The best cocktail bars in London
Sprout
Located in the new Templeton Gardens hotel, Sprout balances refined luxury with that neighbourhood spot feel. Think: elegant interiors as well as a generous terrace overlooking the hotel’s beautiful garden, where early evening birdsong provides a natural backdrop. The menu, too, shines a light on ingredients found in gardens – very seasonally focused, the drinks will use different varietals of a fruit, vegetable or herb throughout the year. A spring and summer favourite will no doubt be the Tomato Collins – seasonal tomato consommé with lacto-fermented strawberry wine, Courvoisier VSOP cognac and a little dash of Aperol. Other excellent drinks include the Red Onion Manhattan and Watermelon Radish Margarita, and the love-or-hate Marmitini; and all cocktails are £14.
SW5
Rasputin’s
With just three cocktails on the list, it’s hard to call Rasputin’s a cocktail bar, but this East London spot which opened in the summer of 2024, has developed a cult following around its five-olive martinis (only £7). Although the owners are of sandwich fame (Dom’s Subs), the bar snacks are hot dogs – which you can get two of, and a martini, for £12. It’s Honky Tonk on Tuesdays, Parm Nite on Wednesdays, red lights, TVs playing cult film classics, and sofas that you sink into, and the house specials include Fernet & coke – this bar is all fun, all vibes; one you can lose hours in.
E8
Câv
Harking back to when bars first began to open in railway arches, there is a simplicity to Câv – bordering on starkness – that feels refined and unfussy. Opened in March by hospitality veterans Edwin Frost (ex 40FT Brewery) and Chris Tanner (Dram), the cocktails list is elegant and leans into the classic. Try a Plum Manhattan, with rye whisky, plum, milk oolong and elderflower – a spring-like take on this digestif-style drink. They also have a food residency with Tasca currently in place. Chef Josh Dallaway and sommelier Sinéad Murdoch draw on Portuguese- and Spanish-style dining, where the pair have spent a lot of time, with a menu that lets you snack or indulge in a long meal. Plus, the wine list is 80 per cent female-founded.
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E2
Doña
Doña is a classic on the East London scene. A queer-friendly cocktail bar, with music and performances scheduled throughout the week, this is a place to party, without compromising on the quality of the cocktail. They specialise in mezcal and offer a creative selection of cocktails, all named after women. Or, sink into the plush pink décor and sip on mezcal all night. They run a kitchen residency upstairs, currently hosting Pasta Slut; this is a spot to bring back the old-fashioned date of dinner and dancing.
N16
Scarfes Bar
Inspired by the gentlemen’s clubs that used to fill the capital (but without any of the incumbent snobbery), this hotel bar at The Rosewood London is well known for its wild sense of fun. Note the more than 1,000 antique books that line the walls, all artfully chosen by a Portobello dealer; the caricatures by British artist Gerald Scarfe everywhere you turn; and the new menu, inspired by the artist’s adventures. The cocktails are impeccable, with unusual pairings somehow making perfect sense on the palette. Case in point: Toothless Grin – Rémy Martin 1738, dates, beetroot and hops, beside a spoonful of goat’s cheese, lemon curd and absinthe.
WC1V
Kioku Bar
Located in the OWO with light woods, red carpets and warm lighting, it is impossible to overstate the beauty of Kioku Bar. Led by Angelos Bafas (ex SOMA), each cocktail focuses on marrying sake with well-known styles of drinks and Japanese ingredients such as a Kinoko Old Fashioned with koshu sake, mushroom and mocha. Martini fans will love Matsu No Ki Martini; the sake acts like a vermouth, giving it an extra smooth feel, and moss and pine distillate give a crisp, dry finish. For a nightcap, try Angelo’s Nipperkin, across Green Park, with a menu where you can taste all four seasons. These are cocktails made from ferments, distillates and homemade spirits that take ingredients at the height of their season.
Three Sheets
Founded by brothers Max and Noel Venning this W1 outpost of Three Sheets is a chic, intimate bar where it is advised to book. The menu includes the likes of Pisco Sours infused with jasmine, White Russians made with miso, and a Whiskey Soda that combines tonka with mallow root and is a refreshing drink on a summery day. They have excellent bar snacks, and a good way to spend a Soho afternoon would be their dirty martinis and a dozen Maldon oysters.
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W1D
Tayer + Elementary
Founded by Artesian alumnus Alex Kratena and Monica Berg and set just off Old Street roundabout, Tayer + Elementary somehow manages to be both elegant and clever without ever being pretentious, and is consistently ranked among the top 10 bars in the world by The World’s 50 Best. Technically, this is really two bars; Elementary is a relaxed all-day concept with a neighbourhood feel to it (and, importantly, the home of the One-Sip Martini), while Tayer is closer to a mixology lab, with Kratena and Berg transforming seasonal ingredients ranging from quince to lovage into show-stopping drinks.
EC1V
Equal Parts
Equal Parts is dangerous; it’s the sort of place you could linger over Negronis for hours on end. With the sun shining through the large windows, the new season’s menu reflects the bright, fresh feeling of spring. Part of the Sager + Wilde family, founded by Michael Sager, the team is led by Carina Soto Velásquez – of award-winning Parisian bars Candelaria and Le Mary Celeste – with the aim of pairing local ingredients with rare spirits to create aperitivi-style drinks. Kickstart your evening (or afternoon!) with an Orange Lane, a play on the margarita, made with carrot, dill and lemon brine, and amaro – perfectly balanced sweetness and savoury, herbal notes.
E2
The Glade at Sketch
Part of the Sketch extravaganza – restaurants, bars, DJs, shops – this is an enchanted forest escape from the bustle of central London. But, it’s not just an Instagram-friendly spot – the cocktails are a serious affair. The new summer menu takes well known classics and presents them three ways: Roots, which is a traditional version; Alchemy, their take on the drink; and Essence, a non-alc version. It’s clever, very fun and has surprising twists, including a grapefruit-less Paloma for the Alchemy version that still captures the classic combination of juicy citrus and salt, with the tequila kick.
W1S
Waltz
A tranquil, small bar tucked away in Shoreditch, Waltz provides London cocktails at their best, showcasing international influence – in this case, the Japanese ethos of micro seasons and hospitality, with British ingredients such as fresh peas and golden beetroots. It is quite possibly the best bar in London at the moment. The menu is split into In Season, and Evergreen which honours classics, and the drinks are imaginative, sophisticated and delicately balanced. Gento Torigata, previously at Kwãnt, is also a keen fan of jazz, with the bar being named after “Waltz for Debby” by Bill Evans.
EC2A
Archive & Myth
Archive & Myth is a little surprise. Hidden away under the Hippodrome in Leicester Square, it is a bright but cosy basement bar. The menu is split into two sections: Minors and Majors, which refers to the size of the drink. The Minor, half sized cocktails, allows you to experiment and try more. Or, simply start with an ice cold Minor – the Martini Mineraux made with Renais gin, chablis and lemon oils – whilst you peruse the menu. The Major Daisy is full of flavour with tequila, guava, black cardamom and toasted coconut, and the Major Whisky Sour gives the classic a delicious twist with white miso and baked braeburn. The food menu is also excellent, from Chop Chop by the Four Seasons.
WC2H
