked the ceviche sampler, citrussy and refreshing. This cosy, romantic spot also has a bottleshop, offering takeaway cocktails, and outdoor seating to soak up the sun. ninelivesbar.com

Oriole, Covent Garden

From the moment you step into Oriole you know you’re in for something special. The speakeasy-style interiors – all low lighting, plush textures and eclectic global curios – create a sense of discovery that carries through the entire evening.

Head chef Gustavo Giallonardo’s menu draws on the vibrant fusion cuisines of Latin America, with playful, elegant plates that surprise and satisfy. Highlights include sea bass ceviche in bright Amarillo leche de tigre, tender lamb rump with spring greens, huacatay and black olives (reminiscent of a crisp, savoury latke), and melting pork cheek with mash and kimchi Nikkei. Finish with pineapple tartare and a cooling coconut and tarragon sorbet.

Live music fills the bar while the cocktail list – arranged by continent and complete with tasting notes – brings even the most obscure ingredients to life. Try the Saraburi Punch, inspired by Thai mango sticky rice, for something silky and delicately sweet. Warm, intuitive service seals the deal – a truly memorable night out. oriolebar.com

Viajante87, Notting Hill

An ambitious, continent-spanning menu, moody lighting and a chilled-out yet buzzy feel set the tone for this plush, Latin American inspired basement bar in Notting Hill.

Viajante means traveller in Spanish and the team’s globe-trotting approach to flavours and drinks is reflected in a lively menu that takes you from familiar classics (palomas, pisco sours, spicy margaritas) to drinks made with unexpected and lesser-known ingredients you may not have come across before. Groups can also order carafes of agave spirits or caipirinhas, and you can even work with the bar to create your own custom cocktail.

Viajante87 excels in offering polished and innovative agave riffs on classic drinks. The Mole Manhattan is a tribute to Mexico’s national food, mole, using fig leaves and Criollo de Oaxaca mezcal infused with cacao and sesame along with vegetal Cynar for an evocatively earthy, smoky and nutty cocktail – it’s a must order. The Charanda Old Fashioned is another star, made with Mexican Uruapan rum, Patrón reposado and amburana seed, the latter of which adds rich vanilla and toffee notes for a sumptuous and silky drink.

Elsewhere, martini fans should delve into the Martini Malcriado (savoury and herbaceous from brown butter sage mezcal) and the bracingly icy Glacier Martini. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, try the Leche de Bichos made with floral raicilla spirit, anise hyssop and jocoque, a Mexican fermented yogurt. Tangy and creamy with gentle anise notes, it’s an intriguing note to round off a visit to this west London gem. viajantebar.com

Equal Parts, Hackney

Michael Sager has partnered with Matteo Vaccargiu to open an Italian aperitivo bar in a green tiled-fronted corner spot, a few doors down from the original Sager + Wilde wine bar. It’s an elegant yet unfussy space, with plenty of wood panelling, flickering candles and vinyl twirling on the decks. Perch at the window ledge to watch trendy passers-by or bag a spot at the bar to see the team shake and stir signature cocktails in front of an impressive line-up of amaros, aperitivo and bitters.

The Flor cocktail combines fino sherry and olive oil vodka with Matteo’s elevated clarification of fresh tomato, basil, chilli and a tiny touch of garlic for a bright, fresh finish, alla liquid bruschetta to evoke the Sardinian coast. The Orange is a gluggable concoction of orange wine, Meletti amaro and pear and elderflower syrup, while the ACE makes a refreshing twist on the garibaldi combining carrot cordial, fresh orange juice, Campari and soda. A seasonal infusion makes its way into a trio of classics; on our visit a strawberry and fig leaf martini combo that brightened the negroni, sbagliato and americano. equalpartslondon.com

Archive & Myth, Leicester Square

A partnership between the brains behind Magic Mike Live and cocktail legend Jack Sotti might seem unusual but is exquisitely executed in this central London speakeasy-style bar. Once through the secret door beside the Magic Mike entrance of Leicester Square's Hippodrome Casino, a sultry, sophisticated allure takes over in a room enrobed in velvet, vintage furniture, memorabilia from the venue’s times gone by and a nostalgic soul soundtrack.

