Whether you prefer a classic cocktail bar with a 70-year pedigree, or one of the more recent players that have emerged to cater for the growing taste for adventurous drinking, you'll find something to your taste in one of the best cocktail bars in London.
Explore the city's unrivalled cocktail scene during London Cocktail Week, or find other stylish drinking spots in London with the best rooftop bars and top London champagne bars.
1. Lyaness
An award-winning cocktail bar by one of the city’s most lauded mixologists, Lyaness boasts stunning views of the Thames and a cocktail menu worth travelling for. Go for modern twists on classic tipples or daring inventions that rarely disappoint at this suave lounge bar.
2. Bar Swift
With bars in Soho, Borough, Shoreditch and London Bridge, you just know the cocktails must be good at Bar Swift. Classy joints with a choice of bars over two floors, you’ll find perfectly mixed classics here alongside seasonal specials and an extensive whiskey menu featuring spirits from across the globe.
3. Nightjar
Prohibition-inspired Shoreditch speakeasy Nightjar really does capture the 1930s vibe, with live swing, jazz and blues every night. Dress up and get into the mood as you shuffle the cards to select your cocktail of choice from a historical selection.
4. The Bloomsbury Club
Order a Bloomsbury set-inspired cocktail while contemplating the complex love lives of the period at Bloomsbury Club. Located in the Bloomsbury Hotel, the bar has a cosy gentlemen's library vibe with leather armchairs and jazzy tunes amid shelves where the books have been replaced by booze.
5. The Rooftop
Grab a premium cocktail at The Rooftop, the almost secret rooftop bar of The Trafalgar, St James, Curio Collection by Hilton hotel. Settle back into the cosy seating, as you see eye to eye with Nelson on Trafalgar Square below. Book in advance, especially in summer.
6. Satan's Whiskers
With a daily changing menu of classic cocktails mixed to perfection, Satan’s Whiskers has become the place to go for in-the-know Londoners. It’s got a cool vibe and hip-hop soundtrack, but friendly, unpretentious staff and exceptional flavours. If you fancy something off-menu – try asking the mixologists to whip up something to your taste.
7. Tayēr + Elementary
A regular entry on The World's 50 Best Bars list, Tayēr + Elementary was named the second-best bar in the world in 2022. It’s run by legendary bartender Alex Kratena, who previously ran Artesian when it gained top spot in the list four years on the trot. Split into two, Elementary is a relaxed minimalist space for dining and drinking, while Tayēr is for more serious drinks with a spot of attitude and a choice of creative seasonal cocktails. Make sure to try the signature One Sip Martini.
8. The American Bar
Come and discover why the American Bar at The Savoy hotel is consistently chosen as the world's best cocktail bar. This is the longest surviving cocktail bar in London and it still hits all the right notes with a live pianist every evening playing the Great American Songbook.
9. The Connaught Bar
Regularly making the list of the world’s best bars, a martini at The Connaught Hotel’s 1920s-inspired Connaught Bar is almost a rite of passage. Watch an expert at work as your drink is made on a trolley before you as you soak up the atmosphere in this historic drinking spot.
10. Dukes Bar
Indulge your inner James Bond with a martini made table-side at the impeccable Dukes Bar in the eponymous hotel. Small rooms and the old-world setting exude luxury, plus even the bar snacks are great.
11. Artesian
Give your taste buds a treat at award-winning Artesian at The Langham, London, a chic cocktail bar where you’ll often see a famous face relaxing after a day of filming at the nearby BBC. Staff here really know their stuff and offer excellent advice if you’re unsure what to try.
12. Cocktail Trading Company
Prepare for an evening devoted to quirky drinks and general fun in Brick Lane, as you step through the unassuming doors, enter a dimly lit bar and try a range of cheekily themed cocktails from award-winning London bar mixologists, Cocktail Trading Company.
13. The Zetter Clerkenwell Parlour
Nurse a cocktail in the parlour of The Zetter Clerkenwell, a boutique hotel with an intimate atmosphere. Try an aromatic patchouli Collins or a sweet and sour Last Supper accompanied by sharing plates of food, or come for the live jazz on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
14. Eighteen Sky Bar
Explore a cocktail menu inspired by spice, herbs and botanicals while taking in unrivalled views of The O2, Canary Wharf and the Thames Barrier at the stylish Eighteen Sky Bar, located on the 18th floor of the InterContinental London – The O2. The floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor terrace combine with DJs and decadent drinks for a great night out.
15. Callooh Callay
Make your way to Callooh Callay’s secret JubJub bar and feel like the Goodfella you always wanted to be. For years, this bar has been one of the premier locations for cocktail lovers in London, after it first carved its niche through zany cocktail names and high-quality tipples. They even offer a choice of masterclasses if you’d like to think you can complete at home.
16. The Punch Room
Soak in the Edwardian ambiance of the Punch Room, in the London Edition hotel in Berners Street. Inspired by 19th-century clubs, this wood-panelled lounge offers more than 30 punches against a soundtrack of vintage soul, blues, ragtime and doo-wop.
17. Radio Rooftop Bar
Step into the express lift leading to Radio Rooftop Bar on the 10th floor of the ME Hotel and savour the fabulous Thames' views while sipping a cocktail. A great destination at any time, it comes into its own in summer when the expansive terrace is the place to be seen.
18. Experimental Cocktail Club
Hidden behind a non-descript door in Chinatown is the atmospheric Experimental Cocktail Club, a 1920s-style lounge set within an old townhouse. Choose one of its signature tipples or be guided by its expert mixologists.
Keep exploring London's drinking scene with the top quirky bars, or check out the city's best luxury hotels for a trip to remember.
