Crowned the world's best bar in 2016, this David Collins–designed sanctum channels English and Irish 1920s cubism through faux crocodile banquettes and amber-lit intimacy. Head mixologist Agostino Perrone orchestrates a menu balancing heritage cocktails with inventive signatures—the Mulata Daisy layers dark rum with cocoa cream and fennel seeds, while the theatrical Martini Trolley delivers tableside theater. A complimentary gin aperitif sets the tone upon arrival.
Soho remains the epicenter, with dozens of bars packed into a few blocks around Old Compton Street and Wardour Street. Shoreditch attracts a younger crowd to its inventive cocktail spots along Curtain Road and Rivington Street. For hotel bars and a more polished atmosphere, Mayfair around Mount Street and the surrounding streets delivers consistently.
Many do, particularly in Mayfair, Knightsbridge, and hotel bars throughout the city. Smart casual is the minimum at most upscale establishments—trainers and sportswear are frequently declined. Speakeasies and Shoreditch venues tend toward relaxed dress expectations, though looking put-together never hurts your chances at the door.
Most bars close between 11pm and midnight on weekdays, with weekend hours extending to 1am or 2am. Venues with late licenses—particularly in Soho, Dalston, and Shoreditch—may serve until 3am. Hotel bars often maintain the latest hours, some remaining open for guests until the small hours.
The British capital's drinking culture runs far deeper than the corner pub. Mayfair's hotel bars draw a well-dressed evening crowd for expertly mixed martinis, while Soho's narrow lanes hide speakeasies behind unmarked doors—some requiring passwords, others merely a confident knock. Shoreditch offers a grittier scene: industrial spaces turned cocktail laboratories where bartenders treat spirits like a chef treats ingredients. For something more refined, the members' clubs of St James's occasionally open their bars to hotel guests, and Fitzrovia's wine bars pour natural bottles from small European producers alongside British charcuterie.
After drinks, many visitors continue to dinner at one of the city's remarkable restaurants—the two experiences often intertwine, with pre-theatre cocktails in Covent Garden or late-night negronis after a meal in Clerkenwell. Hotel bars remain a particular strength; the city's best properties often feature destination drinking spots in their own right, from Art Deco lounges to contemporary rooftop spaces with views across the Thames.