There's a whole menu dedicated to 'minor' (small yet punchy) half serves, allowing guests to taste more. Stored in the bottle at -20°, the stony Martini Mineraux is a blend of Renais gin, limestone and dash of Chablis, with a spray of lemon oil to finish. Sazerac De Nata is a unique twist on the original, with an absinthe-injected quail's egg yolk plopped into the brandy and pastry tincture to emulate the flavours of the popular Portuguese pastry. Juicy guava and tequila-laced Daisy, perhaps the prettiest of the ‘major’ full size cocktails, comes topped with a creamy toasted coconut and black cardamom meringue-like foam. Snacks from adjacent restaurant Chop Chop include veggie dumplings with spicy chilli oil, crunchy salt and pepper prawns and pillowy char siu pork buns, freshly served from bamboo steamers. archiveandmyth.com

Kwãnt, Mayfair

Former American Bar head bartender Erik Lorincz is generally regarded as one of the best in the business and his feted bar is the stage for an original new drinking experience. Kwãnt previously had digs on Heddon Street before the pandemic forced its closure. It reopened in 2023, and the new incarnation, minutes from Green Park station, is a refined tropical oasis with high ceilings and tall windows, Polynesian-inspired art, leafy palms, a huge glass cabinet filled with vintage spirits and an elegant six-seater island bar around which white-jacketed bartenders work seamlessly.

Kwãnt’s new cocktail omakase is exclusive to this central counter, with one seating per night taking place at 6pm, Thursday to Saturday. Nikka is its first collaborator, with five mini cocktails showcasing the Japanese brand’s spirits, paired with small bites from chef Joni Ketonen.

Bold flavour pairings pepper a smoothly paced, 90-minute session (suavely stewarded by Erik himself). Nikka Coffey gin is blended with sea urchin and bonito, and matched with sake, champagne and verjus for a mineral, saline aperitif. Elsewhere, the versatility of whisky is showcased in drinks like the smoky, refreshing Tomato with Nikka Taketsuru single malt, pickle brine, tomato and Seedlip Garden; and the earthy, savoury Beetroot featuring Nikka Miyagikyo single malt, beetroot, miso and aged sake (here paired with a moreish one-bite beef tartare). The omakase ends with our favourite drink of the evening, Oolong, a take on an Irish coffee with Yoichi single malt, oolong tea mixed with wasanbon sugar and a topping of soy meringue foam – a deliciously creamy, delicate digestif. Nikka’s collaboration runs until 31 March, after which the omakase continues with new brands yet to be announced. 5coursedrinktastingmenu.square.site/

Good Measure, Tooting

The team at Tooting’s Taiwanese hotspot, Daddy Bao, has converted its basement storeroom into an intimate bar inspired by the drinking dens of Taipei. A large cherry wood table takes centre stage amongst the packed shelves, Taiwanese trinkets including intricate paper fans, lamps and elegant vases add cosiness and Malika chats away over the low counter while shaking and stirring concoctions inspired by trips to Taiwan. Get there before 7pm for the mini martini hour, working your way through the likes of bamboo charcoal filtered Haku vodka, floral Roku gin and bright and earthy fig and mezcal flavours, all at £5 a pop.

On the menu proper, written up on the large fridges (it’s still a fully functioning storeroom after all!), the house negroni comes laced with sake and orange bitters while cream of matcha is an innovative twist on a milk punch with a clarified mix of gin, sake, Greek yoghurt and matcha cream. Pair with satisfying snacks such as crunchy fried chicken with miso mayo, aged sirloin tataki and smacked Szechuan cucumber. daddybao.co.uk

Muse at RSA House, West End

Hidden away in the elegant Georgian environs of RSA House, Muse offers a welcome respite from the busy nearby Strand, with a fine line in sustainably minded cocktails.

In partnership with Idyll Drinks and Company of Cooks, the bar is on a mission to spotlight British ingredients, all served in a relaxed, subtly luxe setting. Drinks, designed by Marcis Dzelzainis (Sager + Wilde), are brimming with unusual seasonal and botanical ingredients, from hawthorn and rosehip rum cocktails to a truffle vodka martini.

Particularly interesting are a roster of classic cocktails made with wild distillates. Our favourites included a pisco sour made with pineapple weed liqueur – smooth and creamy with a delicate tropical cast – and a wild carrot margarita with a warming, earthy, herbaceous character. thersa.org/muse-at-rsa-house

Three Sheets, Soho

Max and Noel Venning need no introduction in the cocktail world. The original Three Sheets in Dalston is a bartenders’ institution, thanks to its stripped-back interiors, late-night vibes and innovative. The brothers were pre-batching cocktails before it became a trend, setting standards high with their floral sparkling French 75 served in a champagne bottle. This iconic cocktail is still on the menu at the new spot in the heart of Soho, joined by many new stand-out contenders.

