The Japanese listening bar concept has landed in London. Expect hifi sound systems, stellar cocktails and moody surroundings for soaking up the music
Looking for the best hifi bars in London? If you're partial to a carefully curated cocktail or two, you may have noticed the term 'listening bar' appearing on the London cocktail bar scene in the last couple of years. Think: intimate, low lighting, stylish, mid-century décor and most importantly, high-fidelity sound systems. Inspired by Japanese "kissaten" culture, which emerged in the post-war era, the experience of sound is placed firmly centre stage. Although while the music may be a key focus, food and drinks menus are by no means an afterthought, with high-quality, seasonal ingredients, global-inspired flavours and rotating chef takeovers. As an east London resident myself, you might call me biased but my favourite spots also happen to inhabit this side of the capital. For a cute and cosy date night destination, Chiave is a no-brainer, where you can continue the night and throw shapes on the luxe downstairs dance floor complete with bespoke sound system (trust me, it's nothing like the sweaty basements you may have frequented in the past). If you're looking for a more substantial meal, I would never fail to recommend Mad Cats's east Asian-inspired menu packed with punchy, umami-rich flavour. And that pandan crème brûlée, wow. Of course, the whole of London is blessed with a wealth of stellar options, so whatever your taste, peruse my list below and find something to suit you. Next, discover the best cocktail bars in London, London hotel bars to visit and the best rooftop bars in London. For an off-the-beaten track new spot to visit, read about these neighbourhood gems according to London locals and find out where our drinks writer goes for summer drinking in London. Best London listening bars Chiave, Shoreditch Meaning ‘key’ in Italian, Chiave cuts a subtle exterior on Shoreditch’s Redchurch Street bar the large, polished brass-effect key on the door. Naturally lit during the day from the sash windows, stay until sundown for the bar to transform into a cosy drinking den with dark mahogany tables and palo santo incense swirling up towards the alluring red ceiling. Chiave’s nine signature cocktails are the crowning glory, each of which is named after a song. Street Spirit (named after Radiohead’s 1995 track) is a vibrant twist on a Moscow mule with aniseed notes from raki – Turkey’s national spirit – effortlessly blended with a subtle salted caramel vodka. Margarita fans will not be disappointed with a Tommy margarita mixing equal quantities of Ojo de Dios mezcal and Don Julio tequila, with chilli liqueur and a spicy sumac rim. For crisp and aromatic herbal refreshment don’t miss Sunbeams with Tanqueray No Ten gin, chinotto nero and a blend of clarified sea buckthorn and basil. The team’s Turkish heritage is carried into the small but thoughtful snack selection. Nibble on dainty, rice-stuffed vine leaves with pomegranate molasses for dipping, or hummus-filled cucumber bites. If you want to carry on the night, pop downstairs to the small but compact dance floor with custom-made speakers and a stylish HiFi mixer. Mad Cats, Shoreditch Another listening bar has landed in Shoreditch – and this one is more than worth a visit. With a compact cocktail selection that chooses quality over quantity, Asian-inspired flavours sing with Muyu Jasmine Verte Liqueur, junmai sake and lemongrass, while there’s a dash of Lebanese inspiration with the Zaza cocktail: a spin on a classic tequila martini with infused za’atar oil. Red, white, rosé, orange and sparkling wines are available from traditional and new world regions, as well as five varieties of sake. East Asian flavours are carried across to the menu. The yellowtail carpaccio with jalapeño sauce and ponzu dressing is beautifully presented, and citrusy without being too sharp. Towering brioche toast with crab and gochujang aïoli was a highlight, although there truly were no misses: charred hispi cabbage is accompanied by an umami-rich wafu sauce, and the miso hake with chilli oil and samphire is buttery and delicate. Finally, the Greek cantaloupe sorbet makes the perfect palate cleanser ahead of the silky pandan crème brûlée. Attention to detail goes beyond the menu, with chopsticks resting on hand-painted model cats, DJs spinning vinyl only and an abundance of high-fidelity speakers to keep audiophiles content. Don’t miss a trip to the bathroom through the blue velvet curtain where The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is played on a speaker directly into your cubicle. The Listening Room, Soho Soho’s Wardour Street contains a secret. Downstairs from Japanese-inspired grill and omakase restaurant MOI – and via an impressive retro-futuristic spiral staircase – resides The Listening Room, a spacious underground listening bar. Serious about audio, bespoke speakers are from London-based sound system maker Friendly Pressure, and the walls are covered in soundwave-like textured curves for great acoustics. The drinks menu is led by ex-Langham Dino Koletsas and infused with Asian flavours. The shiro negroni, a refreshing white spin on a negroni with yuzu sake, potato shochu and chrysanthemum bitters has a pleasantly floral nose. Them Apples cleverly recreates the flavour of fresh green apple without using the ingredient itself: instead sparkling green tea, whisky, tomato liqueur and marigold combine for an ultra-refreshing sip. The extensive sake and natural wine list is accessible to both the more experienced and more nascent sipper. Order sushi, small plates and skewers hot off the grill from the upstairs kitchen by executive chef Andy Cook who worked with Gordon Ramsay to open his outpost in Tokyo. The crisp, warm and slightly sweet steamed buns served with smoked cod’s roe was a strong start. Sushi is not one to miss either – we chose Icelandic sea urchin and chutoro tuna temaki delicately wrapped in nori, whose rich flavour was perfectly complemented by dots of wasabi and slices of pickled ginger. Nipperkin, Mayfair Situated inside NIJŪ Japanese grill and sushi bar, Nipperkin is heavily inspired by 1950s Japanese listening bars. Step through ornate curtains into an intimate, mid-century space with plush seating, and marvel as expert mixologists fan perfectly cuboid ice, with an impressive record collection and vinyl set-up behind them. Centred around micro-seasonality, the drinks menu from award-winning mixologist Angelos Bafas is split into four harvest seasons. Hyper-seasonal British ingredients such as wild garlic, spring flowers and blackberries expertly coalesce with the classic Japanese ingredients, such as yuzu, shiso and matcha. The highball pickled cucumber was seriously refreshing, as was the Granny Smith and yuzu with Exmoor raw wildflower honey. Macerated blackberries and sloes make a pleasantly herbaceous and bitter sip with Axia Extra Dry Mastiha and Cambridge red bitters, while there’s umami savouriness on offer from the likes of Nipperkin’s aged mushroom spirit, Cambridge truffle gin and tomato liqueur. Don’t overlook the ‘dry’ season – the sour green gooseberries with a non-alcoholic citrus spirit and English wasabi tastes like a lemon meringue pie with a whisper of warmth. Dunk crunchy bar snacks from NIJŪ of seasonal vegetables and lotus chips into creamy tofu with shiso oil and buttery grilled aubergine – and you can even peep into NIJŪ’s kitchen when paying a visit to the adorned bathrooms. Encore, Mayfair Downstairs from Lebanese rotisserie joint Toum, Encore successfully ticks off two cocktail bar buzzwords in one fell swoop: listening bar and speakeasy. Just steps away from Regent Street, this stylish subterranean bar unites a heady mix of Lebanese and French influences across the polished cocktail and snack menus. Twelve signature cocktails showcase inventive twists on classics – a sumac-spiced negroni with tequila is balanced by pomegranate, while the refined mezcal spritz brings in zingy and refreshing yuzu, lime and coconut water. Those sweet-inclined will enjoy the unique yet familiar taste of the tarte tatin: oak aged brandy, vanilla liqueur, coconut water and honey give a balanced sweetness that is never saccharine. The Encore batanga is a stand-out with added depth from sherry and spidery strands of red chilli scattered on top. Unctuous and warm comté madeleines were particularly irresistible from the elevated bar snack menu. Habibi funk and Arabic disco deep cuts can be heard spinning on vinyl, thanks to the sound-diffusing ceiling and speakers dotted around the intimate space. Rich red carpets, mid-century wood panelling and stylish contemporary artwork make the bar the perfect spot for a date night or cosy catch-up with a friend. Stereo, Covent Garden Beneath the depths of Covent Garden’s cobblestones sits Stereo, a cocktail bar that harks back to the analogue era with its 70s-esque brown wood panelled décor, vintage cocktails, vinyl-only DJ sets and live bands. From the focal point bar surrounded by orb-shaped lamps, disco punch bowls are mixed with STEREO house vodka and Thames Distillers gin, as well as 70s- and 80s-inspired cocktails using vintage vermouth and other aged spirits. Negroni and espresso martini are on draft, or choose from the likes of Flying Paper’s black sesame seed-encrusted tumbler with Buffalo Trace bourbon hibiscus, amaro Montenegro and lemon, or Sunset in Oaxaca’s evening pick-me-up with Tapatio tequila blanco, mezcal, rhubarb cordial, Aperol, lemon and orange blossom. Kick off the night with à la carte American-inspired dishes of dredged fried chicken sandos and macaroni cheese with a brioche crumb – chef-restaurateur Andrew Clarke of Acme Fire Cult consulted on the menu – accompanied by the smooth house band. You can dance until the early hours with their rotating line-up of DJs. If you get peckish, late-night bar snacks and nibbles will keep you going, with the likes of warm popcorn with espelette salt and STEREO hot wings. Viajante87, Notting Hill Gate Don’t be deceived by the Barbie pink door with neon graffiti on the street outside – descend the staircase into Viajante87 to find yourself in an underground bar with moody lighting and flickering candles. Sit up at the long bar, a beacon of light in the otherwise dark space, and chat to the friendly staff or get cosy at one of the more intimate tables. The substantial cocktail menu is inspired by Latin America and celebrates a diversity of agave as well as more unusual ingredients. Creations include the likes of Blood Moon with Patrón reposado tequila, Aperol, pomegranate and hibiscus, with plenty of lemon and smoked Oaxacan Pasilla chilli to offset the sweetness. Alcohol-free 0087 has a very pleasant savouriness from pico de gallo with Seedlip Grove, oolong cordial and sancho pepper. On Thursdays from 7-11pm Latin-inspired jazz, funk and disco vinyl spins on the decks, accompanied by a pared back cocktail menu (in addition to the regular one) with classic cocktails such as spicy margaritas and palomas served with a choice of two tequilas and one mezcal. Nibble on fresh guacamole with crunchy, seasoned tortilla chips or three well-considered tacos to accompany your liquid refreshment. Sunken ceiling panels ensure impeccable acoustics. 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, 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 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. 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, which had a pleasantly balanced taste. To eat, there's a small but enticing menu from head chef Ramon Ramos, consisting of tacos – from baja to barbacoa – and small plates. We liked the ceviche sampler, which was citrusy and refreshing. This cosy, romantic spot also has a bottleshop, offering takeaway cocktails, and outdoor seating to soak up the sun. Seed Library, Shoreditch Ryan Chetiyawardana’s latest venture is a slinky drinking den in the basement of the One Hundred Shoreditch hotel. Whereas his flagship bar – Lyaness at Sea Containers in Southbank – showcases a high-concept approach to mixology, Seed Library is deliberately more casual and low key. Walk-ins are encouraged and the space, with its sultry lighting, wood-panelled walls, red velvet chairs and warm palette, feels retro and slightly louche, yet very welcoming. Expect elevated riffs on cocktail classics with a touch of whimsy. The vibrant Breakfast Bellini with Patrón tequila, century beans, breakfast fruit and champagne is served with a fried egg sweet balanced on top of the glass. Asteriod Garden is a celestial spin on the English Garden, lifted with shochu and pink meteor wine, while apple blossom and tundra tea bring refreshment. A Coriander Seed Gimlet is gorgeously executed – clean and citrusy with a backbone of gentle, warming spice. Bar snacks include the likes of nocerella olives, spiced nuts and chilli rice crackers - everything you want from a nibble: savoury, salty and crunchy. Analogue lovers can find East London's Diggers Dozen spinning vinyl at the weekend.
The World's 50 Best Bars 2025: the results
Find out which UK and London bars made the list of these prestigious awards, held in Hong Kong, as well as the top 50 winners
The World's 50 Best Bars is an internationally acclaimed annual list that celebrates the best in the bar industry, ranking destinations across the globe, from London to New York, Tokyo to Mexico City. Hotly anticipated each year, 2025's results include both established favourites and newcomers. Bar Leone in Hong Kong took the No.1 spot, winning World's Best Bar. This is the first time that a bar in Asia has gained the top spot in the awards. London led Europe in the top 50, with four bars making the list, including two in the top 10 – Tayēr + Elementary at No.5 and Connaught Bar at No.6. Satan's Whiskers came in at No.21 and Scarfes Bar at No.31. Panda & Sons in Edinburgh also made the list, ranking at No.34. Explore our guides to the best London cocktail bars, listening bars and wine bars. Check out the top 50 list below The World's 50 Best Bars – the top 50 1. Bar Leone, Hong Kong 2. Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City 3. Sips, Barcelona 4. Paradiso, Barcelona 5. Tayēr + Elementary, London 6. Connaught Bar, London 7. Moebius Milano, Milan 8. Line, Athens 9. Jigger & Pony, Singapore 10. Tres Monos, Buenos Aires 11. Alquímico, Cartagena 12. Superbueno, New York 13. Lady Bee, Lima 14. Himkok, Oslo 15. Bar Us, Bangkok 16. Zest, Seoul 17. Bar Nouveau, Paris 18. Bar Benfiddich, Tokyo 19. Caretaker's Cottage, Melbourne 20. The Cambridge Public House, Paris 21. Satan's Whiskers, London 22. Locale Firenze, Florence 23. Tlecān, Mexico City 24. Tan Tan, São Paulo 25. Mirror Bar, Bratislava 26. CoChinChina, Buenos Aires 27. Baba au Rum, Athens 28. Nouvelle Vague, Tirana 29. Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou 30. Danico, Paris 31. Scarfes Bar, London 32. Svanen, Oslo 33. Sastrería Martinez, Lima 34. Panda & Sons, Edinburgh 35. Röda Huset, Stockholm 36. Mimi Kakushi, Dubai 37. Salmon Guru, Madrid 38. Coa, Hong Kong 39. Sip & Guzzle, New York 40. Drink Kong, Rome 41. Double Chicken Please, New York 42. Maybe Sammy, Sydney 43. 1930, Milan 44. Jewel of the South, New Orleans 45. Virtù, Tokyo 46. Overstory, New York 47. The Bar in Front of the Bar, Athens 48. The Bellwood, Tokyo 49. BKK Social Club, Bangkok 50. Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore London bars in the top 50 No.5. Tayēr + Elementary – a Shoreditch bar of two halves, Elementary is a casual joint serving classic and seasonal cocktails on tap, while the intimate Tayēr is a more experimentally driven outfit. No.6. Connaught Bar – an iconic Mayfair hotel bar that serves one of the best martinis in the capital – made with theatrical aplomb at the table and customised with your choice of in-house bitters. No.21. Satan's Whiskers – Bethnal Green neighbourhood cocktail bar with grungy, taxidermy-speckled interiors, vintage booze posters and a feted hip hop soundtrack. No.31. Scarfes Bar – plush and handsomely outfitted hotel bar at the Rosewood London in Holborn, with a luxe drawing room/art gallery vibe thanks to the many original Gerald Scarfe sketches that decorate the walls.
