Shaken and stirred: The best cocktail bars in London

Cocktails: on the surface so simple to mix yourself but, in reality, deceptively complex. A dash too much lime juice in your margarita and it becomes undrinkably tart. A little heavy-handed with the simple syrup and your espresso martini drinks like a tiramisu.

Best, then, to leave it to the experts – and London abounds with stylish cocktail bars brimming with innovative menus and staffed by mixologists well-versed in the alchemy of a really good drink. From classic, intimate bars perfect for impressive first dates to lively venues primed for memorable celebrations, here are the best cocktails bars in London…

Central London

Phoenix at Tattu London, Tottenham Court Road

London’s newest fine-dining Chinese restaurant, Tattu, also happens to be home to one of its best rooftop cocktail bars. The glamorous interiors are inspired by traditional Chinese courtyard homes with cocktails following suit, blending Asian flavours with modern mixology techniques and Instagram friendly-presentation. Arrive early for a romantic drink before the night really gets started, with live DJs keeping the party going until the small hours. Be sure to sample from the bar’s extensive selection of fine sake, too.

Must order: Jade Flower – vodka, sour cucumber and lychee

The Now Building Rooftop, Denmark Street, WC2H 0LA, tattu.co.uk

The Beaufort Bar at The Savoy, The Strand

One of two cocktail bars from The Savoy that have earned a place on this list (well, it’s not a London institution for nothing), the Beaufort Bar is a deeply chic and seductive destination that simply begs to be booked for date night. Having recently undergone an extensive refurbishment, the bar is only open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, with a live DJ spinning sultry beats until 1am. The cocktail menu, Nocturne, takes its inspiration from the rarified world of Champagne – and in particular the Montmorency-Beaufort estate. Owned by John of Gaunt more the seven centuries ago, the menu draws a line from the estate to the modern bar, which sits on the site of Gaunt’s former London palace.

Must order: Good Fortune – Mandarin Ki No Bi gin, pink grapefruit juice, St Germain elderflower liqueur, Savoia Americano Rosso, Violette, Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee Brut champagne, white peach and jasmine soda

The Strand, WC2R 0EZ, thesavoylondon.com

Side Hustle at the NoMad London, Covent Garden

A modern cocktail bar with plenty of history, Side Hustle at the NoMad London hotel occupies a space that was once Bow Street Police Station – home to the Bow Street Runners, England’s first official police force. Melding the relaxed vibe of a classic pub with world-class cocktails (and Mexican-inspired bar snacks by executive chef Ashley Abodeely). The drinks menu by bar director Liana Oster also riffs on South American flavours, along with a hearty offering of American and European classics and more contemporary serves.

Must order: Michelada – a fiery blend of Two tribes x NoMad Mexican sour beer, Scotch Bonnet pepper, Valentine and white miso

28 Bow Street, WC2E 7AW, thenomadhotel.com

Nightjar Carnaby, Soho

The sister outpost to the hugely popular Shoreditch cocktail bar of the same name, Nightjar is a sophisticated subterranean space tucked away beneath bustling Carnaby Street. Taking its cues from the late-night pleasure dens of old (the cocktail menu opens with a quote from the 1935 edition of The Old Waldorf Astoria Bar Book), drinks are divided into four categories: Pre-Prohibition, Prohibition, Post-War and Nightjar Signatures, and features recipes dating back as far as 1600. Craving a favourite? The staff will happily whip up any classic serve you desire while there are also sharing cocktails designed to sate up to eight merrymakers.

Must order: The Filmograph – Hennessy VS cognac, Santiago de Cuba rum, Aecorn aromatic, Barka Muscat eau de vie, discarded citrus, guarana cordial, fresh lime and ginger beer

49-51 Carnaby Street, W1F 9PY, nightjarcarnaby.com

Yopo at The Mandrake, Fitzrovia

While first and foremost a vibrant South American restaurant, settle into a booth at Yopo with cocktails in mind and you won’t be disappointed – in fact, it even has a lounge, centrepieced by an attention-grabbing dragon statue, for this express purpose. The drinks menu is short but considered, with flavours designed to complement chef George Scott-Toft’s Argentinian, Chilean and Peruvian cuisine.