An elegant version of a dirty martini has a delicate floral finish thanks to Ethiopian Koseret tea-infused Belvedere and a silkiness courtesy of an olive oil fat wash. Mezcal Sunrise is a juicy, long drink with smoky depth and floral bergamot notes from earl grey-infused mezcal, bright and citrussy freshly squeezed mandarin juice and a touch of marigold powder for subtle earthiness. Sazzaquack makes a short, smooth whisky number with notes of black treacle and a subtle spice finish thanks to homemade five spice tincture. The vibe is a little sleeker than the original, with marble tables, teal blue booths and black and white photographs of Soho's characters reminding punters that they are in the hearty of London's drinking district. threesheets-bar.com

Coupette, Bethnal Green

This is a super cool drinking den, where banter over the bar (made from French centimes) is encouraged and staff greet you with smiles and a taster of the slushie of the day as a welcome refresher. The showstopping champagne piña colada is a must-try – a mix of Bacardi Heritage, French-Caribbean agricole rum, pineapple and coconut sorbet, topped up with Moët & Chandon brut. The owners let their creativity loose on the rotating menu, the current iteration, “Barely Legal”, taking inspiration from East London’s street art.

Each page showcases a unique commission from a local muralist to complement the cocktail in question, with a handy summary ‘compass’ of flavours on the first page, categorising the menu into sweet, bitter, boozy dry and refreshing citrus. Start with the Paper Plane Cobbler, a long, refreshing take on a negroni, the bitter Aperol and sour Tamarillo Amaro balanced by sweet sauternes and guava gel. On the sweet side, Nuts For Nuts makes an ideal night cap, a rich, sweet and fluffy liquid made from peanut butter distilled gin, nut cream and blitzed pistachios, walnuts and cashews, with oloroso sherry giving a fresh edge. coupette.co.uk

Lowcountry, Shoreditch

Head down to this intimate basement bar, whether you’re awaiting your tasting menu at Counter71 upstairs or just fancy an evening of sleek, American South-style drinks and hospitality from head bartender Ryan Sheehan.

Signatures include a clear, delicate tomato water and jalapeño-infused tequila cocktail. Classic creations feature the likes of the vieux carré, a complex and silky New Orleans stalwart that combines rye, cognac, sweet vermouth and Benedictine with bitters, and the London negroni, which uses spirits from Highgate’s Sacred distillery. Southern-inspired snacks soak up the booze – fried chicken clusters and tater tots are served with ranch sauce and cheesy dip for dunking. counter71.co.uk

Bar Lina, Soho

Beneath the iconic pastel-hued Italian deli, a Soho stalwart since 1944, you’ll find this elegant basement bar hidden in true speakeasy fashion. The small space is adorned in 60s-style furnishings complete with deep red velvet banquettes, soft chrome lighting and a speckled red marble bar that boasts a backdrop of aperitif bottles. The menu focuses on revisitations of classic Italian cocktails, with a whole section dedicated to the negroni (including the La Voglia La Pazzia fatwashed in coffee butter) and the spritz (try the Mambo Italiano that uses Campari infused with rosemary and honey topped up with citrusy clarified grapefruit). The signature figlet is a short, bittersweet number combining two fig liqueurs (one homemade and one bottled in Seven Sisters using Italian fig leaves) with a touch of vanilla syrup. barlina.co.uk

3’6 at Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly

Fortnum’s third-floor bar has been revamped into a sleek, plush cocktail den, with inky blue walls, jewel-coloured velvet sofas and a striking 3D-printed bar complete with an undulating wooden wave installation that flows across the ceiling.

Design your own cocktail, mixing and matching spirits, cocktail styles, flavours and bitters. A negroni-style drink with tequila, strawberries and rose is herbaceous, floral and delicate. Other highlights include highballs made with house-fermented sodas – try pomegranate and rosemary. fortnumandmason.com

Bar Daskal, London Bridge

This warm and intimate Iberian-inspired wine bar comes from Harts Group, the brains behind Barrafina and Parrillan, bringing Spanish wines, sherries and cocktails to Borough Yards in London Bridge. Creamy walls, stone chequered floors, cheerful Mallorcan fabrics and objects, and a bar covered in terracotta-hued tiles bring relaxed Med vibes to the space.