From slinky, speakeasy-style dens to cutting-edge mixology, London's cocktail bars are world class. Here's a taste of what to expect
Looking for the best cocktail bars in London? We've visited bars across the capital to find the most inventive drinks and experienced bartender skills for a great night out and memorable experience. From a Latin-American inspired basement bar in Notting Hill to a Marylebone mezcaleria and award-winning cocktail lounge in Soho, there's plenty to keep your Friday nights and weekends busy. 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. Best London cocktail bars 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 Chiave, Shoreditch Chiave, meaning ‘key’ in Italian, cuts a subtle exterior on Shoreditch’s Redchurch Street bar the large, polished brass-effect key on the door. Naturally lit during the day from the sash windows, stay until sundown for the bar to transform into an intimate drinking den with dark mahogany tables and palo santo incense swirling up towards the enchanting red ceiling. Nine signature cocktails are the crowning glory, each of which is called after a song. Street Spirit (named after Radiohead’s 1995 track) is a vibrant twist on a Moscow mule with aniseed notes from raki – Turkey’s national spirit – effortlessly blended with a subtle salted caramel vodka. For crisp and aromatic herbal refreshment don’t miss Sunbeams with Tanqueray No Ten gin, chinotto nero and a blend of clarified sea buckthorn and basil. Margarita fans will not be disappointed with a Tommy margarita mixing equal quantities of Ojo de Dios mezcal and Don Julio tequila, with chilli liqueur and a spicy sumac rim. The team’s Turkish heritage is reflected in the small but thoughtful snack selection. Nibble on elegant, rice-stuffed vine leaves with pomegranate molasses for dipping, or hummus-filled cucumber bites. If you want to carry on the night, head downstairs to the small but compact dance floor with custom-made speakers and a classy HiFi mixer. chiaveshoreditch.com Mad Cats, Shoreditch Another listening bar has landed in Shoreditch – and this one is more than worth a visit. With a compact cocktail selection that chooses quality over quantity, Asian-inspired flavours sing with Muyu Jasmine Verte Liqueur, junmai sake and lemongrass, while there’s a dash of Lebanese inspiration with the Zaza cocktail, a spin on a classic tequila martini with infused za’atar oil. Red, white, rosé, orange and sparkling wines are available from traditional and new world regions, as well as five varieties of sake. East Asian flavours are carried across to the menu. The yellowtail carpaccio with jalapeño sauce and ponzu dressing is beautifully presented and citrussy without being too sharp. Towering brioche toast with crab and gochujang aïoli was a highlight, although there truly were no misses: charred Hispi cabbage is accompanied by an umami-rich wafu sauce, and the miso hake with chilli oil and samphire is buttery and delicate. Greek Cantaloupe sorbet makes the perfect palate cleanser ahead of the silky pandan crème brûlée. Attention to detail goes beyond the menu, with chopsticks resting on hand-painted model cats, DJs spinning vinyl only and an abundance of high-fidelity speakers to keep audiophiles content. Don’t miss a trip to the bathroom through the blue velvet curtain where The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is played on a speaker directly in your cubicle. madcats.uk 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 Encore, Mayfair Downstairs from Lebanese rotisserie joint Toum, Encore successfully ticks off two cocktail bar buzzwords in one fell swoop: listening bar and speakeasy. Just steps away from Regent Street, this stylish subterranean bar unites a heady mix of Lebanese and French influences across the polished cocktail and snack menus. Twelve signature cocktails showcase inventive twists on classics – a sumac-spiced negroni with tequila is balanced by pomegranate, while the refined mezcal spritz brings in zingy and refreshing yuzu, lime and coconut water. Those sweet-inclined will enjoy the unique yet familiar taste of the tarte tatin: oak aged brandy, vanilla liqueur, coconut water and honey give a balanced sweetness that is never saccharine. The Encore batanga is a stand-out with added depth from sherry and spidery strands of red chilli scattered on top. Unctuous and warm comté madeleines were particularly irresistible from the elevated bar snack menu. Habibi funk and Arabic disco deep cuts can be heard spinning on vinyl, thanks to the sound-diffusing ceiling and speakers dotted around the intimate space. Rich red carpets, mid-century wood panelling and stylish contemporary artwork make the bar the perfect spot for a date night or cosy catch-up with a friend. toumrotisserie.com The Listening Room, Soho Soho’s Wardour Street contains a secret. Downstairs from Japanese-inspired grill and omakase restaurant MOI – and via an impressive retro-futuristic spiral staircase – resides The Listening Room, a spacious underground listening bar. Serious about audio, bespoke speakers are from London-based sound system maker Friendly Pressure, and the walls are covered in soundwave-like textured curves for great acoustics. The drinks menu is led by ex-Langham Dino Koletsas and infused with Asian flavours. The shiro negroni, a refreshing white spin on a negroni with yuzu sake, potato shochu and chrysanthemum bitters has a pleasantly floral nose. Them Apples cleverly recreates the flavour of fresh green apple without using the ingredient itself: instead sparkling green tea, whisky, tomato liqueur and marigold combine for an ultra-refreshing sip. The extensive sake and natural wine list is accessible to both the more experienced and more nascent sipper. Order sushi, small plates and skewers hot off the grill from the upstairs kitchen by executive chef Andy Cook who worked with Gordon Ramsay to open his outpost in Tokyo. The crisp, warm and slightly sweet steamed buns served with smoked cod’s roe was a strong start. Sushi is not one to miss either – we chose Icelandic sea urchin and chutoro tuna temaki delicately wrapped in nori, whose rich flavour was perfectly complemented by dots of wasabi and slices of pickled ginger. moirestaurant.com Side Hustle at The Nomad London, Covent Garden With Side Hustle’s grand marble-topped bar and dark wood, and leather-lined booths with brass rails, what was once the former Bow Street police station now feels like a slice of Manhattan real estate. This is very much in keeping with the NoMad hotel itself, a New York import, but when it comes to the drinks and food this lively bar and restaurant takes its cue from much farther south, with a cocktail menu centred around Latin American flavours and agave spirits. There’s a delightful roster of seasonal margaritas – a rhubarb expression with yuzu and Aperol is tangy and full bodied, while a bergamot and chilli creation has lovely floral notes with tingle of heat. Other classics include a zingy paloma but it’s also worth exploring the roster of house cocktails that explore the variety of agave spirits. We dived into the agave martinis, highlights of which include a dirty tequila-based variation with savoury depth from fino sherry, and a spicy martini using corn-infused mezcal and Thai bird’s-eye chilli for a cocktail with a proper poky punch. Don’t miss out on the bar snacks which include on-point guacamole, prawn croquettes, charred Padrón peppers with umami salsa macha, plus delicious tacos including baja fish, chicken tinga and pork carnitas. hilton.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 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 Câv, Bethnal Green Câv is the latest addition to the railway arches of Paradise Row, taking over the old Japanese Canteen site. It comes courtesy of two London bar veterans, Chris Tanner (formerly of Milroy’s and Silverleaf, and founder of Dram London), and Edwin Frost (wine bars Half Cut and Oranj), who have partnered for this bar-cum-restaurant with a rotating kitchen residency. Minimal interiors shine a spotlight on the drinks, which don’t disappoint. The menu is pleasingly pithy, with a roster of revamped classics as well as £7 house martinis, surely one of the best deals in London right now. Cocktails are pared back and poised. The Cucumber Bamboo balances refreshing vegetal flavours with the salinity of Tio Pepe sherry; similarly, the Dill Martini delivers bracing herbaceous notes with a subtle savoury nod from anchovy oil. Câv’s take on the beloved picante with golden beetroot and bird’s-eye chilli offers earthy warmth, while the Plum Manhattan has a sultry fruity and spicy rye character. Their current kitchen residency is Iberian-inspired Tasca by Josh Dallaway and Sinéad Murdoch. Head chef Josh’s menu showcases some of Spain and Portugal’s best regional dishes. These include a trio of different gildas (do try the clever jambon-beurre-inspired one); whipped Wigmore cheese, like a savoury custard, topped with celeriac honey, leeks and fried bread; and the scarlet prawn and pork cachorrinho which is best described as a Porto version of a hot dog and not to be missed. Wine comes from sommelier Sinéad and her lively list focusses heavily on sustainably produced bottles, with 80% from women-led projects. cav255.london 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 Viajante 87, 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 Nipperkin, Mayfair Situated in the depths of NIJŪ Japanese grill and sushi bar, Nipperkin is inspired by 1950s Japanese listening bars. Step through ornate curtains into an intimate, mid-century space with plush seating and marvel as expert mixologists fan perfectly cuboid ice, behind them an impressive record collection and vinyl set-up. Centred around micro-seasonality, the drinks menu from award-winning mixologist Angelos Bafas is split into four harvest seasons. Hyper-seasonal British ingredients such as wild garlic, spring flowers and blackberries expertly coalesce with the classic Japanese such as yuzu, shiso and matcha. The highball pickled cucumber was seriously refreshing, as was the Granny Smith and yuzu with Exmoor raw wildflower honey. Macerated blackberries and sloes make a pleasantly herbaceous and bitter sip with Axia extra dry mastiha and Cambridge red bitters, while there’s umami savouriness on offer from the likes of Nipperkin’s aged mushroom spirit, Cambridge truffle gin and tomato liqueur. Don’t overlook the ‘dry’ season – the sour green gooseberries with a non-alcoholic citrus spirit and English wasabi tastes like a lemon meringue pie with a whisper of warmth. Dunk crunchy bar snacks from NIJŪ of seasonal vegetables and lotus chips into creamy tofu with shiso oil and buttery grilled aubergine – and you can even peep into NIJŪ’s kitchen when paying a visit to the adorned bathrooms. nijulondon.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 Swift, Soho This award-winning Soho bar comes from husband-and-wife team Bobby Hiddleston (Dead Rabbit, Callooh Callay) and Mia Johansson (Milk & Honey), and the team behind Nightjar and Oriole. It's a two-part affair, with a buzzy, casual space on the ground floor – best for walk-ins – and darker, intimate underground lounge with sleek crescent booths, inky black tables and moody lighting. The upstairs serves lighter aperitif cocktails (try the signature sgroppino, with lemon sorbet, prosecco and Italicus), while below focuses on more sultry cocktails, as well as whisky, of which they have a 300-strong collection. Their outpost in Shoreditch, has sleek black and white art deco-style interiors making a classy setting for drinking characteristically creative cocktails – try the Carmen with Olmeca Altos plata tequila, toasted blue corn and lime sherbet for a zingy twist on a margarita. The latest addition to the Swift flock landed in Borough in autumn 2022, and it’s every bit as charismatic as its siblings. Tucked away like a hidden gem, the speakeasy-style bar downstairs offers an intimate, effortlessly cool vibe. The latest cocktail menu, South of the River, features 14 inventive creations, each one a tribute to the landmarks, people, and rich history of South London, adding a fresh twist to the city’s cocktail scene. barswift.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 KOL Mezcalería, Marylebone Tucked away on the lower ground floor of Santiago Lastra’s refined hymn to Mexican cuisine is this slinky, subterranean bar. Inspired by the mezcalerias of Mexico, it’s decked out in soothing earthy tones and natural textures, with dark wooden furniture, rattan lamps and traditional Mexican artifacts on the walls. The cocktails are masterminded by Matthias Ingelmann and echo the restaurant’s emphasis on British seasonal ingredients, with lots of homemade infusions. The menu is a clever concept, where five ingredient duos are spotlighted, with the option to try the flavours paired in a cocktail with either an agave or a Mexican gin, rum or whisky. Take woodruff as an example. It's infused into Campari and served with a zero-waste coffee liqueur and Sierra Norte corn whisky in the Boulevardier, while also infused into white chocolate foam and mixed with Dangerous Don Café Mezcal in the 'Hot and Cold'. Elsewhere, carrot is blitzed for juice to make a syrup with marigold flower to create two contrasting drinks – the earthy, floral, pisco-textured Mountain Main and the fresh, botanical White Americano. The ’antojito’ food menu is as strong as you'd expect from Santiago Lastra's Michelin-starred kitchen. The only non-British ingredients used are chilli, corn and coffee, so courgette is used instead of avocado in the guacamole and seagrass replaces coriander, while quesadillas are filled with Kentish Oaxacan-style cheese. Finish with a churro-esque swirl sprinkled with anco chilli for a touch of heat, served with earthy mezcal chocolate mousse and savoury pork crackling. kolrestaurant.com The Bloomsbury Club Bar, Bloomsbury Tucked underneath the Bloomsbury Hotel is this cosy art deco den that will transport you back to 1920s high society that was loved by the writers and artists of the time. The low-lit interior features luxurious leather armchairs, wall-to-wall bookshelves and an impressive, curved bar that serves ancient Egypt inspired cocktails that you can enjoy alongside bar bites and live music. The names, flavours and ingredients of the cocktails are inspired by hieroglyphs found carved in stone near the pyramids. Se Shen, which means lotus flower, pairs gin with the refreshing flavours of hibiscus, rose soda and adds sweetness of strawberry and raspberry. If you like a bit of a kick to your drink, Wadjet (goddess of serpents) blends tequila, vermouth and strawberry, finishing off with a rim of chilli salt for added fire. Enjoy your drinks with a selection of bar snacks that include pea and gorgonzola arancini, and beef and cheddar sliders. thebloomsburyclub.com 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 Hacha, Dalston London’s original agaveria adds a splash of contemporary sunshine to Kingsland Road, with peach and mustard tiles, plenty of palms and an array of art to whisk you away to warmer climes. Perch at the bar and glide your eyes over the agave list, numbered in price order to help you choose. Each of the mezcals and tequilas comes with a complementary pairing, be that a thimble of vermouth, square of chocolate or something salty. Award-winning agave cocktails include the iconic mirror margaritas, made with a house sour mix to keep things clear, both in colour and taste, allowing the spirit to shine in a clean and bright no-nonsense serve. The honey bee margarita is another stand out, the chipotle-infused honey giving a soft, salty sweetness with a hint of heat. Current food residency is handled by Mexican street food wizards, Tigre Tacos. Crisp coated chunks of soft fish topped with zingy cabbage and pico de gallo make the baja fish tacos a must order. Portobello mushrooms, pickled carrots and crispy soy lime kale take vegetarian tacos to new heights, while tuna tostadas blanketed in crisp frilly chives make a silky, crisp, crunchy contender to mix up the textures a bit. hachabar.com Dram, Soho You’d be forgiven for walking past this low-key and unassuming Soho frontage of sanded wooden shutters on Denmark Street, but head in and this Grade II listed building starts to slowly unfold with surprises. There’s a basement bar, an open garden terrace, upstairs pool table room, private events room and a hidden drinks development “lab”. The more you uncover, the more you appreciate the creative vision of the founders – Chris Tanner, Martyn ‘Simo’ Simpson and Jack Wallis – as they’ve skilfully dissected and reassembled the concepts of what a bar is. The lab is where seasonal ingredients are fermented or “cordialised” and find their way into a short but succinct cocktail menu. Many are on tap and so available swiftly in the bar areas. Try one of the lower ABV highball serves such as the Mezcal & Coconut, or a stirred-down cocktail like Beetroot and Raspberry Wine, with a subtle earthiness from the beetroot that balances well with the sweet sharpness of the wine. Keep an eye on their events page for weekly rotating chef takeovers from September - excellently paired with specially crafted drinks. drambar.