Must order: Flores Sana – Grey Goose vodka infused with tonka beans, orange liquor, passion fruit and curam elixir

20-21 Newman Street, W1T 1PG, themandrake.com

Swift, Soho

This two-storey venue in the heart of London’s epicentre of late-night debauchery is the archetypal sophisticated cocktail bar. Think cosy downlighting, leather banquettes and marble countertops complemented by live music every weekend and a globe-trotting whisky list that numbers in the hundreds. The upstairs main bar serves a list of fresh Mediterannean cocktails and aperitivos, alongside wines, beers and champagnes; while the downstairs bar is dedicated to Swift’s ‘Legends’ menu, featuring serves inspired by icons of drinking history, including Ernest Hemingway, Josephine Baker and Snoop Dogg.

Must order: The Ian McKellan-inspired Pegasus – Lillet blanc, honeydew melon, Trois Rivieres Cuvee de l’Ocean rum, grapefruit bitters and prosecco

12 Compton Street, W1D 4TQ, barswift.com

American Bar at the Savoy, The Strand

First opened in 1893 and still regularly voted among the world’s best bars, it’s safe to say you’re in good hands at the Savoy’s American Bar. Determined to celebrate the legacy of a bar that has hosted everyone from Marilyn Monroe and Neil Armstrong to Laurence Olivier and Winston Churchill, the bar’s menu is a whisky-, gin- and rum-heavy list of some of the most glamorous cocktails you’ll find in London.

Must order: Bright Star – Bombay Sapphire gin, passionfruit dessert wine, pineapple sherbet, champagne vinegar, Laurent-Perrier Brut NV champagne

The Savoy, Strand, WC2R 0EZ, thesavoylondon.com

Scarfes Bar, Holborn

Inspired by the life and work of artist Gerald Scarfe, whose unique caricatures and thought-provoking paintings line the walls (and are available to buy), Scarfes Bar is an eclectic space blending the comforts of a sumptuous old-fashion drawing room with the elegance of a traditional gentleman’s club. It’s also the perfect place to go for some interior design inspiration thanks to its rich, jewel-toned colour palette, mismatched custom furniture and more than 1,000 antique books.

Behind the bar, the cocktail menu takes its cues from Scarfes’ signature caricatures, including those of the Royal family, the Rolling Stones, David Attenborough and Daniel Craig as James Bond. There are 20 drinks on offer as well as a range of tempting bar snacks for those wanting to settle in for the night. (Spoiler alert: you will.)

Must order: The Crown Jewels – Bombay Premier Cru, Noilly Prat, Pandan cordial

252 High Holborn, WC1V 7EN, scarfesbar.com

Artesian Bar at the Langham, Fitzrovia

A former World’s Best Bar winner, the Langham’s signature watering hole is overseen by Giulia Cuccurullo, who became the bar’s first female head bartender in 2021. Following the success of her first menu, Connections, Cuccurullo has recently debuted her second selection of cocktails for the bar: Duality. Inspired by the history, creativity and style of the Artesian bar, the 14 drinks on offer are organised in opposing pairs such as Past and Future, Moon and Sun, and Good and Evil.

Must order: Darkness – Casamigos mexcal, Herradura Blanco tequila, Amro Montenegro, lime, galangal and wasabi

1C Portland Place, W1B 1JA, artesian-bar.co.uk

The Cinnamon Club, Westminster

How to give one of London’s best-loved restaurants a fresh new feel to mark its 20th anniversary? Transform its basement into a secret cocktail bar, of course. Hidden beneath Vivek Singh’s Cinnamon Club in the Grade II-listed Old Westminister Library, the subterranean bar is inspired by an Indian bazaar, with vibrant velvets, plush sofas and a bold colour scheme. Drinks, devised by Robin Honhold (previously of Lyan), also draw on the tastes and aromas of India, and are complemented by a paired bar menu of tempura shrimp, chicken tikka and paneer naanza.

Must order: The Club Bellini – Belvedere ginger vodka, apricot purée, spiced rose and prosecco

Old Westminster Library, Great Smith Street, SW1P 3BU, cinnamonclub.com

The Connaught Bar, Mayfair

This David Collins-designed ode to elegance and old-school charm is as about as classic and classy as cocktail bars come. Named the World’s Best Bar in 2021 by a panel of more than 500 industry insiders, the cocktail options here are vast and varied. Perhaps you’d like something from the martini trolley? Or maybe you would like to see the Masterpiece menu comprising the house signatures that made the Connaught Bar famous? If you’re feeling experimental, meanwhile, the Impressions menu has been curated to distil the half-remembered encounters, vague recollections and lasting imprints that often characterise memorable first impressions. Last, but certainly not least, is Of The Moment: a collection of drinks created by in-house mixologists Agostino Perrone and Giorgio Bargiani using rare botanicals and lesser-known vintages.