Spanish fortified wines and spirits take centre stage in the pithy cocktail list – try the Eduardo, featuring dry sherry, vermut and bitters for a toasty, savoury take on a manhattan. The sherry list also shines: we tried a funky unfiltered manzanilla and a complex, nutty palo cortado. bardaskal.co.uk

Eve Bar, Covent Garden

Hidden away in one of central London’s busiest neighbourhoods, Eve Bar is a slinky, neon-lit drinking den with zero-waste cocktails and superior bar snacks. Sister bar to the Michelin-starred Frog by Adam Handling upstairs, Eve leans into its biblical moniker with illuminated stained-glass windows and ornate branches, apples and foliage snaking around the space.

Its cocktail offering is intimately linked with the restaurant – ingredients that can’t be used upstairs in the kitchen are repurposed in the drinks downstairs. The latest menu, Technique, showcases this in drinks such as the Chicken Butter OF, which combines the eponymous butter (a signature of chef Adam’s) with Michter’s Sour Mash whisky and porcini – the end result is a supercharged old fashioned with opulent butterscotch notes. Another winner, Rocket Fuel, is an elevated spicy margarita, with chilli and kimchi adding tangy, funky heat.

Non-alcoholic drinks also impress – the Olive Garden with Everleaf Forest, apple and olive brine is subtly saline and flavourful. Don’t miss out on the next-level bar snacks courtesy of Frog. Dainty and refined, favourites included decadent duck egg and parmesan custards served in a billowing flourish of dry ice, and springy sourdough with more of that luscious chicken butter. evebar.co.uk

Swift, Borough

Acclaimed London bar Swift has brought its trademark art deco style and speakeasy vibes to Borough. The two-storey space is modelled after the original Soho site (there's also one in Shoreditch), with a lighter, airy bar on the ground floor, with a no-reservation policy and an aperitivo drinks offering – perfect for post-work drinks.

Downstairs, discover an intimate, glossy and dimly lit subterranean set-up. Named the Back Pocket, it’s a seated-only area with a new menu of original cocktails (although you can still find Swift classics including its impeccable Irish coffee) inspired by the history and people of the surrounding Borough area.

Drinks are free of fussy garnishes yet complex and nuanced. Highlights include the Biscuit Town – malted milk scotch, cacao, demerara, chocolate and vanilla bitters – and full of comforting creamy chocolate and biscuit notes. The Golden Hinde, featuring mead, anejo tequila and brown butter, is perfectly balanced: toasty, rich and layered. The Pilgrim marries peaty, smoky scotch and spicy bourbon with juicy, fruity notes from cherry to make a fabulous fruity whisky cocktail. barswift.com

Cellar at Kindred, Hammersmith

The hectic roundabout at Hammersmith Broadway is an unexpected setting for cocktails, but members’ club Kindred, in the elegant Grade-II listed Bradmore House, has launched Cellar, a laidback café and bar open to the public. In relaxed and casual surroundings, cocktails come courtesy of resident mixologist Julian de Feral (Milk & Honey, Lutyens and Hawksmoor) and offer plenty of accessible, crowd-pleasing twists on classics.

Try the Brambl-ita – Curado Cupreata smoked tequila with lime, spiced chocolate bitters and blackberry liqueur – for a vibrantly fruity, satisfyingly zingy twist on a margarita. Those looking for a lighter tipple should opt for the Kindred Spritz, using flavour-packed non-alcoholic aperitif Everleaf to add extra oomph alongside cherry aperitif, peach and jasmine soda and sparkling wine for a delicate, floral drink. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Cellar takes a classic espresso martini and injects it with tropical character with the addition of Aluna coconut and coffee liqueur, Cargo Cult banana spiced rum and spices for an opulent serve. wearekindred.com

Dona, Stoke Newington

There’s something soothingly womb-like and seductive about descending into Doña, with its basement setting and sumptuous, lavishly trimmed décor of wall-to-wall rich reds and pinks scattered with prickly cacti, velvet seating and a fabulous pink-fringed bar.

It’s an all-female affair – founded by friends Thea Cumming and Lucia Massey, and functions as both mezcal bar and community arts platform – there’s music and performance most nights, with an emphasis on female and queer artists, and a lively cultural programme. There's also tacos on tap, thanks to Tigre Tacos upstairs.