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 Freddles, London Fields In a cosy, glittery room below lively neighbourhood restaurant and wine bar, Papi, Freddles is an intimate spot to meet friends over innovative drinks. Bartender Thomas Auger was born in Paris to French and Vietnamese parents and has picked up techniques from some of London’s top cocktail bars (NOLA, Discount Suit Company, Milk & Honey) to develop his own eclectic style. The 12-strong menu is split into two halves, the first a ‘playground’ in which Thomas experiments with a seasonal old fashioned, milk punch, long drink, and carbonised cocktail, plus two wild cards in the mix. The old fashioned might be incorporate marmite for an umami hit or coconut and pandan syrup in a tropical twist. Or the milk punch could be a spring take on a piña colada made with a clarified concoction of carrot juice and pumpkin purée. The weekly spotlight gives space for classic cocktails with Thomas’s touch. Think elegant sparkling elderflower and vodka twinkles, a punchy rye sazerac or a hanky panky made using bitter Fernet-Branca. Bar snacks include pillowy slabs of toasted milk bread to dip into treacle butter, and ex-dairy beef tartare with deep-fried waffles. papirestaurant.com/freddles 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 Alma, Soho Head downstairs at Soho’s decadent Argentinian restaurant, Sucre, to this sultry cocktail lounge. A funky disco soul soundtrack adds to the 1970s revamp of the 18th century building. Original brickwork is accentuated with mustard bar stools, black and gold tiles, banquettes that sweep below panelled mirrors and a soft glow from individual table lamps. Tony Pescatori, of Nightjar fame, has curated a progressive menu that focusses on unique global ingredients. A highlight is the bittersweet Murano, a lighter, brighter take on a negroni, made with floral Malfy Rosa Gin and Electric Velvet liqueur for extra zing. Mama Quilla, served in a striking brass moon vessel, has the floral foaminess of a pisco sour with earthy mezcal, funky house fermented cassava wine and a hint of heat from Ancho Reyes Verde chilli liqueur. Get a taste of chef Fernando Trocca’s fare in bar snacks such as empanada parcels filled with creamy aged cheddar, chilli and caramelised onions. If you’re hungry, go for the chorizo choripan, the Argentinian answer to a hot dog, laced with chimichurri and topped with crispy onions. almabysucre.com The Lower Third, Soho Think of the Lower Third as a neighbourhood bar with ambition. Located on Denmark Street, it's unpretentious yet smart enough to feel special, where it’s just as easy to order a beer and a shot as it is a deftly mixed cocktail. The bar is the first of several spaces that branch out, warren-like, into the building, a mix of smaller performance areas and larger capacity venues. Keen to pay tribute to the legendary musical heritage of Denmark Street as well as the site’s former incarnation, music venue The 12 Bar Club, there’s a commitment to showcasing new and local talent, as well as more well-known bands and artists. Back in the bar, Shannon Tebay, previously of the American Bar at the Savoy and Death & Co in New York, has created a roster of twists on classic cocktails, with names taken from albums by major artists that have recorded on Denmark Street. Hits on our visit included Never Mind the Bollocks – a savoury, vegetal margarita with St George Green Chile vodka, blanco tequila, Haitian clairin rum and banana; and Band of Gypsys, a seductively smoky, negroni-style drink with mezcal, Campari, vermouth, coffee and tropical notes from passion fruit. If you’ve ever wondered what a piña colada made with scotch tastes like, then try the Schoolboys in Disgrace, where Monkey Shoulder and Talisker 10 Year Old make a surprisingly successful match with coconut cream and melon liqueur – the whisky adding a warm, boozy backbone to the drink. thelowerthird.co.uk Little Blue, Peninsula Hotel, Hyde Park Corner The main hotel faces Hyde Park Corner but you’ll find Little Blue – with its dynamic décor and welcoming service – nestled on the quieter Grosvenor Crescent. You’ll instantly escape the busyness of central London. Inspired by fine wine, the cocktails are assured, full of depth and aroma, and don’t rely on fussy garnishes. The menu is grouped into regions associated with a Chinese imperial excursion but they’re all rooted in recognisable, traditional cocktails. Go for the Terra cocktail, featuring a blend of tequila and mezcal, saffron cordial and amontillado sherry, finished with a few delicate drops of a habanero tincture. Or try the a sazerac-style Baxter cocktail with agave, Peychaud’s bitters and a coconut fat washed cognac infused with apricot. Don’t miss out on the dim sum on offer, either. We enjoyed the scallop and asparagus dumplings, and the crispy prawn wontons with fermented chilli. peninsula.com Dover Yard, Mayfair This sleek bar is hidden away in eco chic oasis, 1 Hotel Mayfair. Natural aesthetics include low gnarled wood tables with sofas and throws in soft, muted tones. A striking bar showcases delicate racing pigeon feathers worked into a gentle wave beneath the glass. Repurposed ingredients take the limelight in the eclectic range of sophisticated cocktails. Rum-based falernum liqueur is fat-washed with left-over breakfast pastries and shaken with the bar’s own lemon sour mash, made from squeezing surplus lemon and lime husks, to create the unique Pan Brioche cocktail, reminiscent of a whisky sour and topped with a tiny croissant. Rotating seasonal classics include the vibrant Purple Carrot Garibaldi that infuses vodka with English purple carrots, while the lower-ABV Palomito is a long, bittersweet and refreshing concoction of Campari, Mancino Chinato vermouth and pink grapefruit. 1hotels.com The Shibeen at Bóha, Chelsea Beneath the main restaurant of Bóha on the King's Road in Chelsea is a slick and vibrant speakeasy and cocktail bar. The attention to detail is what you’d expect from a high-end Chelsea establishment with friendly and well-informed bartenders. The owner of Bóha has launched in London and has plans to branch out globally with Dubai, Miami and New York on its hit list. The mixologists are passionate about cocktails and regularly shake up the menu. Alongside the classics you’d expect, such as martinis and margaritas, are Bóha creations such as the Mon Cheri made using Le Portier cognac, a saffron vermouth and flavours of cherry and vanilla, or My Little Dear, with gin delicately infused with peach stones, topped up with English sparkling wine. If you’re celebrating a special occasion or you’re a fan of spirits then the vintage spirit menu is one to try – prices vary but you can find a vintage year of pretty much every spirit you can think of. A favourite was the Cointreau from the mid-1900s which was even more floral than it’s current day counterpart. bohalondon.com Bruno’s, Regent's Canal Islington Brothers Fin and Lorcan Spiteri have opened up a canalside drinking den next to their floating restaurant Caravel on Regent's Canal. Like its neighbour, Bruno’s is hidden away in a converted barge, and the bar has an appealingly cosy, retro lounge feel with velvet armchairs and dim lighting. As well as being an ideal staging point for a meal at Caravel – start with a pre-dinner aperitif, end the night with a creamy brandy alexander, or do both – it also works well as a stand-alone venue, slinky and stylish, with a drinks list full of nostalgic classics and peppy new creations. Fin – previously at Quo Vadis and 69 Colebrooke Row – is behind the menu, which features house cocktails, forgotten classics and after-dinner creations showcasing sweet and creamy tipples. Standout drinks include the earthy, smoky and citrussy Chido with mezcal, smoked lime juice and orgeat; and a Count Pomelo Negroni with grapefruit syrup – a pleasingly light, zesty take on a classic. Finish with one of the bar’s pudding cocktails: their lusciously nutty hazelnut sour with Frangelico and vanilla vodka was delightful. brunosbar.co.uk Lyaness, Southbank 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 sweeping emerald green marble bar (leftover from the site’s previous iteration, the award-winning Dandelyan) with glorious views of the Thames. It 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 Stereo, Covent Garden Beneath the depths of Covent Garden’s cobblestones sits Stereo, a cocktail bar that harks back to the analogue era with its 70s-esque brown wood panelled décor, vintage cocktails, vinyl-only DJ sets and live bands. From the focal point bar surrounded by orb-shaped lamps, disco punch bowls are mixed with STEREO house vodka and Thames Distillers gin as well as 70s- and 80s-inspired cocktails using vintage vermouth and other aged spirits. Negroni and espresso martini are on draft or choose from the likes of Flying Paper’s black sesame seed-encrusted tumbler with Buffalo Trace bourbon hibiscus, amaro Montenegro and lemon, or Sunset in Oaxaca’s evening pick-me-up with Tapatio tequila blanco, mezcal, rhubarb cordial, Aperol, lemon and orange blossom. Kick off the night with à la carte American-inspired dishes of dredged fried chicken sandos and macaroni cheese with a brioche crumb – chef-restaurateur Andrew Clarke of Acme Fire Cult consulted on the menu – accompanied by the smooth house band. Then dance until the early hours with their rotating line-up of DJs. If you get peckish, late-night bar snacks and nibbles will keep you going with the likes of warm popcorn with espelette salt and STEREO hot wings. stereocoventgarden.com 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 Sweeties, King's Cross Step into the Standard hotel’s sleek red pill lift and zoom up to the 10th floor for this luxe bar that combines retro interiors with playful, off-beat cocktails and unrivalled views of King’s Cross and St Pancras. In keeping with its home, a restored 1970s Brutalist office block, Sweeties takes its cue from the same decade, with opulent interiors including velvet sofas, mirrored tables, gold accents, wood panelling and patterned carpets. The cocktail menu features ‘feel-good ingredients and mood-enhancing mixes’ designed to be energising and uplifting. We’re not sure if we felt these effects but regardless the drinks are very good. Pick Me Up – made with eight adaptogens (ingredients that help the body deal with stress) mushrooms, vodka, rum, caramel and burnt butter drank like an elevated espresso martini, layered and earthy, with rounded depth. Roots Manuva – riesling vermouth, golden beet caramel, turmeric, ginseng, ginger, orange and mead – is vibrant, honeyed and fresh, with a vegetal edge. No Whey Jose, blanco tequila with strawberry, red rice, rose and a salted hot coconut foam, was the delightful cocktail equivalent of a Campino strawberry candy. Purple Rain – Johnny Walker whisky, amazake, salted plum, cherry bark and blossom wine – was like an extra fruity old fashioned, bursting with berry flavours, smoky and subtly savoury. standardhotels.com/sweeties Seed Library, Shoreditch Ryan Chetiyawardana’s latest venture is a slinky drinking den in the basement of the One Hundred Shoreditch hotel. Whereas his flagship bar – Lyaness at Sea Containers in Southbank – showcases a high-concept approach to mixology, Seed Library is deliberately more casual and low key. Walk-ins are encouraged and the space, with its sultry lighting, wood-panelled walls, red velvet chairs and warm palette, feels retro and slightly louche, yet very welcoming. Expect elevated riffs on cocktail classics. Sansho Leaf Martini with Belvedere vodka, Cocchi dry vermouth and green sansho oil is clean and delicate, and subtly savoury. A Coriander Seed Gimlet is gorgeously executed, clean and citrussy with a backbone of gentle, warming spice. Summer Whisky Sourz, with Dewar’s 12-year-old scotch, Fierfield Birch botanical Irish whiskey, woodruff, meadowsweet and lemon is complex and layered, with herbaceous and cereal notes. Galangal Pencillin swaps the traditional peated whisky for tequila and mezcal, and adds aromatic galangal for a vibrant, smoky cocktail. Bar snacks are winningly hearty, and moreish – expect the likes of deep-fried chicken hearts, beef short rib croquettes and potato smileys. onehundredshoreditch.com/seed-library Doña, 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 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 service and even more impressive cocktails. 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. Their latest menu, Formae, also has much to explore, drawing inspiration from the shapes and forms of the surrounding bar. We tried the Voronoi – a fruitier, lighter take on a margarita with Tapatio tequila, Michoacan mezcal, vetiver liqueur, lime and timur sherbet, vermouth, grapefruit hops bitters and agave water. Thought has gone into the zero-alcohol offering, too – we enjoyed the sprightly Pietra with ginseng and bergamot kombucha, osmanthus honey syrup and sauvignon blanc juice. Complimentary buttery olives and crackers are continuously refilled by meticulously attentive staff, and winning canapés include ultra-light and crispy tempura made with seasonal veg, crispy salmon sashimi with chipotle mayo and velvety guacamole. the-connaught.co.uk/connaught-bar 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 Bandra Bhai, Pali Hill If you’re looking for a secret late-night bar in central London to impress friends, then this is the place to visit. Hidden away in the basement of Pali Hill is secluded cocktail bar Bandra Bhai, with interiors inspired by 1970s India and old smuggling dens. Head bartender (and drinks wizard) Dav Eames explains to us that he recently sourced the original 70s glassware from vintage shops – a hint of the passion that lies behind the menu. The 70s inspiration continues with drinks such as the Disco Inferno, made with cardamom gin. Indian history is also a touchstone, which is why the tequila, ginger, lemon and grapefruit cocktail Bangbang Bandstand gets its name from the joyful miscreants that used to accumulate on bandstands. Each drink has a story linked to it and three main flavours, which is apparent in our favourite, the Gaba Singh Side-Hustle which has pineapple, celery and cognac and comes served in what can only be described as pure opulence, a golden pineapple glass. bandrabhai.co.uk Photography: Laura Aziz (Muse at RSA House)
London's best outdoor restaurants and terraces
Check out the best al fresco dining in the capital, from sun-baked city squares to rooftop terraces and waterside retreats
Looking for the best restaurant terraces to soak up the sun in London? Choose from our favourite restaurants with outdoor dining for an al fresco lunch or evening bite to eat. Hungry for more? Soak up the capital's most impressive views with our guide to London's best restaurants with a view, then see our favourite outdoor restaurants in the UK for the best of al fresco dining. If you want to pull out all the stops, discover the best dining experiences in London. Looking to get out and about with your foodie friends? Check out the best food and drink festivals to visit. If you like your cocktail served with a stellar sound system, discover our favourite listening bars in London. Also looking for the best brunch to visit in the city? We've narrowed our favourites down in our guide to the best brunches in London. London restaurants with outdoor terraces Amelie, Belgravia Set within the iconic Pantechnicon building in elegant, pedestrianised Motcomb Street, Amélie has a gorgeous, sun-kissed terrace that brings a bit of the south of France to the heart of Belgravia. With tables set up for people watching and comfy rattan chairs the super-relaxed vibe encourages long lazy lunches (and ordering just one more glass of rosé). The Med-inspired menu is concise with some fun touches such as the rösti section – deep golden crunchy triangles topped with caviar, steak or tuna tartare – a perfect sharing bite. Starters are light and vibrant – try the creamy stracciatella topped with sweet, ripe plum slices and a basil dressing, or tender asparagus on airy whipped goat’s cheese with a hazelnut vinaigrette. Mains keep that light and simple Med vibe going with perfectly al dente paccheri served with a vibrant green pesto and sweet confit tomatoes. There’s a carefully curated wine list with lots of French classics including the Amélie signature chablis, beautifully mineral and refreshing. Do save room for the signature chocolate mousse, served table-side from a huge dish and topped with a choice of toasted nuts, chocolate crumb, sea salt and olive oil. It’s a lovely piece of theatre and a perfect way to round off the meal. amelie-restaurants.com Toklas, Strand This design-forward restaurant is a hangout for London's artsy crowd over vibrant mediterranean-style dishes. It boasts a large, peaceful, plant-festooned terrace above the Strand, serving the likes of wild bass crudo with chilli and finger lime, dover sole with courgette trifolati, marjoram and Amalfi lemon, and grilled lamb chops with courgette, chickpeas and mint. Sit on the colourful café chairs and sip on cocktails such as Provençale sbagliato laced with Cinsault rosé. There's a real focus on seasonal produce with an annual spotlight on rare citrus. toklaslondon.com Ham Yard Hotel, Soho This hotel is tucked down an alleyway away from the bustle of central London, which gives you the feel of discovering a hidden gem. The space is stylishly designed and art-led – the ground floor restaurant spills out onto a courtyard with a huge Tony Cragg sculpture. The courtyard captures the last of the afternoon sun and is a lively place to enjoy the excellent menu. You’re spoiled for seafood options, with dishes like smoky octopus salad and punchy Calabrian anchovies on sourdough, and mains including zesty red mullet in a fresh sauce vierge and wild seabass with tartare sauce alongside ribeye steak and chicken schnitzel. Make the most of the oyster cart during the summer for a fresh starter or snack to go with drinks. Hotel guests can enjoy the fourth floor’s elegant roof terrace too, also home to the restaurant’s vegetable garden and dedicated beehives. Its central water feature, benches and swathes of different plants give it a secret garden feel. firmdalehotels.com Setlist, Somerset House To celebrate 25 years of Somerset House, Setlist has arrived – a sharp, summery pop-up that blends food, art and music in a pavilion perched above the Thames. With riverside views, serious culinary clout and a laid-back festival feel, it’s one of the capital’s coolest new hangouts. On the food front there’s plenty to get excited about. Opeoluwa of Future Plate plates up punchy Nigerian-inspired dishes – crisp goat croquettes with a hum of heat, and jerk chicken offset with a scotch bonnet mango chutney that’s all fire and fruit. Sophie Wyburd teams up with Wildfarmed for pizzettes that go big on comfort and character – roast potatoes and taleggio mingle with fennel sausage and caramelised onion, while smoked aubergine meets sweet-hot honey in a must-try veggie twist. Andrea Montes Renaud and Laura Copp use heritage Mexican maize for their hand-pressed tortillas. The Baja fish taco, zingy with lime slaw and chilli, and lifted with burnt garlic and habanero mayo, is a proper highlight. Drinks are seasonal and sunny. Try the Somerset Spritz – light, botanical and best sipped as the sun sets to the beat of a live DJ set echoing across the river. Local brews are on hand, too, if you’re keeping things classic. somersethouse.org.uk Fonda, Soho Tucked just off Regent Street on Heddon Street, Fonda feels like a secret. Co-owned by Santiago Lastra of Kol, it’s a more relaxed cousin – casual yet quietly refined, its terrace buzzing with the hum of the restaurants all around and the summer heat. Start with the frozen margarita or a salt-rimmed, non-alcoholic paloma – sharp, refreshing, all edge and sparkle. The ceviche leans into fresh and floral: soft tuna, basil and tomato meet fresh cherry in a combination that’s quietly brilliant. The crab tostada is creamy, cool and just the right side of fiery, the Baja taco is everything a fish taco should be – lacy crisp batter, tender cod you can actually taste and a pistachio mole that brings it all together. Octopus tacos layered with Ratte