Must order: The Grace Kelly-inspired Fleurissimo – Rémy Martin VSOP Cognac, home-made Connaught bitters, Violet liqueur, sugar cube, Laurent-Perrier champagne

Carlos Place, W1K 2AL, the-connaught.co.uk

East London

Tayēr + Elementary, Old Street

You won’t glean a huge amount of information about hip East London joint Tayēr + Elementary from its sparse website, so allow us to give you the lowdown. Actually split into two bars, Elementary specialises in draught classic cocktails (so no standing around while the bartender titivates your garnish) and an innovative One Sip Martini experience which delivers miniature martinis in three sizes – all at surprisingly affordable prices.

Step through a partition into Tayēr, meanwhile, and you’ll find a sleek, grown-up space serving seasonal cocktails created by founders Alex Kratena and Monica Berg, alongside a rotating roster of guest bartenders. This is a modern, welcoming venue that takes having a good time as seriously as it does its drinks.

Must order: The menu changes so frequently it’s impossible to say but the staff make excellent recommendations

152 Old Street, EC1V 9BW, tayer-elementary.com

South London

Lyaness, South Bank

Housed within the Sea Containers hotel, which overlooks the River Thames, Lyaness is the flagship bar from Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr Lyan) – possibly the world’s most decorated mixologist. The ethos at Lyaness is not to think of cocktails in types but rather to take a chef’s approach, centring each drink around five key ingredients, exploring unusual flavours and combinations. Think gin with Saint Germain, beeswax, chestnut and pineapple leaf or brandy with oyster honey, passion fruit and ocean soda. Whatever you order, we promise you’ll never have tried anything quite like it before.

Must order: The (Im)Perfect Martini – discarded grape skin vodka, grass amazake, birch and over-ripe nectarine

20 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD, lyaness.com

North London

HomeBoy Bar, Islington

The HomeBoy ethos is neatly summed up by the three-word mission statement emblazoned across its website: Modern Irish Hospitality. The debut bar from Aaron Wall and Ciarán Smith, formerly of Callooh Callay, The Dorchester and the Waldorf Astoria NYC, HomeBoy is all about great drinks served in a relaxed atmosphere. It boldly promises the best pint of Guinness in London, alongside elevated Irish comfort food and a cocktail menu built around classic serves, contemporary techniques and the finest Irish whiskey on the market. Oh, and there’s a brilliant hip-hop and R’n’B playlist on the speakers, too.

Must order: Taoiseach – Redbreast 12 Pot Still Irish whiskey, Martini Rossi, triple sec, pomegranate syrup, orange bitters and angostura bitters

108 Essex Road, N1 8LX, homeboybar.com

West London

Trailer Happiness, Portobello

Since opening on Portobello Road in 2013, Trailer Happiness has become West London’s go-to for an upscale take on the Tiki bar trend. Eschewing cocktails in coconuts and garish interiors for an intimate subterranean space decked out with live foliage, tactile materials and understated prints, the drinks menu is appropriately heavy on rum, with classic mai tais and punches served alongside more unusual combinations. At weekends a live DJ gives the bar a party atmosphere while cocktail masterclasses are also available for those looking to upgrade their at-home cocktail hours.

Must order: Hell in the Pacific – Gosling’s 151 rum, maraschino liqueur, grenadine, lime juice, pomegranate molasses

177 Portobello Road, W11 2DY, trailerh.com

The Aubrey at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Knightsbridge

Styling itself as an ‘eccentric Japanese izakaya’, The Aubrey is unlike any other bar in the capital. Set across a series of interconnecting rooms, it is home to both a classic bar and an intimate six-seater omakase cocktail bar which takes the principles of omakase (meaning ‘I’ll leave it up to you’) and runs with them, taking patrons on a whirlwind tour of bar director Pietro Rizzo’s exquisite creations.

Must order: Salome – sake, rice shochu, Etsu Ocean Water, tomato liqueur, umami

66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA, mandarinoriental.com

Read more: London’s best champagne bars

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