Thea has her own mezcal brand, Dangerous Don, and founded London Mezcal Week, so it’s no surprise Doña is a treasure trove of rare and small-batch mezcals. If you’re new to mezcal then we recommend starting with the short but hard-working cocktail list, which explores the versatility of this smoky agave spirit. Take the Fiorella: made with Quiquiriqui mezcal, dry vermouth, Italicus and Empirical Ayuuk, it has the clean, crystalline feel of a martini but with a herbaceous, earthy backbone. Or try the Monika, with Dangerous Don Café, chocolate, crème de cacao, Cocchi Americano and amaretto, which tastes like a refined, elevated espresso martini, replete with coffee, chocolate and nutty notes.

Doña also makes a cracking house margarita – we asked for a spicy version and the end result was superb, poky and zesty with a savoury, briny twang at the end. bardonalondon.com

Three Sheets, Dalston

A stripped-back cocktail bar with a succinct list of drinks, Three Sheets has raked in the plaudits over the years but still retains a buzzy neighbourhood hang-out vibe.

It was the first venture from the Venning brothers, originally from Manchester, who have worked in leading cocktail bars for years, most notably Max’s experience with Tony Conigliaro’s Drinks Factory and 69 Colebrooke Row and Noel’s time in Manchester at tequila bar Crazy Pedro’s. More recently, they've also helped found Crouch End's Little Mercies (see below) and Highbury wine bar Top Cuvée – as well as its roaringly successful shop, Shop Cuvée.

Max and Noel aren’t big on the showy side of cocktail making – behind the bar is a simple shelf of bottles containing only what the mixologists need for the short cocktail list. This no-frills approach allows the brothers’ northern charm to shine through; they chat away and recommend local haunts while shaking up drinks as though hosting you in their own home.

The pithy drinks list changes seasonally, but usually features their famous fizzy pre-bottled French 75, made with gin, verjus, clarified lemon juice, moscato and orange flower. Poured straight into your glass like champagne, it’s dangerously easy to drink (you can buy it buy the glass, or, even better, by the bottle).threesheets-bar.com

SOMA, Soho

This understated bar occupies subterranean premises on Soho’s Denman Street, next door to sister restaurant Kricket. Inside, expect pared-back yet polished cocktails served in low-lit, slinkily minimalist surrounds – think a stainless steel bar, indigo walls and walnut furnishings.

SOMA – like Kricket – takes inspiration from the Indian subcontinent, serving snappily executed riffs on classic cocktails that showcase clever spicing and an eclectic approach to ingredients. Start with the mooli, a crystalline affair of vodka with curry leaf-infused vermouth served ice-cold from the freezer and garnished with a sliver of pickled mooli. Savoury and peppery, delicate and clean, it may be a Marmite drink for some, but fans of a gibson martini should make a beeline for it. The chaat – mezcal, tequila, chaat masala, kumquat and a moreish gooseberry salt – is winningly clean, zesty and saline, while the oak is a silky, nutty, opulent marriage of cardamom, aged gin, amaro, vermouth and amontillado sherry. It's the perfect nightcap to end the evening. somasoho.com

Little Mercies, Crouch End

Modern, easy-drinking cocktails are the focus at Alan Sherwood’s (Peg + Patriot, Scout) laidback establishment.

Inside, it's calm and composed – expect a minimalist interior of exposed brick, a concrete bar, pendant lamps and inky blue walls. The cocktails here are elegant, with plenty of homemade ingredients – most recently, a negroni made with the bar's own passionfruit vermouth. There's also a fun yet innovative approach to classic drinks, think bellinis made with lacto-fermented peach, kiwi gimlets and 'Snickers' old fashioneds. littlemercies.co.uk

Nightjar, Shoreditch

The busy City Road in Shoreditch seems an unlikely setting for a stylish, subterranean speakeasy bar but that’s exactly where you’ll find Nightjar. On the outside, a tall wooden door sandwiched between two cafés is the only evidence of its existence, but go inside and discover a plush space replete with candlelit tables, leather banquette seating and flatteringly dim lighting.

The bar’s characteristically detailed drinks menu riffs on old cocktail recipes (ranging from the pre-prohibition to post-war periods) but adds its own twist.

Try the Honeymoon – a short, fresh yet punchy blend of Glenfiddich 21-year-old whisky, Nightjar’s ‘forbidden fruit liqueur’ (a mix of citrussy pomelo, sherry and dry vermouth), Cynar, mead, lemon and geranium leaf. It's a complex drink, dry and delicately smoky, with subtle honey and aniseed notes.

Drink nerds should investigate the bar’s vintage spirits menu, which is full of rare, aged spirits dating from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. barnightjar.com