potatoes and bruléed bone marrow are deeply rich (ask for the pickled vegetables to cut through). Finish with the mezcal rice pudding - smoky, silken and punctuated with cherries that burst and bloom. It’s a place to settle in, let the plates keep coming and forget the busy city just round the corner. fondalondon.com Roe, Canary Wharf If you're seeking a break from the towering glass buildings of Canary Wharf, Roe, the new sister restaurant to Fallow, provides a tranquil retreat by the water. The spacious venue, seating up to 500 guests, boasts an interior that mirrors the soft curves of a shell – a fitting homage to the oysters you'll enjoy. Expansive windows seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor spaces, and the terrace, directly facing the water, allows you to soak in the sunset as you imagine being out at sea, far from the bustle of the city's financial centre. Roe's menu takes familiar seafood dishes and elevates them with playful twists. The cuttlefish fried toast, topped with pork skin and sesame, is an upscale take on classic prawn toast. For a punchy bite, the beef and oyster tartare, served within an oyster shell and flavoured with ginger, apple, sesame and shiso, offers a bold combination of textures and flavours. Vegetarians need not miss out, with dishes like the mushroom parfait providing a beautifully sweet contrast to the rich seafood and meat offerings – a perfect introduction to the rest of the meal. Roe delivers a dining experience that is as imaginative as it is memorable. roerestaurant.co.uk ACME Fire Cult, Dalston Andrew Clarke and Daniel Watkins put the spotlight on vegetables in their live-fire joint beneath a contemporary canopy outside Dalston’s 40FT Brewery. Start by devouring umami-rich slices of marmite Ararat flatbread, blanketed in pecorino cheese. Vegetarian highlights include coal-roast leeks, that fall apart onto pistachio romesco, huge, herb-dressed cuore del vesuvio tomatoes on a bed of vibrant green Goddess sauce, and cauliflower slathered in spiced butter and served with umbrian lentils and pickled jalapeños. Pair with meat sharing dishes, such as the doorstop of succulent smoked pork collar, charred at the edges into a blackened knobbly crust, served with charred onions and mustard sauce. Finish with rich hazelnut chocolate ganache topped with hazelnuts and beer molasses. Beer by-products feature in ferments and hot sauces, and 10 beers are available on tap, including a lager brewed with ancho chillies. acmefirecult.com Luca, Clerkenwell This modern Italian restaurant – spotlighting seasonal UK produce in its Italian cooking – has quietly honed its craft, in recent years garnering a Michelin star. Deep into the succession of stylish dining rooms, the restaurant conceals a stunning terrace, reminiscent of a Tuscan walled garden. Start with a Luca spritz, featuring bittersweet Venetian Select aperitif, before a line-up of Italian summer classics. Burrata served on vesuvio tomatoes and flat white peach, finished with a chilled tomato soup, kicks things off alongside thinly sliced veal tonnato coated in a tuna, anchovy and caper mayonnaise, topped with crispy fried capers, shaved fennel and tema artichoke. Next comes a delicate stack of pistachio pesto tortellini on smoked sheep’s ricotta, before pork chop with English sweetcorn, girolles and rainbow chard. Finish with a boozy rum baba ring, filled with lemon verbena-lifted Kentish strawberries. luca.restaurant Kutir, Chelsea Walking into Kutir feels like entering the home of a well-travelled relative – think green walls with jungle prints, ornate chandeliers and the warm aroma of spices. Housed in a Georgian townhouse just off Chelsea’s King’s Road, it’s an intimate setting ideal for date nights or long overdue catch-ups. But the real reason to visit is Rohit Ghai’s cooking: a refined journey through India’s rich culinary heritage. This summer, head to the newly opened garden – a sunny terrace made for lazy afternoons. The gin and tonic menu is both thoughtful and creative: the Bahaar, with citrus and elderflower, is a standout. From 1-5pm, a three-course menu at £35 offers excellent value. Expect classics like the smoky, gently spiced chicken tikka, alongside more adventurous plates – the venison and green peppercorn curry is rich, gamey and deeply comforting, with a buttery sauce that you’ll be thinking about long after the final bite. kutir.co.uk Four Hundred Rabbits, Brockwell Lido Brothers Daniel and Duncan Edwards took over the café at Brockwell Lido in 2019, and its now home to a colourful mishmash of a restaurant and terrace specialising in craft beer and sourdough pizza. After some lengths in the lido, plot up poolside for gelato, negronis and 72-hour proved sourdough pizzas topped with pickled chillies, Brindisa chorizo and more. 400rabbits.co.uk Coal Terrace by Coal Office, King's Cross This terrace on the rooftop of Coal Office gives sweeping views over Regent's Canal on one side and Coal Drops Yard on the other. The beautifully calm space dining is dotted with lemon, bay and olive trees in a nod to the restaurant’s Middle Eastern roots. Exec chef Dan Pellas has created a special terrace menu inspired by his childhood memories of Jerusalem. A must order is the famous kubalah bread – a gorgeous cloud-like Yemeni take on brioche. Paired with the silan (date syrup), olive oil and za'atar dip it’s a dreamy start. Other standout dishes include a zingy fresh red tuna sashimi with a vinaigrette and marduma tomato salad, and one of the signature dishes of Coal Office, a parmesan-rich, oozy polenta with mushroom ragout and asparagus with a hint of truffle served in a glass jar. For the full experience order a glass of crisp, saline Israeli Alma white or try a Basil Smash cocktail – a vibrant green mixture of Plymouth Gin, Italicus, basil leaves, citrus and vinho verde. If you’re feeling full, a single scoop of the Persian pistachio ice cream with a crunchy, slightly salty kadaif topping is a delight. For the full experience order a glass of crisp, saline Israeli Alma white or try a Basil Smash cocktail – a vibrant green mixture of Plymouth Gin, Italicus, basil leaves, citrus and vinho verde. If you’re feeling full, a single scoop of the Persian pistachio ice cream with a crunchy, slightly salty kadaif topping is a delight. coaloffice.com Lasdun, Southbank Tuck into picture-perfect buns and sip on summer cups at this expansive South Bank terrace overlooking the Thames. Expect seasonal British twists on classic sandwich flavour combinations, from Dorset crab and mayonnaise to treacle-cured Tamworth ham, and Lincolnshire Poacher and goat’s curd, caper and watercress. Pair with one of Lasdun's selection of refreshing serves – try the Lasdun summer cup made with Sipsmith London Cup for a British summer staple, or opt for the elderflower tom collins for a seasonal twist on the much-loved cocktail. We suggest following lunch with a post-prandial stroll along the South Bank. lasdunrestaurant.com Caia, Notting Hill Expect a menu of steak sandwiches and tequila cocktails at this suntrap terrace on Notting Hill’s buzzy Golborne Road. The terrace’s succinct menu is an extension of Caia’s signature live-fire cooking concept, where bold flavours and textures are cooked over an open grill. The stacked steak sandwich, served in freshly baked ciabatta from Layla Bakery, is packed with meaty umami flavour, layering a reduced Guinness and worcestershire sauce glaze with gorgonzola dolce and Lyonnaise onions. The side dish – a tomato salad of Nutbourne tomato, smoked tomatoes, miso cured beef and whey – is a refreshing, creamy antidote to the sandwiches' richer flavours. Caia’s signature dessert – chocolate and toasted rice soft serve ice cream with sweet and salty popcorn – is a must try for those into the 'swalty' food trend. Wash it all down with a spritz or agave cocktail – make a beeline for the spicy mezcal paloma using Ojo de Dios. caia.london The Campaner, Chelsea Barracks Hidden within the Chelsea Barracks development and opposite the stunning Garrison Chapel, The Campaner offers an exciting Catalonian menu. When the sun’s out, there’s an ample terrace to people-watch and enjoy the dining experience alfresco. It’s rare in London to find somewhere so close the hustle and bustle of city life while remaining peaceful. The menu has a good selection of dishes with a grounding in Catalan cuisine. Particular favourites were the iberian ham croquetas which had the perfect balance between ham and cheese in the filling as well as the seafood salpicón salad and ajoblanco, which was like a chopped seafood salad full of fresh summer flavours. For meat lovers, the iberian pork rice with brava sauce is a great sharing dish with smoky, perfectly cooked pork and a handful of jalapeños on top to give you true Spanish flavours. To finish, the pa amb oli I xocolata is a lovely, rich chocolate ganache, or the strawberry mille-feuille is a fresh way to finish, especially during the summer months. Ask for a view of the church to give you Spanish village vibes, especially when the sun is shining. thecampaner.com Joia, Battersea Billed as, ‘Where Lisbon meets the London skyline’, Joia Rooftop Bar spotlights renowned Portuguese chef Henrique Sá Pessoa’s favourite petiscos using the best of Iberian and British produce. Sat atop the 16th floor of the Art’otel development, this art deco inspired alfresco terrace boasts panoramic views of London, as well as adjacent iconic Battersea Power Station. Sá Pessoa’s menu includes a traditional bifana sandwich with marinated Iberico pluma and mustard, cuttlefish bun served in a squid ink roll with coriander mayonnaise and an heirloom tomato gazpacho topped with sweet, juicy cured watermelon. Cap off your visit with a refreshing cocktail by Joia’s infinity pool while taking in the industrial landscape. For those looking for something more spirited there are DJs, Thursday to Saturday evenings, as well as Solecito Sundays every bank holiday Sunday for exclusive entertainment, cocktails and BBQ Portuguese petiscos cooked on Joia’s Big Green Egg. joiabattersea.co.uk Yasmin, Piccadilly Circus Come for the sunny terrace and jewel box interiors, stay for the sharing plates at chef Tom Cenci’s latest venture at Piccadilly Circus. Inspired by a stint in Istanbul, the menu majors on superior dips, flatbreads and zingy salads and grills. Signature desserts are the pistachio ice cream sandwich and turkish delight cheesecake. Delicately spiced cocktails work throughout dinner – try Shapash, which blends tequila with chili, watermelon, strawberry and citrus. yasminsoho.com Lahpet, West End Perched in the heart of Covent Garden, Lahpet's terrace offers a harmonious blend of convenience and serenity. Nestled just moments from London's vibrant theatre district, it provides a tranquil escape from bustling city life. Indulge in a pre-theatre feast featuring a delightful array of small plates like split pea tofu fritters with tangy tamarind dip, or opt for larger plates, such as fried bream in a savoury tomato, shallot and garlic soy glaze. Check out the coconut noodle bowl with tender chicken – the spicy balachaung side perfectly complements its sweetness. For those seeking libations, Lahpet offers an impressive cocktail selection, ideal for unwinding after work under the sun. Savour the signature margarita infused with betel leaf tequila and jaggery, and elegantly rimmed with Himalayan rock salt. Or, tantalise your tastebuds with the Jewel of Mogok, a delightful blend of coconut tequila, spiced rum and passion fruit. lahpet.co.uk Kapara, Soho Channelling Tel Aviv, this vivacious Soho complex mixes music, food and cocktails, the fun spilling out onto a large covered, heated terrace. Chef Eran Tibi’s creative food revels in theatrical presentation and playful dish names. Dessert ‘gramp’s cigar’ very much looks like it, while deep-fried paprika marinated chicken thighs, with orange harissa kimchi and wild garlic mayo, are subtitled ‘crispy crunchy bums’. kapara.co.uk Dinings SW3, Knightsbridge Shaded by an ancient oak, the cute courtyard behind this west London mews offers a serene escape. Chef Masaki Sugisaki’s elevated fish dishes, sushi and sashimi are equally restorative. diningssw3.co.uk Bentley's, Piccadilly Circus Richard Corrigan’s classic, AKA the ‘grand dame of Swallow Street’, has been serving oysters, lobster bisque and dover sole from starched white linen since 1916. Its year-round terrace is especially appealing in the city sunshine. bentleys.org Tavolino, London Bridge Tavolino is a relaxed, modern Italian with a killer riverside view and a crowd-pleasing menu that follows the classic Italian model of antipasti, pasta, secondi and dolci. There is also a short pizza menu and daily chef specials. Antipasti include crab on bitter endive with ricotta and burrata with a slick of basil oil and a chunky sweet-sour caponata of olives, courgette, celery and pine nuts. Next try fresh tagliatelle with a spicy slow-cooked pork and ’nduja ragu and saffron-glazed monkfish with tiny gnochetti in a brothy fennel-spiked sauce and little zingy pops of sea herbs. Finish with an amaretto panna cotta and a quirky ‘liquid dessert’ tiramisu – a heady cocktail of coffee liqueur, vodka, cream and chocolate. tavolino.co.uk Hawksmoor, Canary Wharf This luxe Hawksmoor bar has plenty going for it, namely its slick water-level terrace set on a floating pavilion. The terrace offers respite from its business-orientated surroundings, with lush waterfront views and a decadent bar snack menu of seafood, small plates and American-inspired subs, as well as larger steak dishes. Highlights include a bowl of crunchy pickles, trout tartare with zingy citrus, chilli and coriander, langoustine scampi dunked into tartar sauce and fancy hash browns served with a pot of caviar-topped crème fraîche. The ‘Brick Lane’ sub is a crunchy explosion of Indian flavours, stacked with spiced cauliflower, raita and sweet chutneys. For drinks, big-hitters from its brother restaurant sit alongside cocktails ‘designed to be enjoyed with the sun on your back and the wind in your hair’ – the Cantaloupe Bellini has ample sweetness from the melon, lifted with Campari, moscato and prosecco for Italian verve. Desserts hint at childhood nostalgia, with ice-cream sundaes and toffee puddings aplenty, or seek pleasure in the heavenly trio of salted caramel rolos, best served with a tipple from the ‘Nightcap’ menu or a pot of mint tea. thehawksmoor.com Trivet, Bermondsey Tucked away in a quiet side street, Michelin-starred Trivet’s sunny, south-facing terrace has its own summer menu, created by head chef (and Fat Duck alumni) Jonny Lake. Start with snacks of springy Coombeshead sourdough and tangy kefir cultured butter, salumi and cheese plates before moving on to light and bright starters – of which the star of the show is the hot tongue bun, a golden parcel of tender, rich folds of meat with anchovy mayo, tangy hits of pickles and blackcurrant mostarda. Classic mains, including tender, well-made chicken leg ballotine, crisp, bronzed potato terrine and a meaty jus gras sauce are deftly executed, and the kitchen has a lovely way with vegetables – particularly in a dish of Cornish Earlies potatoes, creamy and almost fudgy in consistency, served with broad beans, seaweed and lovage. Wash it all down with a wine from Trivet’s 450-plus collection, or delicious non-alcs including zingy carrot beer. trivetrestaurant.co.uk Fiume, Battersea This contemporary Italian restaurant boasts a large terrace by The Thames, with dramatic views of iconic Battersea Power Station. Whisk yourself away to southern Italy with summery Malfy Gin cocktails, including the delicate, martini-style Essenza Di Bergamotto, laced with Italicus and bergamot peel, or a refreshing, citrusy take on a spritz using Malfy Rosa grapefruit gin. Pair with inventive cicchetti, such as Sicilian red prawn carpaccio and grilled calamari with watercress pesto, chilli jam and Sicilian lime. Mains include hearty Welsh lamb ragu on generous folds of tagliatelle, and round courgettes stuffed with seasonal veg. fiume-restaurant.co.uk Ombra, Hackney This ramshackle restaurant perched above Regent’s Canal in Hackney is a riot of pop art posters, bottles of low-intervention wine and cookbooks, with a hatch behind the bar where Mitshel Ibrahim and his chefs pass out Italian dishes. On a sunny day, sit at contemporary wooden tables on the sun-soaked terrace and sip on a bitterly refreshing Cynar spritz or a zingy, thirst-quenching non-alcoholic aperitif. Start with delicate, ricotta-filled tempura courgette flowers and puffed gnocco fritto pillows topped with peppered wild boar mortadella. Homemade pasta comes in all shapes and sizes, including thick tonnarelli laces that cling to spicy ‘nduja and tubes of rigatoni to soak up vibrant pea and mint sauce. For dessert, the chocolate cream-filled choux buns are the perfect size for a satisfying sweet hit. ombrabar.restaurant Nobu, Portman Square Summertime means sushi and rosé on the covered terrace of this central London hotel, a welcome retreat from frenetic Oxford Street. Don’t want to think too hard what to order? The Taste of Nobu option lets you enjoy delicate sashimi, black cod lettuce wraps, inside-out rolls and maki, and more robust flavours of crispy rice with spicy tuna while sipping Whispering Angel. london-portman.nobuhotels.com/nobu-terrace Circolo Popolare, Fitzrovia With its extravagant décor, Neapolitan-style pizza and fresh pastas (including a carbonara served in a hollowed- out pecorino wheel), Circolo feels like a portal to Italy. Its leafy terrace, like a courtyard you might stumble across in Sicily or Rome, continues that vibe. bigmammagroup.com Hoppers, King's Cross Any food lover will know that Hoppers gets its names from the crisp, bowl-shaped pancakes made from a fermented batter of rice flour and coconut milk. Try them, along with other Sri Lankan classics, at buzzy, spacious, family-friendly King’s Cross branch of Hoppers. The restaurant's plant-filled terrace is a lovely place to enjoy twists on classic Cocchi cocktails, including a particularly refreshing mangrove spritz laced with Indian Desi Daru mango vodka and elderflower soda. The Taste of Hoppers menu offers a variety of the restaurant's dishes in smaller portions, from hot buttered squid and crunchy mutton rolls filled with tender shredded meat to classic hoppers that are perfect to mop up fragrant chicken kari and a selection of punchy sambols. Make sure you choose one of Hoppers’ own beer collaborations, such as the Salt Brewery Toddy Ale that offers a touch of salt to combat the heat in the dishes, or the Two Tribes tropical lager for a refreshing lift. hopperslondon.com/kingscross The Pilgrm, Paddington This boutique hotel on a pretty Victorian terraced street in Paddington has a hidden secret at the top of its original mahogany staircase… A retro-chic lounge, scattered with coral and olive velvet chairs and marble tables, is the perfect hideaway for brunch or date-night cocktails. Doors open onto a cosy terrace, where you can sit under blankets with a hot chocolate or eggnog and enjoy the bustle of Paddington from a distance. Enjoy brunch until 3pm: tuck into brioche brunch baps, including thick-cut bacon with house-made ketchup and smashed avocado with feta and olive salsa. Don’t forget to peruse the grocery store-cum-coffee shop on your way out, stocked with Workshop Coffee, fig jam, Cretan woodland honey and more. thepilgrm.com CRATE Brewery, Hackney Wick There are few more lovely places to spend an afternoon than on the canal outside CRATE’s tap room in Hackney. Each week there’s a selection of guest bottles from a fruity brown ale to a dark Indian pale ale as well as regular casks and kegs of zingy lemon gose, velvety Crate stout and a crisp Crate cider. They do great pizza, too, such as sage and truffle, middle eastern lamb and spicy salami. cratebrewery.com Vinegar Yard, London Bridge From the folks behind London Bridge’s popular foodie destination Flat Iron Square, this amalgamation of drinking terraces, bars and street-food trucks is a great 'al fresco' hangout. Choose an Atlantic IPA from the bar that shares a space with artist Joe Rush’s workshop (check out his installations made from scrap metal scattered around the space), or order a glass of fizz from the pastel-pink prosecco van. Take your drink of choice to the covered grassy area of benches and tuck into street food from Baba G’s (chicken tikka burgers, loaded masala fries and poppadom nachos slathered in Indian salsa and fresh mint raita), Up in My Grill (perfectly pink flame-grilled bavette or picanha steak on beef dripping fries with chimichurri) or Nanny Bill’s (burgers and croquettes galore). vinegaryard.london The Waterway, Little Venice This large canal-side terrace is an ideal spot for alfresco eating and drinking. The large dining deck is well-equipped with huge parasols and patio heaters so you can sit out until late at night all year round. Huge goblets of gin are spruced up in perfect serves – Plymouth gin comes with refreshing lemon tonic, grapefruit peel and a stalk of lemongrass – or stick to one of the many wines or craft beers. Seared tuna fillet is perfectly pink with a tomato salsa, red peppers and artichoke, half rotisserie corn-fed chicken comes with French fries and slaw, and there are plenty of burgers to choose from, including the super deluxe beef burger with foie gras, crisp bacon and tomato chutney. thewaterway.co.uk Westerns Laundry, Holloway A residential road in Drayton Park might not seem the obvious choice for a restaurant with a view, but come summer Westerns Laundry (from the team behind north London’s Jolene and Primeur) outdoor area is the perfect spot to settle down with punchy negronis and bowls of olives among the olive trees. Long wooden benches come strewn with blankets, while trees and lush greenery add a sense of calm. Floor-to-ceiling doors draw back, so, even those sat indoors have natural light and warmth. Small plates and seafood are the focus on the daily changing menu, so expect dishes such as salted sardines, turbot, pickled mussels, baked cuttlefish fideo pasta and crispy ray wing with aioli. westernslaundry.com Rooftop bars and restaurants Llama Inn, Shoreditch Having built a cult following in New York, Juan Correa and chef Erik Ramirez have brought their critically acclaimed Llama Inn and its playful taste of Peru across the Atlantic, taking over the rooftop restaurant at The Hoxton hotel in east London. The menu draws inspiration from the chef’s Peruvian-American background and the drinks list features many of the original NYC signature serves alongside a wine list with a focus on low-intervention and biodynamic wines. thehoxton.com Boundary Rooftop, Shoreditch Boundary Rooftop is the ideal spot to rise above the streetside hustle and sip cocktails as the sun sets over a slightly hushed, 360-degree view of London. Shelter under the pergola and a string of fairy lights with a seasonal cocktail and a sharing plate of octopus and chorizo skewers, or fish or meat dishes cooked on a Robata grill. Or just head up after dinner and sit by the outdoor fireplace nursing a digestive glass of vielle prune. boundary.london/rooftop/ The Culpeper, Spitalfields There are scant opportunities to escape the concrete in East London, which makes the British woodland inspired rooftop garden at this handsome Spitalfields boozer all the more precious. Its raised beds and greenhouse (which doubles as a private dining room) provide herbs, salad leaves and strawberries for dishes such as the Rooftop Mess, a muddle of wild strawberries, Botivo aperitif, meringue and cream, preceded by lemon and thyme roasted Rhug Estate chicken. Sit among the silver birch, apple and hazel trees and watch the sun set with a woodland inspired cocktail, such as the rhubarb and ginger spritz. theculpeper.com Hidden gardens with outdoor dining The Corinthia, Embankment The Corinthia has an excellent afternoon tea and is home to Kerridge’s Bar and Grill. Now it adds The Garden to its roster of must-try restaurants. A chic courtyard – fully sheltered if raining – serves hotel classics with elegant twists. Starters include tuna tartare with sesame and ponzu, and a superior burrata and fig salad featuring the London-made La Latteria cheese. With the menu in the hands of executive chef Andre Garrett this is best in class cooking, including lobster linguine and a magnificent veal chop. Spatchcocked poussin with preserved lemon, cumin and harissa and smoky wood-fired pizzette (try speck, blue cheese and truffle honey) offer bigger flavours. A generous rose wine list, sink-into seating and striking flower displays make it an easy place to spend a hazy summer afternoon or evening. corinthia.com/london/restaurants-bars No.16, South Kensington On a sunny day, make the most of No.16’s hidden garden oasis The Orangery and enjoy a glass of wine in a thick-cut glass goblet, or afternoon tea perched on pale green garden furniture under elegant white parasols. Vases of white flowers dress the tables and Kit Kemp’s personalised Wedgewood crockery adds a bit of fun, with dancing mythical creatures from her favourite Indian fabric that literally look like they have been stitched on to teacups and saucers. If you’re lucky enough to bag the tiny gazebo, you can look back on the garden, complete with stone fountain bubbling away in the rectangular fish pond. firmdalehotels.com/hotels/london/number-sixteen/ Petersham Nurseries Café, Richmond Seasonal, Italian-inspired dishes are the focus at this charming café set within a glasshouse. Try risotto with peas, garden mint and Parmesan or spiced chickpeas with broccoli, courgette and nigella seed flatbread. Many ingredients come from Petersham itself, and, among others, you’ll find herbs, cherries and salsify growing along its walls. Supplementary produce comes from a tight-knit network of small producers such as Haye Farm, run by Harry Boglione, a son of Petersham’s founders. In summer, you can dine outside under a canopy of wisteria surrounded by roses. petershamnurseries.com Check out more London restaurant guides: Best restaurants in Marylebone Best restaurants in Mayfair Best restaurants in Fitzrovia Best restaurants near Oxford Street Best restaurants in Brixton Best restaurants in Notting Hill Best restaurants in Battersea Best restaurants in Shoreditch Best restaurants in Camden Best restaurants in Kings Cross Best restaurants in Soho Best restaurants in London Bridge Best restaurants in Hackney Best restaurants in Paddington
Some of the capital's best spots for a glass (or two) of wine – from cult natural wine bars to laidback neighbourhood joints
Looking for the best London wine bars? The last few years have seen London's wine scene blossom, with a crop of acclaimed bars opening across the city. Here's a little taster of what to expect, from vermuterias in King's Cross to Italian wine bars in Shoreditch and a wealth of friendly local outfits with meticulously curated wine lists. Next discover the best new restaurants in London, best dining experiences in London andthe best food and drink festivals to visit. Also discover some of our London food guides, including the best restaurants in Covent Garden, best restaurants in Kings Cross and best restaurants in Shoreditch. If you're partial to a cocktail served with stellar sound systems, discover our favourite listening bars in London. Best wine bars in London Bar Levan, Peckham Peckham's answer to the Parisian wine bar comes in the form of Bar Levan, where bottles line deep red walls, candles flicker alongside vintage Ricard vessels and co-owner Mark curates the list of regularly rotating European natural wines chalked up on the board. Staff wind through the handful of tables to make recommendations - a chilled, crunchy Austrian red perhaps as a progression from a rosé on a warm summer's evening, a honeyed Georgian orange with nutty finish to warm up on a colder night or a fresh, salty, appley Bavarian pinot blanc to accompany the succinct food menu. Smoked sausage embedded into a slice of brown butter brioche is a rich uplift on a hotdog. Beautiful orange peaches with creamy burrata and glistening crispy sage sit alongside Vesuvio tomatoes as fantastic vehicles for warm, crusty baguettes delivered at 2am each morning. An eclectic rotation of DJs on a Friday night add an extra je ne sais quoi to the already buzzy vibes of Peckham punters that spill out onto the pavement in the warmer months. There's also a short aperitif list including refreshing Lillet and soda or the floral negroni made with Suze, Lillet rouge and ELLC gin. barlevan.co.uk Sager + Wilde, Hackney With its many wines by-the-glass, its adventurousness (bottles from the Balkans and beyond), and its legendary cheese toasties, this East End venue was the first of the Capital’s new-wave wine bars, and it's still one of our favourites. sagerandwilde.com Dynamic Vines, East Dulwich Dynamic Vines, the UK’s leading importer of premium biodynamic and organic wine, has opened its first wine bar, offering European wines alongside charcuterie, cheese and bread to Dulwich denizens. The candle-lit space can be found on upper Lordship Lane – one of London’s best independent shopping streets – harbouring a cornucopia of much loved suppliers including neighbouring Mons Cheesemonger (which supplies the snacks), Moxon’s fishmonger and Bora & Sons greengrocer. A pithy, seasonal menu showcases independent winemakers, with wines sourced from minimal intervention, sustainable vineyards. When we visited we enjoyed a glass of IGT Venezia Giulia Slatnik, a chardonnay-dominant Italian orange with notes of stone fruits and baking spices with a touch of paprika. We also loved the gently sweet Jurançon Marie Kattalin, a French dessert wine with a rich nose of stone fruit, caramel popcorn and a hint of coconut. With a few individual tables as well as a large, eight-seater communal table and an outdoor terrace for sunnier days, this is a space which can be enjoyed all year round, with wines to take home or enjoy in the bar without any corkage fee. dynamicvines.com Marjorie's, Soho Though slap bang in the middle of Soho, its locals rather than tourists who frequent this Parisian-inspired wine bar, tucked away on a side street. Perch at the large counter table on the ground floor while owner Michael and team pour wines. A wooden dresser showcases the 100% French wine line-up, covering a diverse mixture of regions and styles. New bottles are opened each day to keep the ‘by the glass’ list interesting, with a sparkling, a couple of skin contacts, three reds and three whites on rotation – that might be a pétillant, oak-aged chenin blanc from the Loire, a chilled beaujolais or a robust Crozes-Hermitage. To pair alongside the wines, there's baguette with French butter and La Fromagerie cheese plates as well as Morello cherry rolled in chicken liver parfait and hazelnuts for a savoury Ferrero Rocher twist. Other highlights include lamb tartare studded with summer vegetables – sliced radishes, peas, broad beans and edible flowers – and comforting poached chicken and nutty rice bathing in a rich, frothy brown butter emulsion, with radicchio and leaves doused in floral orange blossom dressing to pair. For dessert, a towering slice of puff pastry mille-feuille comes layered with silky crème diplomat and strawberries, while cocoa nib and hazelnut-flecked warm chocolate mousse is spoonable comfort. marjorieslondon.co.uk La Compagnie Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden This stylish little wine bar hidden away in Neal’s Yard is the perfect cosy bolthole for a glass or two in this tourist-thronged patch of central London. La Compagnie has been a fixture on London’s new-wave wine bar scene since 2014 – it has sister bars in Paris and New York – and is set over two floors and a terrace, the latter a particularly lovely spot for drinking in warmer weather. The focus is very much on smaller producers and hard-to-find bottles, with friendly staff on hand to make suggestions. Those looking for a bottle have a hefty slab of a menu to investigate but there’s also an impressively lengthy list of wines by the glass – perfect for trying lots of different things. Spot-on recommendations from our server come paired with seasonal European small plates from new head chef Ranieri Raimondi. Highlights include a delicious Jura chardonnay, zesty and minerally, with plump, buttery drunken scallops in a rich foie gras sauce; and torched mackerel with breadcrumbs and endive paired with a light and velvety Corsican red full of juicy red fruits. compagniewinebar.com/london Farm Shop Wine Bar, Mayfair True hidden gems are hard to come by in London but Farm Shop’s underground wine bar truly feels like one. By day it’s a fancy Mayfair deli on South Audley Street, supplied by the company farm in Bruton, among other artisan producers. There are piles of fresh fruit and veg, stacks of chutneys and jams, and loaves of sourdough and pastries laid out in the window. From the afternoon, the basement space comes into its own. There’s no signage from outside, so it’s just the arrows inside the deli that guide you downstairs to a warm, cosy room, speckled by candlelight with a relaxed, welcoming vibe where you can sit along the windows to people-watch. The menu includes classic treats like rotisserie chicken and cheese toasties, alongside sharing boards of charcuterie and cheese from Somerset, near the company farm, as well as a selection of Swiss offerings. Clearly experts in cheese, with temperature-controlled rooms to store it, this is a great place to try Yarlington, Montgomery cheddar and a creamy Bath Blue. Most importantly, the wine list is 150-strong with some varieties from the company’s vineyard. Prices for a glass of house of red start at just £4.50, so it’s a surprisingly reasonable option for such a high-end area. A particular highlight is the Maid of Bruton sparkling rosé, which is ideal for a celebratory drink. farmshop.co.uk/london/wine-bar/ Carousel Wine Bar, Fitzrovia Carousel reimagines the wine bar format, doing away with cheese and charcuterie in favour of flavour-packed small plates, like Cornish tuna crudo in a lemon vinaigrette with crispy leeks; rye and Westcombe cheddar toast kimchi; fried chicken with pickled cucumber and scotch bonnet honey; and ceps tagliatelle with butter emulsion and parmesan, wiped clean with lofty sourdough spread with cultured butter. Make sure to finish with the large scoop of chocolate mousse, elevated with crunchy hazelnuts, sea salt flakes and olive oil. A list of minimal-intervention wines focusses on small, independent producers, with a concise list available by the glass or carafe, as well as an impressive bottle offering. carousel-london.com/winebar Trullo Wine Bar, Islington Feted Italian restaurant Trullo has opened a small but perfectly formed wine bar next door with punchy, moreish antipasti and intriguing left-field bottles. It’s a small space, and interiors are kept clean and simple – white and grey walls, black-and-white photographs of past and current Trullo staff and a long counter lined with wine bottles. It feels suitably cosy compared to the traffic rush of St Paul’s road outside. The seasonally changing wine menu, chalked up on a blackboard, flits everywhere from Catalonia to Cyprus, with plenty to entice. There’s lots available by the glass and pours are pleasingly generous. Adventurous wine drinkers will find much to explore on the list. We tried Georgian Okro’s Wines Rkatsiteli, a supercharged orange wine with cider-like funkiness and spicy, savoury intensity, but more crowd-pleasing, accessible natural wines are also available, like the tangily fresh Can Sumoi Xarel-lo from northern Spain. Equally appealing is the short and sweet antipasti menu: pillowy, salt-flecked focaccia; luscious whipped cod’s roe with salted crisps for scooping; crisp arancini and flavour-packed crostini – try the whipped ricotta and confit garlic. trullorestaurant.com Sol's, Bayswater Sol’s sees the team behind Margate’s Fort Road Hotel serving Iberian-inspired dishes in a sleek, wood-decked delicatessen and wine bar in flourishing foodie neighbourhood Bayswater. Highlights include tinned sardine pâté on sourdough; roast pumpkin, braised coco beans and taleggio; half a roast chicken with peppers and aïoli; and perfectly plump jamón croquettas. Don’t miss the chocolate mousse: rich, glossy, studded with sea salt and topped with a cluster of toasted hazelnuts. The drinks list includes low-intervention, European-focussed wine curated by food writer Mina Holland. Perch at the window-side counter with a glass of chilled Côtes du Rhône for a cosy date night spot (and if you really enjoy it, you can pick up a bottle from the fridge to go). instagram.com/solslondon/ Half Cut Market, Holloway Positioned halfway between Camden and Islington (hence its name) on York Way, Half Cut Market redefines the dining experience with its unique restaurant, wine bar and bottle shop blend. This charming venue, vibrant with a lively atmosphere, boasts an impressive selection of low-intervention and natural wines curated by the expert Holly Willcocks, inviting you to sip in style. Enhance your tasting experience with small plates thoughtfully crafted by the talented Aidan Richardson, a chef celebrated for his outstanding experience at Brat. The menu evolves with the seasons, ensuring that even the most devoted regulars – affectionately dubbed 'cutlets' – always have something new to enjoy. Among the standout dishes, the mackerel with lovage and dandelion deserves special mention – it’s so exquisitely tender that it melts in your mouth. halfcut.world Oranj, Shoreditch Oranj started as an online bottle shop and wine delivery service in 2020, specialising in natural wines. At its first bar, off Brick Lane near Shoreditch, unmarked double doors lead into a warehouse space that ticks all the trendy east London boxes – dim lighting, concrete and stark industrial fittings galore – enlivened by splashes of orange, bottles dripping with wax on the tables and high ceilings. The mood is relaxed (founder Jasper Delamothe describes the bar as a “pub for wine drinkers”), and staff are friendly. While there’s a lengthy bottle list for natural wine nerds to plough through, a pithier list of wines by the glass (as well as cocktails including dry gin martinis and spicy margaritas) is a good place to start. Highlights include Domaine Pierre Frick Pinot Gris Fischbach Maceration, an incredible skin contact wine with notes of tangerine, apricot and raspberry; and Magna Carta Wines Uthando Syrah, fresh and zippy with crunchy red fruit. Oranj also has rotating kitchen residencies. Our visit saw Nigerian-Colombian fusion cooking from Ayo Collective (highlights include zingy prawn tartare with lime apple and tropical lulo fruit; and lamb cutlets with incredible crispy sweetbreads), while previous residencies have included New Orleans-inspired outfit Decatur, and cult Vietnamese pop up Ha's Đặc Biệt from New York City. Check out @oranjwine for what’s up next. oranj.co.uk Bottle + Rye, Brixton This intimate wine bar and restaurant from Robin and Sarah Gill brings a slice of European café culture to Market Row in Brixton Village. The team behind Sorella, Bermondsey Larder, Darby’s and Rye by the Water took the classic Parisian bistro as their starting point for the interiors, dominated by an elegant marble, brass and walnut bar. Nab a seat here to watch the kitchen and bar team whip up cocktails and plate dishes. A menu of simple, deftly executed Gallic classics delivers. Succulent, well-seasoned pig’s head brawn terrine comes with cornichons, delicate rings of pickled onion and hunks of sourdough, and a luscious dollop of creamy smoked eel brandade is served with Pink Fir crisps for scooping. Veggie dishes also shine – especially summery pea and broad bean ragu and a salad of green beans and leeks with crunchy hazelnut praline. Don’t miss out on dessert – a beautifully made blackcurrant and fig leaf choux éclair on our visit. A mostly European list of minimal intervention wines includes plenty by the glass (try Judith Beck’s delicious Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch rosé) as well as natural ciders from the likes of Little Pomona, Brixton Brewery beers and a succinct cocktail list including a peach and jasmine americano. bottleandrye.com Bedales of Borough, Borough Located in the middle of Borough Market, Bedales of Borough is the labour of love of three childhood friends – Rob Dann, Jamie Watts and Mario Sposito – who took on a failing wine shop in 2012 and transformed it into one of London’s best-loved wine bars, with delicious food to match. With a wine list focussed on celebrating and supporting the diverse and colourful world of small, independent winemakers, and a menu where much of the produce is sourced from neighbouring shops within Borough Market itself, it’s little wonder that Bedales of Borough – affectionately known as ‘BoB’ to regulars – is still going strong a decade on. bedaleswines.com Bar Crispin, Soho With its stylish continental vibes, this poised bar on Soho’s Kingly Street serves lavish small plates ranging from native oysters, Neal’s Yard cheeses and Trealy Farm charcuterie, and elegant sharing dishes from head chef Brendan Lee. Make a beeline for the anchovy and potato focaccia; a decadent double-carb affair of bread topped with golden piped swirls of mashed potato, whole anchovies and salsa verde. We also loved the day-boat fish – sole on our visit – which arrived, soft and flaking, in a luscious pool of brown butter, topped with briny capers. Alongside this, a natural wine list focusses on indigenous, rare and old-world grapes, featuring smaller producers who use biodynamic, organic and sustainable practices. Expect to see wines from French regions such as the Loire, Jura, Savoie and Burgundy, as well as further afield, from Slovenian orange wine to Greek assyrtiko. The menu is ever-changing, with some wines only available in finite qualities so novelty is guaranteed. Staff are imaginative and generous with their recommendations, rustling up for us their last-ever bottle of Kiss Kiss Maddie’s Lips; a juicy yet elegant German pink fizz with creamy red fruit notes. barcrispin.com The Mulwray, Soho This plushily intimate, grown-up wine bar is hidden away above the Blue Posts pub on the edge of Chinatown, a setting that inspired its name (that of Evelyn Mulwray, Faye Dunaway’s character in the classic 1970s noir film). In contrast to the bustling surrounds of the pub downstairs,The Mulwray exudes a sense of lush calm, with a pin-sharp décor that includes high ceilings garlanded by foliage, dusty pink stools and sweeping midnight blue banquettes framing a panoramic window. The seasonally changing natural wine list – created by sommeliers Honey Spencer (previously Noma Mexico) and Sarah Wright – is playfully divided into sections such as ‘Firm Favourites’, ‘The Path Less Trodden’ and ‘Wild + Free’ and accordingly there’s a wealth of interesting wines to try if you’re in the mood to explore, from crisp and crunchy Austrian rosé to funky Portuguese co-ferments. Adventurous wine drinkers should make a beeline for the Sortevera Taganana Blanco, a gorgeously smoky, stony Tenerife white. theblueposts.co.uk/the-mulwray Noble Rot, Holborn Noble Rot is unique in that it started out as a cult wine and food magazine, which then grew into a wine bar and restaurant in Lamb’s Conduit Street. Since it opened in 2015 it has won numerous awards for its wine but also its food, which is overseen by executive chef Stephen Harris (of the acclaimed Sportsman in Whitstable) who backed owners Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew. The self-styled ‘Franglaise’ menu includes the likes of beef bourguignon with kale and mash; and braised turbot with fennel and saffron velouté, which can be matched with wines ranging in price from a £24 bottle of Portuguese vinho verde to a 1985 bottle of red burgundy at £6,750. Do visit their equally excellent Soho restaurant on Greek Street, opened in 2020. The choux buns filled with duck liver parfait are a must-order. noblerot.co.uk The Nook Deli & Wine Bar, Highbury This cosy venue on St Paul's Road in Highbury delivers quietly impressive small plates and a vibrant wine list in intimate, friendly surroundings spread over two compact floors. It's a joint effort from husband-and-wife team Angus and Lale Oztek-Pook, who both worked at the likes of The Mash Inn and Arthur Hooper's before opening their own place. The wine list – Angus's baby – is ever-changing and skips from exciting English wineries such as Renegade and Tillingham to wines from Austria, Turkey and Hungary, plus plenty in between, with a focus on organic, minimum intervention and biodynamic bottles. Highlights for us include Weninger Rozsa Petsovits, a deliciously funky Hungarian rosé, and La Fea Tambe, a tangy, floral orange wine. The petite cocktail list also impresses: try a lemony, herbaceous martini made with mastiha liqueur. The food is Lale's domain and seriously impresses, with masses of precise, vibrant flavours. Described as European with a Turkish twist, the menu, like the wine list, skips gaily across the continent. Try super-sized, golden, crisp pork schnitzel with fruity plum sauce; impeccably crisp, dainty seasonal salads; pillowy burrata with an umami garland of samphire, chilli and almonds; and hummus punchily spiked with naga chilli oil. Even the sides deliver, such as properly crispy potatoes with dips of piquant walnut ketchup and a ferocious yet moreish hot sauce made with Carolina Reaper chillies. Leave room for dessert: hazelnut parfait with miso caramel and cocoa nibs was as exactly as good as it sounds. There's also a chance to do some shopping before you leave, thanks to the restaurant's little deli and small selection of records from indie labels. thenooklondon.co.uk Passione Vino, Shoreditch Wine importers Luca Dusi and Federico Bruschetta have run this Shoreditch shop since 2013, supplying Italian wines from 75 different producers to top restaurants including Hélène Darroze at The Connaught and The River Café. Behind the shop itself is a ‘secret bar’ which also spills downstairs to the basement with small tables which can be booked. There’s no wine list or menu as customers are encouraged to discuss their tastes so the team can recommend something just a little out of their comfort zone. passionevino.co.uk Top Cuvée, Highbury This friendly, understated neighbourhood wine bar and restaurant on Blackstock Road is a relaxed affair but there’s some serious drinks talent behind it, from owner Brodie Meah (ex-Heston Blumenthal drinks expert) to business partners Max and Noel Venning, owners of acclaimed cocktail bar Three Sheets in Dalston. Their wine list changes regularly but focusses on interesting low-intervention bottles, with mostly light reds and textured whites on offer. The menu lists only a few options by the glass but this is deceptive – staff are happy to let you try most wines, depending on what’s open. Winners on our visit included Lucy M 3 Colours Red: a juicy, gluggable red made, unusually, with pinot noir and two white wine grapes – pinot gris and sauvignon blanc. Another hit, Podere Pradarolo Vej 210, was a lovely malvasia with bold stone fruit notes. They also have a cocktail list courtesy of Three Sheets, featuring an elegantly tropical take on a G&T as well as a deliciously tannic margarita made with an orange wine reduction. Drinks are accompanied by an affordable, seasonal small-plates menu – try the likes of beef dripping potatoes with aïoli, charred leeks and smoked cream, and Blythburgh pork chop with burnt apple purée. Do check out their online shop – Shop Cuvée – launched in 2020 to roaring success – for everything from natural subscriptions to superlative bottled cocktails. topcuvee.com The 10 Cases, Covent Garden The name stems from the fact that this buzzy little Covent Garden bar and bistro only ever buys 10 cases of the wines on the concise list in a quest to offer customers new experiences each time they visit. It was opened in 2011 by Ian Campbell and Will Palmer, who were bored of overpriced wine lists that never changed. Will says: “I think part of the success of 10 Cases is the constantly changing wine list and having more than 300 wines with very small cash mark-ups and small corkage charges. I think the ability to be able to drink really good and interesting wine in an unpretentious setting strikes a chord with many people.” 10cases.co.uk <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/2/2018/10/Interiors-at-The-10-Cases-London-0f6afdd.jpg" width="3976" height="2652" alt="A restaurant has white walls with wine bottles painted onto them. There is a distressed wooden bar with blue leather high stools dotted around it. The bar is laid with napkins, cutlery and wine glasses" title="Interiors at The 10 Cases Wine Bar, Covent Garden" /> 40 Maltby Street, Bermondsey Located under the railway arches where the weekly Maltby Street food market takes place, this bar is owned by nearby Gergovie Wines, an importer of natural wines free from pesticides and fertilisers. The wines from the shop can be enjoyed in the bar with seasonal dishes such as crab quiche and lamb sweetbreads with creamed broad beans. 40maltbystreetcom Quality Wines, Clerkenwell There are around 200 bins at any one time and, since it opened in June 2018, almost 2,000 different wines have graced the shelves. Gus says: “We try to keep things interesting and ever-changing, with around 18 wines by the glass. Many of our customers end up talking to each other and sharing wine – that is a particular source of pride.” qualitywinesfarringdon.com Peckham Cellars, Peckham Elegant floor-to-ceiling Crittal windows frame this breezy, laidback wine bar on Queen's Road in Peckham. Start with a glass of lemony Gusbourne fizz from Kent before delving into a wine list defined by sustainably minded, small-scale producers, with plenty of affordable options by the glass. We try another Kentish stunner – Westwell's Ortega Amphora 2019, fermented in terracotta jars – with fragrant apricot and honey suckle notes before moving onto summery, cherry-tinged chilled gamay, available on tap at the bar. A quietly industrious open kitchen amiably sends out plates of unfussy yet deceptively indulgent food. Highlights include springy sourdough with whipped lemon and rosemary butter, porchetta layered with crispy, salty shards of crackling and filo-wrapped asparagus with a soft-boiled duck egg for dipping. Save space for pudding – a decadent lemon meringue pie sundae is the childhood dessert of dreams. South-East Londoners looking for interesting wines to drink at home should also check out PC's Club Del Vino, which delivers curated cases of wine, as well as discounts and offers on the bar's online wine shop. peckhamcellars.co.uk Vermuteria, King's Cross Vermuteria opened at Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, in October 2018 and it’s the first café and bar created by chef Anthony Demetre and designer Michael Sodeau. As well as charcuterie and dishes combining European and British influences (think rabbit in mustard sauce, potato and kale; Galician octopus and chickpeas; or venison ragu and gnocchi), there are more than 70 vermouths on the list. The vermouth takes centre stage in the form of simple aperitifs and a base for cocktails such as the sbagliato (Cinzano Rosso, Campari and prosecco). vermuteria.cc The Winemakers Club, Holborn A shop and wine bar in the Victorian arches beneath the Holborn Viaduct, the site of this bar was a wine cellar for more than 150 years, including a spell as the Oddbins’ fine wine store. The bar offers wines from small organic and biodynamic producers from around the world, all them working with the same philosophy of focussing on the region and the grape varietal, and not using chemicals. The short weekly-changing seasonal menu includes root vegetables with farro and yogurt, and pigeon, bread sauce and hazelnuts. thewinemakersclub.co.uk Elliot’s, Borough Market Since opening in 2011 in the buzzing surroundings of Borough Market, Elliot’s has focussed on working with small-scale producers for both its drinks and produce, much of it sourced from the market itself. The bar adopted an all-natural or low-intervention wine list early on and has worked with Master of Wine Isabelle Legeron on its wine list. All the wine producers share the same mindful approach to wine-making as chef-owner Brett Redman does to cooking simple dishes such as grilled sweet and sour squash with chicory and Tunworth cheese, or cauliflower caponata and flaked almonds. Elliot’s also makes its own soft drinks and seasonal infused spirits. elliotscafe.com Terroirs, East Dulwich A veteran of London’s wine bar ‘new wave’, the original Terroirs opened close to Trafalgar Square in 2008 and it has since been joined by a second restaurant in East Dulwich. Both sites offer the same range of natural wines, including amber (or ‘skin-macerated’ whites) and ‘oxidative’ wines – exposed to oxygen during the wine-making process to enhance their flavours. The wines are global but the food is more European: expect duck confit, quince, ginger and pangrattato, perhaps followed by halibut, kohlrabi, mussels and seaweed butter. terroirswinebar.com Le Bar a Vin, Blackheath Parisian Jean-Philippe Tessier has created his own corner of France in this Blackheath wine bar, where cheese and meat platters are served alongside Gallic classics such as quiche lorraine, chicken chasseur and duck leg confit. What was once a neighbourhood Indian restaurant has been given the full French makeover, right down to the vintage belle époque posters. Jean-Philippe runs his intimate, minimalist and relaxed bar almost single-handedly and is always willing to share his wine knowledge, whether it’s about his beloved natural and biodynamic wines or which French cheeses work best with them. lebaravin.co.uk Photography credits: Aleksandra Boruch (Carousel Wine Bar) Check out more London restaurant guides here: Best restaurants in Marylebone Best restaurants in Mayfair Best restaurants in Fitzrovia Best restaurants near Oxford Street Best restaurants in Brixton Best restaurants in Notting Hill Best restaurants in Shoreditch Best restaurants in Camden Best restaurants in Covent Garden Best restaurants in Soho Best restaurants in London Bridge Best restaurants in Hackney Best restaurants in Paddington
Read our review of cool East End cocktail bar Coupette for Champagne piña coladas, calvados and French toasties
Coupette in a nutshell: Coupette is a cool cocktail bar that sells itself as “inspired by France but proudly local” (to east London, that is). Where is it? 423 Bethnal Green Road. Nearest tube: Bethnal Green While you're in the area, check our favourite listening bars in London. What’s the vibe? This is a super cool drinking den, where banter over the bar (made from French centimes) is encouraged. There's a soundtrack of hip hop, that has taken over jazz as the cocktail bar genre of choice over the last few years, and punters let loose as the evening unfolds, moving from high tables to mingle in with other cocktail lovers and choose spirits from the brick wall behind the bar. What’s the drinks menu like? There’s an extensive cocktail menu, with intricately illustrated ingredients (spirit bottles, fruits, spices et al) made into small pieces of contemporary art for each drink. There are some super-bold twists on the new menu – 18-year-old rum is washed in chocolate for the Chocolate & Red Wine, Cereal Wars is a malty take on an old fashioned thanks to toasted rye, barley and wheat; and purple and orange carrots add an earthy note to The Bitter Quarter. Which cocktail to order at Coupette? Champagne piña colada is the showstopper; a mix of Bacardi Heritage, French- Caribbean agricole rum, pineapple and coconut sorbet, topped up with Moët & Chandon brut. We also loved the buttery and smooth Corny Gimlet with a sour, smoky edge, garnished with a kitsch mini buttered corn. Code Rouge is a great way to end the evening, made using a combination of sherry cask whisky and homemade red ale vermouth. At the bottom you’ll find a bonbon of red wine ganache encased in a white chocolate sphere to melt into your mouth before you leave.
Try jugs of sangria, Cornish limoncello and silky charcuterie at Cornwall’s hippest beachfront bar
Looking for beach bars in Cornwall? Read our review of Watchful Mary, or check out our Cornwall guide here. Watchful Mary in a nutshell There’s a new spot from which to watch the sunset on Watergate Bay – a beachfront bar with small-batch beers and beats. Where is Watchful Mary? The latest addition to Watergate Bay Hotel, just north of Newquay – Cornwall’s ‘ski resort on a beach’, where swimming, surfing, and coastal walks are encouraged before dips in the pool, soaks in the hot tub, and après in the hotel – Watchful Mary looks over the water. It’s the perfect place, so say the owners, to catch the ‘green flash’ dancing along the horizon. Click here for more restaurants and bars with great views. What’s the vibe at Watchful Mary? Standalone from the hotel, Watchful Mary feels like the grown-up counterpart to Watergate Bay’s family friendly vibe. There’s a DJ on the decks, driftwood furniture, buttery tan leather sofa seats, and dozens of rattan lampshades in all shapes and sizes hang from the ceiling, as well as, of course, those views across the shoreline. What’s the drinks menu like? Things are kept simple and decisions come easy at Watchful Mary. Order a jug of sangria, or a martini (dry by day, sweet and coffee-spiked by night), or work through the local craft beer and spirits, including colour-changing rose-scented Cornish gin, Lyme Bay spiced rum, or even limoncello made from lemons grown in the Eden Project. Is there any food? Bar food at Watchful Mary consists of truffle-roasted nuts, plates of silky charcuterie, veggie antipasti and wedges of British cheese served with gooseberry and nettle or pear and nigella chutney. Where to go nearby for dinner Slope up to Watergate Bay Hotel, to Zacry’s for the likes of monkfish katsu curry and slow-cooked duck shepherd’s pie. And if you’re lucky enough to stay over, be sure to grab a place at the DIY waffle stand, then load up with sausage, bacon, egg and tomatoes for an extra-special full english. olive tip Check out the Watchful Mary website for the team’s tip on the best time to catch the sunset and the elusive green flash. Price Expect to pay around £7.50 for a sangria, or £10 for something a bit stronger. watchful.co.uk
Try cream soda whisky highballs, old fashioneds on tap and peaty scotch eggs at this Bristolian whisky bar
Looking for bars in Bristol? Read our review of Black Rock or check out our guide here. Black Rock in a nutshell The award-winning team behind London’s acclaimed specialist whisky bar Black Rock have opened a Bristol outpost serving high-grade drams and cocktails. Where is it? Marsh Street, just off main artery Baldwin Street. What’s the vibe? Smart and compact city-centre bar with a low-lit interior in charcoal shades including communal seating and artwork inspired by Japanese whisky culture. What’s the drinks menu like at Black Rock? There are six cabinets backlit in red and full of different whiskies split into fragrance, smoke, sweet, spice, balance and fruit-based profiles, plus six taps for draught lagers, IPAs, wheat ales and stout. Whisky varieties hail from around the world – the aim is to feature one from every whisky-producing country – but are helpfully arranged only by flavour. There’s also a short list of whisky-based cocktails. Learn more about whisky here. Which cocktails to order? If you’re an entry-level whisky drinker go for a simple, light and refreshing highball. Sweet toothed? Put your money on the Haig Club Clubman with coffee cream soda mixer. To tap into the fragrance section, try the robust 10-year-old Talisker with poky Chartreuse, Suze and lime acid. Cocktails correspond with the cabinet collections – the choice ‘fruit’ concoction is The Singleton with apricot brandy and orange cordial; the ‘smoke’ comprising of peaty eight-year-old Lagavulin, cucumber Lillet and Maraschino. Another interesting sweet option stars Bulleit with biscuits, Curacao and soy milk wash. Is there any food? The ‘scran’ section includes some sumptuous bar snacks – Helford River oysters; fat, oozy scotch eggs with peated Hollandaise; haggis sausage roll and soda bread with seaweed butter. Anything else? While the London branch has an oak-tree table that matures the whisky stored inside while you sit around it, the Bristol bar has an oak-tree installation planted into the wall which is kept topped up with rotating whisky cocktails – Old Fashioneds on our visit. Where to go nearby for dinner There’s a cluster of cracking Italian restaurants – La Sorella, Marmo and Pasta Ripiena – just around the corner, or Pata Negra on Corn Street for Spanish tapas to die for. If you want to stick with the Japanese theme, take a 10-minute stroll to Wapping Wharf and dine at Pata’s sister venue Seven Lucky Gods (and order the chicken katsu arancini). Price: A wee dram starts at £5; bottles are each labelled with one, two or three gems (£5, £7, £9 per 25ml measure) to signify where they sit on the price spectrum. An Old Fashioned from the whisky tree – Bulleit bourbon, sugar, bitters – will set you back £6. Insider tip: Spot a single golden gem? You’ve got your eye on a high-end whisky – POA. blackrock.bar Words by Amanda Nicholls
Pick and Cheese at Seven Dials Market, London WC2: wine bar review
Try Cornish gouda, floral orange wines and blue-cheese soft serve at this fun cheese and wine bar
Looking for bars in Covent Garden? Read our review of Pick & Cheese, or check out our guide here. Pick & Cheese in a nutshell Cheese and wine gets the conveyer belt treatment at this lively addition to KERB’S first bricks and mortar site. Where is it? A four-minute walk from Covent Garden underground station. What’s the vibe at Pick & Cheese? Located on the first floor of the open-plan Seven Dials Market, Pick & Cheese sees a conveyer belt bearing pretty pastel plates of fromage and charcuterie surrounded by a sweeping counter in trendy pink terrazzo marble, with high (slightly uncomfortable) yellow bar stools. It’s buzzy, busy and crowded, although there are a couple of booths if you prefer something more private. What’s the menu like? Think of Pick & Cheese as the turophile’s equivalent of YO! Sushi. Plates of (all British) cheese – price coded by the colour of their plates – proceed in a stately fashion along a conveyer belt, ready for you to grab. The menu (there are 25 cheeses in total) comes with detailed descriptions of each cheese and their individually paired condiments (plus wine recommendations), and there’s also a small of roster of cheese dishes you can order ‘off belt’ – from English halloumi with honey and oregano to four-cheese grilled sandwiches. Which dishes and wine to order? Cheese and condiment pairings are imaginative, with an occasional misfire but some real showstoppers. Londonshire from Wilde’s Cheese in Tottenham was a surprisingly firm soft cheese, creamy and mellow. It was winningly matched with an (overly generous) smear of honeyed garlic purée that impressed with its funky, tangy character. A surprise dream pairing saw flaky eccles cake fragrant with dried currants compliment salty, buttery, lemony Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire – fans of eating Christmas cake with cheddar would love this combination. Another star dish of the night was Cornish gouda with crunchy hazelnut brittle, the latter bringing out the gentle nuttiness of the cheese. Wines – sourced from Les Caves de Pyrene – are of the natural, small-producer ilk, and orange and white varieties come properly chilled. A 2016 Benimaquia Tinajas is intriguingly complex, with fragrant jasmine and honeysuckle, dried fruit and woody herb notes; while another orange winner, 2018 Baglio Bianco Cataratto, was super-accessible, clean and light, with just a hint of farmyard funk. Domaine Albert Mann Riesling Tradition 2016 was a classic example of the grape, super dry and flinty, with a whisper of lip-smacking juiciness. Austrian Fuchs und Hase Pétillant Naturel Vol 1 2018 had lovely delicate bubbles, with apple and rhubarb notes. Anything else? This bar could have been a gimmicky concept but makes an ideal destination for a post-dinner cheese and wine course or, given its central London location, as a shopping-trip pit stop. Where to go nearby for dinner Take your pick! Seven Dials Market is full of choices, from steamed buns at Yum Bun and Japanese Nanban to pasta joint Strozzapreti. Or check out our guide to Covent Garden here for more restaurant options. Insider tip: Don’t skip dessert – olive Chef Awards 2018 winner Happy Endings has created an incredible blue-cheese soft-serve ice cream (using Beauvale) that’s magic – the salty cheese pairing perfectly with super-sweet shards of honeycomb and chocolate shavings. Price: From £2.95 for a cheese plate; £3.60 for a (75ml taster) glass of wine thecheesebar.com Photographs by Nic Crilly-Hargrave Words by Hannah Guinness
Try tomato gin tonics, eucalyptus leaf vodka and scrumpy-like ferments at this clever Hackney bar
Looking for bars in Hackney? Read our review of Scout, or check out our guide here. If you like your cocktail served with a stellar sound system, discover our favourite listening bars in London. Scout in a nutshell Since it first opened in Shoreditch in 2017, Matt Whiley’s Scout has raked in the plaudits for its zero-waste ethos and focus on British produce, as well as its adventurous, creative approach to cocktail making. Fast-forward to 2019 and it’s ranked number 28 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list; set up new digs in Hackney; and fellow drinks maestro Rich Woods now co-owns the bar with Matt. Together they bring masses of experience and know-how to Scout, with Matt previously responsible for the likes of Worship Street Whistling Shop, Purl and Peg + Patriot, and Rich behind the drinks offerings at Duck & Waffle and SUSHISAMBA. Where is it? A four-minute walk from Hackney Central overground station. What’s the vibe? Clean, almost spartan minimalism, with muted pale-green walls, pared-back banquette seating and the occasional print. The space is dominated by a sleek bar, and shelves neatly filled with a Willy Wonka-esque array of ferments, cordials and infusions, from sandalwood vodka to samphire gin. A slightly clinical feel is enlivened by the friendly, easygoing, knowledgeable staff, who serve up drinks with impressive speed (many of the cocktails are pre-bottled to streamline service). What’s the drinks menu like? Scout launched a new menu this summer, Ecosystems, which is divided into three sections. Town & Cities focusses on ingredients sourced in and around London; Freshwater & Marine is inspired by the British coast; and Forest & Grasslands takes its cue from nature throughout the country. Ingredients are sourced with a laser eye on sustainability and locality, from ingredients gathered from Hackney Marshes by urban forager Jon the Poacher (@jonthepoacher) to seasonal ferments made from the skins of fruits and vegetables. Which cocktails to order? The Roe-Say – salmon roe distillate, tequila, strawberry, rose and native wasabi – was one of the highlights of the night: punchy and boozy yet still light, fruitily complex with a subtly funky saline edge. The Scrimsaw was like drinking the sea in the best possible way, with gin, algae dry vermouth, fino sherry, sea lettuce and razor clam coming together to make a brinily refreshing drink with a brackish twang that you’ll either love or hate, depending on your palate. Back to School GnT listed “cut grass” as well as gin, tomato vine, clarified tomato and tonic in its list of ingredients, and was deliciously smooth and sprightly with tomato flavour, with herbaceous and vegetal notes – all gin and tonics should be like this. The Eucalyptus Royal with eucalyptus leaf vodka, fermented birch sap and eucalyptus bark was sparklingly fresh, with well-balanced, cooling menthol tones. We also tried an appealingly scrumpy-like apple and pear ferment. Is there any food? Snacks on offer at Scout range from pretty plates of homemade pickles to platters of English cheeses with E5 Bakehouse sourdough and the bar’s own spicy tomato chutney. Where to go nearby for dinner: It’s an eight-minute walk to wine bar and small-plates restaurant Peg. Price: From £10.50 for a cocktail. scout.bar
Seymour’s Parlour, Zetter Townhouse, London W1: hotel bar review
Try aromatic spritzes, watermelon bourbon and pickled oysters at this acclaimed Marylebone hotel bar
Looking for bars in Marylebone? Read our review of Seymour's Parlour, or check out our guide here. Seymour's Parlour in a nutshell: Zetter’s award-winning cocktail bars have relaunched with new menus courtesy of London drinks duo Matt Whiley and Rich Woods. The brains behind acclaimed bars such as Peg & Patriot and Worship Street Whistling Shop (Whiley), and the drinks offering at SUSHISAMBA and Duck & Waffle (Woods), together they run much-feted Hackney bar Scout. Whiley and Woods have created separate menus for Zetter Townhouse’s two locations – Potions and Punches for Seymour’s Parlour in Marylebone and Cures & Curiousities at the ZTH Cocktail Lounge in Clerkenwell. Where is it? Marylebone – a four-minute walk from Marble Arch underground station. What’s the vibe? Eccentric Edwardian sitting room – this is a cosy, luxurious drinking den, with earthy red walls, richly patterned rugs on wooden floors, a profusion of gilt-framed pictures and portraits, velvet sofas, carved wooden chairs and oriental vases. What’s the drinks menu like? The new menus focus on 10 ingredients, from St John’s wort to vetiver, with an emphasis on clever, imaginative infusions and cordials that will be familiar to anyone who’s visited Scout. There’s also a roster of classic cocktails, beers and ciders, and a pithy wine list. Which cocktails to order at Seymour's Parlour? The Wishful Negroni was a fruitily autumnal take on the classic cocktail, with petit grain, blackberry Campari and 'elf oil' (a secret blend of ingredients including pine essence) adding woody, herbaceous notes. The Aphrodisiac Spritz – sandalwood vodka, pisco, raspberry brandy, clarified lemon and champagne – displayed a deft touch with bold flavours. The use of sandalwood could have been cloyingly perfumed but it was instead seductively aromatic (we were reminded of men’s cologne) with the champagne adding faintly biscuity dryness. Poker Face is another masterclass in balance, with sweet, almost floral watermelon bourbon matched with cat nip-distilled sweet vermouth and savoury amontillado sherry. Is there any food? Zetter’s head chef Ben Boeynams has created some pretty sharing plates and snacks. We tried a pillowy char siu pork bao bun; tiny, light-as-air pomme soufflé with smoked herring’s roe and crème fraîche; and pickled Porthilly oyster with dill and buttermilk. Where to go nearby for dinner: It’s an 11-minute walk to Roganic, Simon Rogan’s forage-focussed modern British outfit. Price: From £12 for a cocktail. thezettertownhouse.com
We've found the best places to soak up sunshine and city views with a cocktail or two, from slick hotel bars to hipster street food spots and everything in between
Looking for the best rooftop bars? We’re lucky if summer lasts a whole weekend in the UK, so when we do get a glimmer of sunshine, you need to know exactly where to go to make the most of it. With that in mind, we’ve put together our pick of the best across the UK, places with great drinks and even better views. Check out our pick of the best rooftop bars in London, or take a look at the Worlds Best Bars. If you like your cocktail served with a stellar sound system, discover our favourite listening bars in London. Skylight Peckham, London In recent years, Peckham has become home to many renowned rooftop restaurants and bars. Skylight Peckham, on top of theatre school Mountview, is the newest in the fleet of rooftop restaurants and boasts a striking sweeping city-wide view. The impressive interiors, including a zinc-topped bar are second to their signature list of cocktails – including a south London iced tea, packed with Hennessey and cranberry juice. A comforting and spacious interior makes this a perfect place for warm summer evenings on the terrace or even somewhere to sit and have lunch while working. A highlight on the menu was the burrata topped with smoked aubergine and nduja, or visit on Sundays for a rotating BBQ menu featuring South African, Portuguese and Jamaican dishes. skylightbars.com/peckham The Suffolk, Aldeburgh Restaurant-with-rooms where stellar dishes (try roast halibut with lobster velouté) are now served with sea views on a new roof terrace. Mains from £18; the-suffolk.co.uk Laurel’s on the Roof, London Poolside 70s LA chic atop Mondrian Shoreditch. An all-day menu includes tuna ceviche and lobster risotto. Mains from £16; ennismore.com The Ubiquitous Chip, Glasgow Eat the brasserie’s seafood risotto or beef and venison burger on a cosy terrace overlooking the West End. Mains from £16; ubiquitouschip.co.uk Frank’s Café, London This is about as trendy and hipster as you get, but in the best possible way. On top of a multi-story car park in Peckham, Campari is the drink of choice here (try it in a sbagliato if you find it too bitter), but there are also other cocktails and the obligatory Pimm’s and lemonade. Snacks are pretty good, too, so get some smoked paprika sweetcorn or sardines with tomatoes and oregano to have alongside your negroni. frankscafe.org.uk Varsity hotel and spa, Cambridge With views out over many of the university colleges, this sky-high hotel bar is the perfect spot to enjoy a bit of lazy sight-seeing. It is a big space, with different seating areas including sofas to sink into as you consider the bar’s extensive champagne list. There are BBQs every Friday-Sunday from 12pm: order a classic bun or try a tuna steak burger with Niçoise relish. thevarsityhotel.co.uk Angelica, Leeds On the sixth floor of the Trinity Leeds shopping centre, Angelica has a wraparound planted terrace and panoramic city views. Seats on the terrace are highly prized when the weather allows – it’s the ideal place to relax with a cocktail and a sharing board or plate of fruits de mer. angelica-restaurant.com Green Room, Leeds Hip brunch-lunch spot with a large, sunny roof terrace, and dishes ranging from rainbow bowls to pavlova-inspired french toast. From £8; green-room.com Studio Frantzén, London Björn Frantzén’s Asian-inflected Nordic food on Harrods’ top floor – the rooftop terrace offers views across Kensington and dishes such as sake-cured mackerel. Mains from £30; studiofrantzenlondon.com Bambalan, Bristol From the team at Hyde & Co, Bambalan is an industrial space made welcoming with bright blue booths and a huge, colourful mural. It’s open all day, with food cooked in a wood-fired oven, charcoal robata grill or rotisserie. The drinks menu is equally good, with coolers, vermouth and tonic pairings and jug cocktails the perfect pairings for the restaurant’s sunny roof terrace. bambalan.co.uk Observatory Bar, Belfast The Grand Central hotel's 23rd floor rooftop bar is a must-visit, before or after dinner. With its own private lift, it’s become something of a destination for trendy Belfasters. But don’t mistake that for exclusivity; the welcome as you reach the top floor is still very warm. Each cocktail refers to a local landmark – try Napoleon’s Nose (a heady mix of mezcal, Benedictine, fig and orange bitters), or the more floral Botanical Garden, made from gin, rhubarb, aperol, pomegranate, pink peppercorn and citrus. grandcentralhotelbelfast.com The Swan, Tenterden, Kent Expect inspiring views across Chapel Down vineyard and dishes of soused mussels, sea herbs, sourdough croûte and rouille. Lunch, two courses, £35; swanchapeldown.co.uk 20 Stories, Manchester D&D London group has bagged the 19th floor of the No1 Spinningfields building in central Manchester. With 360-degree views, the swish space brings the outside in with glamorous interiors inspired by nature (plenty of wood, hanging plants, stone features). The bar and outdoor terrace is dedicated to cocktails, including the signature 20 Stories cocktail made with Tanqueray gin, vermouth, honey and herb cordial, and grapes shaken with fresh lemon. Maene, London Overlooking Spitalfields, enjoy the likes of Cornish mussels in smoked cider and butter sauce. Core plates £10-19; maenerestaurant.co.uk Climat, Manchester Consider the city’s skyline over sharing dishes of, say, pork loin, smoked clementine and mustard seeds. Plates £8-23; restaurantclimat.co.uk The Sky Bar, Edinburgh The Sky Bar at the top of the Hilton sits between the Old Town and Lothian Road in the centre of Edinburgh. It’s only open on the first Thursday of each month so get there early to bag yourself a table and enjoy one of the best views of the city (the panorama includes Edinburgh’s iconic castle) with a craft beer, a glass of wine or a glass of fizz. doubletree3.hilton.com Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill, Birmingham Set in the strikingly modern Cube building in Birmingham’s Mailbox district, this restaurant is 25 floors up with panoramic views across the city. To make the most of it, head out to its newly opened terrace and sip a glass of Laurent Perrier from their dedicated bar. mpwrestaurants.co.uk Pergola on the Roof, London It’s not just the East End that’s turning its car parks into foodie hot spots. Shepherd’s Bush is getting in on the action with Pergola on the Roof on top of the multi-storey at Television Centre. With whitewashed woods, fairy lights and a giant pergola covered in blossoming vines you’ll feel like you’re on holiday. The food is great, too, with pop-ups from Salt Yard, Patty & Bun, LeCoq and Rabbit. pergolaontheroof.co.uk The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow On fine days, Rick Stein’s HQ opens its terrace for ocean views and seafood ranging from fish ’n’ chips to a blow-out fruits de mer. Mains from £18.95; rickstein.com Cavo, London A stylish, lively terrace near Tottenham Court Road where you can enjoy upscale Mediterranean plates such as seared scallops in champagne butter with chilli. Sharing plates, £13-48; cavorestaurant.com Sushi Samba, London A vertigo-inducing 38 storeys above London, you’re guaranteed some of the best views over the city at this Japanese/Brazilian/Peruvian mash-up. The crowds gather quickly but make it through the scrum and you’ll be rewarded with fantastic cocktails from Richard Woods. Think padrón pepper caipirinhas, Green Tea-ni and the much talked about Kobe cocktail; a take on an old fashioned washed with kobe beef fat and stirred with maple and salted caramel. sushisamba.com
Uisce by Heaneys, Cardiff: wine bar review
Try buttery Brazilian fizz and liquorice-tinged Australian reds at this laid-back neighbourhood wine bar
Looking for Cardiff bars? Read our review and check out more places to eat and drink in Cardiff here... Uisce in a nutshell Following the success of his first solo restaurant, chef Tommy Heaney introduces a second helping of his relaxed dining concept less than a year after opening Heaneys. With a focus on wine and a succinct – yet seriously impressive – menu of tapas-style small plates, Uisce (pronounced ish-ka) is the neighbourhood bar everyone wishes was at the end of their street. Where is it? Right next door to Heaneys in Pontcanna, a leafy suburb which has become a mecca for Cardiff’s resident foodies. What’s the vibe? The original restaurant’s muted grey palette has been brightened with house plants, exposed brick and a tiled bar straight out of a Mediterranean bistro for the second instalment. A chilled playlist and buzz of chatter from neighbouring tables creates a casual atmosphere. What’s the drinks menu like at Uisce? Rather than replicating the restaurant’s wine list, Tommy and team have curated a seasonally shifting line-up to compliment the dishes being crafted in the tiny open kitchen behind the bar. It’s an eclectic list which roams the new world as well as more traditional terroirs, with a couple of funky additions from the natural wine contingent. Learn more about natural wines here. Is there any food? If you can’t stretch to a splurge on the tasting menu next door, this is your opportunity to indulge in Heaneys clever cooking without committing to multiple courses. Taking inspiration from the tabernas of Spain and then adding his own local stamp, Tommy has assembled a bill of snacks, plates and charcuterie where shepherd’s pie (not as you know it: potato foam, crispy onions and unctuous ragu) shares menu space with giant gambas, smoked duck croquetas and tortilla topped with silky garlic aïoli. What should I order? Take bar manager Owen’s advice and pair a glass of the deliciously oaky Cantos de Valpiedra rioja with the wipe-the-plate-clean delicious Welsh lamb crumpet laced with peppy salsa verde. There’s a tempting collection of whites to explore, but the fiery hit of cayenne from the home-cured “Kick in the Head” charcuterie led us to the Clare Valley’s Unico Zelo Truffle Hound for its stone-fruit depth and liquorice undertones. If you really are just stopping by for one, order the vibrant Brazilian Casa Valduga fizz (expect classic buttery notes with exotic fruits on the nose) and a side of puckeringly punchy boquerones. Learn more about South American wines here. Anything else? Like any tapas joint worth its salt, Uisce stocks a sound selection of fortified wines. Follow dinner with a syrupy Monteagudo Pedro Ximénez, or Ferreira 10-year-old tawny port. olive tip Don’t even think about leaving before dessert; pillowy churros with decadently dark chocolate dipping sauce, and espresso panna cotta – just the right side of bitter – are worth staying out for. Words by Kathryn Lewis, @kathrynlewis92 heaneyscardiff.co.uk/uisce.php Photographs by clearcutweb.com
Wine bars are back, and this time the emphasis is on accessibility, sharing expertise, impeccably sourced bottles and well-matched food. Here are the UK’s best...
Looking for wine bars in London? Want to find the best wine shops in the UK? A new wave of hip, ultra-casual wine bars are transforming how we drink and eat. Heres our pick of the UK bars going big on exciting new wines and high quality rustic food that are set to overtake the modern British gastropub. After, check out best cocktail bars in London, the Worlds Best Bars and our favourite listening bars in London. Looking for an English vineyard break? Check out our favourite vineyards in the UK for tours, tastings and overnight stays among the vines Best wine bars in London… Top Cuvée, Highbury This friendly, understated neighbourhood wine bar and restaurant on Blackstock Road is a relaxed affair but there’s some serious drinks talent behind it, from owner Brodie Meah (ex-Heston Blumenthal drinks expert) to business partners Max and Noel Venning, owners of acclaimed cocktail bar Three Sheets in Dalston. Their wine list changes regularly but focusses on interesting low-intervention bottles, with mostly light reds and textured whites on offer. The menu lists only a few options by the glass but this is deceptive – staff are happy to let you try most wines, depending on what’s open. Winners on our visit included Lucy M 3 Colours Red: a juicy, gluggable red made, unusually, with pinot noir and two white wine grapes – pinot gris and sauvignon blanc. Another hit, Podere Pradarolo Vej 210, was a lovely malvasia with bold stone fruit notes. They also have a cocktail list courtesy of Three Sheets, featuring an elegantly tropical take on a G&T as well as a deliciously tannic margarita made with an orange wine reduction. Drinks are accompanied by an affordable, seasonal small-plates menu – try the likes of beef dripping potatoes with aïoli, charred leeks and smoked cream, and Blythburgh pork chop with burnt apple purée. topcuvee.com Passione Vino, Shoreditch Wine importers Luca Dusi and Federico Bruschetta have run this Shoreditch shop since 2013, supplying Italian wines from 75 different producers to top restaurants including Hélène Darroze at The Connaught and The River Café. Behind the shop itself is a ‘secret bar’ which also spills downstairs to the basement with small tables which can be booked. There’s no wine list or menu as customers are encouraged to discuss their tastes so the team can recommend something just a little out of their comfort zone. passionevino.co.uk Noble Rot, Holborn Noble Rot is unique in that it started out as a cult wine and food magazine, which then grew into a wine bar and restaurant in Lamb’s Conduit Street. Since it opened three years ago, it has won numerous awards (earlier this year it was the only UK winner in the World Restaurant Awards) for its wine but also its food, which is overseen by head chef Paul Weaver and consultant chef Stephen Harris (of the acclaimed Sportsman in Whitstable) who backed owners Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew. The self-styled ‘Franglaise’ menu includes beef bourguignon with kale and mash; and braised turbot with fennel and saffron velouté, which can be matched with wines ranging in price from a £22 bottle of Portuguese vinho verde to a 1990 bottle of red burgundy at £4,500. noblerot.co.uk Elliot’s, Borough Market Since opening in 2011 in the buzzing surroundings of Borough Market, Elliot’s has focussed on working with small-scale producers for both its drinks and produce, much of it sourced from the market itself. The bar adopted an all-natural or low-intervention wine list early on and has worked with Master of Wine Isabelle Legeron on its wine list. All the wine producers share the same mindful approach to wine-making as chef-owner Brett Redman does to cooking simple dishes such as grilled sweet and sour squash with chicory and Tunworth cheese, or cauliflower caponata and flaked almonds. Elliot’s also makes its own soft drinks and seasonal infused spirits. elliotscafe.com The 10 Cases, Covent Garden The name stems from the fact that this buzzy little Covent Garden bar and bistro only ever buys 10 cases of the wines on the concise list in a quest to offer customers new experiences each time they visit. It was opened in 2011 by Ian Campbell and Will Palmer, who were bored of overpriced wine lists that never changed. Will says: “I think part of the success of 10 Cases is the constantly changing wine list and having more than 300 wines with very small cash mark-ups and small corkage charges. I think the ability to be able to drink really good and interesting wine in an unpretentious setting strikes a chord with many people.” 10cases.co.uk <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/2/2018/10/Interiors-at-The-10-Cases-London-0f6afdd.jpg" width="3976" height="2652" alt="A restaurant has white walls with wine bottles painted onto them. There is a distressed wooden bar with blue leather high stools dotted around it. The bar is laid with napkins, cutlery and wine glasses" title="Interiors at The 10 Cases Wine Bar, Covent Garden" /> Vermuteria, King's Cross Vermuteria opened at Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, in October 2018 and it’s the first café and bar created by chef Anthony Demetre and designer Michael Sodeau. As well as charcuterie and dishes combining European and British influences (think rabbit in mustard sauce, potato and kale; Galician octopus and chickpeas; or venison ragu and gnocchi), there are more than 70 vermouths on the list. The vermouth takes centre stage in the form of simple aperitifs and a base for cocktails such as the sbagliato (Cinzano Rosso, Campari and prosecco). vermuteria.cc Terroirs, East Dulwich A veteran of London’s wine bar ‘new wave’, the original Terroirs opened close to Trafalgar Square in 2008 and it has since been joined by a second restaurant in East Dulwich. Both sites offer the same range of natural wines, including amber (or ‘skin-macerated’ whites) and ‘oxidative’ wines – exposed to oxygen during the wine-making process to enhance their flavours. The wines are global but the food is more European: expect duck confit, quince, ginger and pangrattato, perhaps followed by halibut, kohlrabi, mussels and seaweed butter. terroirswinebar.com Quality Wines, Clerkenwell Part of the neighbouring Quality Chop House restaurant, Quality Wines is run by wine expert Gus Gluck and chef Nick Bramham. By day a deli and wine shop, it morphs into Quality Wines from 4pm with 20 seats, a vintage record player and Nick cooking delicious dishes such as slow-braised squid and Roman-style braised globe artichokes. There are around 200 bins at any one time and, since it opened in June 2018, almost 2,000 different wines have graced the shelves. Gus says: “We try to keep things interesting and ever-changing, with around 18 wines by the glass. Many of our customers end up talking to each other and sharing wine – that is a particular source of pride.” qualitywinesfarringdon.com P Franco, Clapton P Franco opened on the site of a former Chinese takeaway in Clapton in 2014. Owners Liam Kelleher and James Noble are also directors of Noble Fine Liquor, a company which has retail-only shop on Broadway Market. Initially, P Franco was a simple takeaway shop that offered a small selection of hams and cheeses, although you could have a few glasses of wine while selecting a bottle. The venue always had a lot of chefs and wine people visit, and over time it grew with resident chefs cooking down one end of the table, and there are no reservations, with walk-ins only. Anyone who cooks at P Franco has only two induction hobs to work with and they do six-month residencies with the seasonal menu changing daily. Recent residencies have included George Tomlin of The Clove Club and ex-Rochelle Canteen chef Anna Tobias. pfranco.co.uk Le Bar a Vin, Blackheath Parisian Jean-Philippe Tessier has created his own corner of France in this Blackheath wine bar, where cheese and meat platters are served alongside Gallic classics such as quiche lorraine, chicken chasseur and duck leg confit. What was once a neighbourhood Indian restaurant has been given the full French makeover, right down to the vintage belle époque posters. Jean-Philippe runs his intimate, minimalist and relaxed bar almost single-handedly and is always willing to share his wine knowledge, whether it’s about his beloved natural and biodynamic wines or which French cheeses work best with them. lebaravin.co.uk The Winemakers Club, Holborn A shop and wine bar in the Victorian arches beneath the Holborn Viaduct, the site of this bar was a wine cellar for more than 150 years, including a spell as the Oddbins’ fine wine store. The bar offers wines from small organic and biodynamic producers from around the world, all them working with the same philosophy of focussing on the region and the grape varietal, and not using chemicals. The short weekly-changing seasonal menu includes root vegetables with farro and yogurt, and pigeon, bread sauce and hazelnuts. thewinemakersclub.co.uk Sager + Wilde, Hackney With its many wines by-the-glass, its adventurousness (bottles from the Balkans and beyond), and its legendary cheese toasties, this East End venue was the first of the Capital’s new-wave wine bars, and it's still one of our favourites. sagerandwilde.com Read our full review of Sager + Wilde here... Best wine bars across the UK… Pompette, Oxford A stylish, European wine bar and restaurant – named after the French word for tipsy – from husband-and-wife team Pascal and Laura Wiedemann. Head chef Pascal helped open acclaimed new-wave London wine bar Terroirs (he also put in a stint at Racine and ran the kitchen at Six Portland Road) so the wine list is predictably interesting, a collection of Pascal and Laura’s favourite regions, styles and producers, with natural and low-intervention wines, as well as more classic ones. There’s an emphasis on France, but the menu still covers a lot of geography, from English fizz to Spanish manzanilla sherry and Georgian orange wine. The food at Pompette is gloriously French, with an emphasis on the hearty cuisine of Alsace, where Pascal’s family is from. The bar menu is simple but refined and indulgent (chips with rouille, anyone?). Corkage, Bath When Marty Grant and Richard Knighting opened the first Corkage bar at the back of a small pop-up wine shop in Bath back in 2015, their philosophy was simply to make great wine and food accessible to all in a fun, unstuffy atmosphere. Such is its popularity that there are now two permanent branches in Bath and plans for more in other cities. There is no printed menu, with all seasonal small plates listed on little blackboards read to customers at the table. And there’s no wine list, so well-informed staff can offer suggestions to match the food. corkagebath.com Bodega, Christchurch, Dorset Megan Spink and Andy Fielden’s wine bar, deli and shop has picked up countless accolades including two in the Observer Food Monthly Awards. The pair pride themselves on searching high and low for products from the very best artisans and producers. The wine menu and cheese/cured meat selections change regularly and there are weekly events including wine tastings, cocktail masterclasses and cheese and wine pairing nights. bodega-bars.co.uk The Lygon Arms, Broadway, Worcestershire This famous 17th-century Cotswolds coaching inn now has its own separate wine bar specialising in Italian and European wines by the glass, carafe and bottle. A selection of antipasti and light bites, as well as pasta, pizzas and paninis with wine-friendly fillings such as butternut squash, blue cheese and walnuts. And if you are particularly partial to one of the wines you taste, they are all available to buy in the hotel’s boutique. lygonarmshotel.co.uk Salut, Manchester “Salut aims to be the place where you want to break bread and drink wine with your pals,” says Sara Saunby, co-founder of Salut Wines, which she opened with husband Jon in 2014. With the help of an Italian Enomatic wine preservation and serving system, Salut offers around 60 wines by the glass as well as a large range of craft beers and spirits. salut.co.uk Scarlet Wines & the Vineyard Table, nr. St Ives, Cornwall “When we started, English wine was very specialist and a bit of a joke. People take it seriously now,” says Jon Keast, whose cute combined deli, bar, wine shop and restaurant is a great exponent of Cornish wines. It’s only just warm enough in Britain to grow grapes, which makes it climatically suitable for “light, aromatic, crisp white wines”, and sparkling wines that utilise the acidity of almost under-ripe grapes. Scarlet carries a global wine selection, including 10 by-the-glass, but you’ll find regional wines from Knightor or Polgoon on its shelves. Jon particularly rates Camel Valley’s sparkling rosé (pinot noir rosé brut) and Trevibban Mill’s white merope. The latter is great with the kind of sun-kissed Mediterranean seafood that appears on the Vineyard Table menu. It includes small plates (crispy squid with tomato and pepper salsa), creative flatbreads (pork and pomegranate molasses kofta) and sharing deli platters. scarlet-wines.co.uk Loki Wine, Birmingham A wine merchant and bar with its own tasting rooms, Loki has two sites in Birmingham and more than 800 wines on its list. Customers can enjoy any of these bottles on site for a nominal £7 drink-in corkage charge and Loki’s wine dispensing machines enable the bars to serve tasters of some 70 wines, which tend to be exciting new discoveries such as bottles from Japan, China and Israel, alongside classic wines from the New and Old Worlds. As well as charcuterie and cheese, sandwiches and scotch eggs, Loki also works regularly with street-food businesses to provide guest pop-ups. lokiwine.co.uk Carruthers & Kent, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Located in the Gosforth district, Carruthers & Kent is wine bar, shop and deli all rolled into one, with a tasting room where owners Claire Carruthers and Mo O’Toole host events with visiting winemakers. Carruthers & Kent serves 16 wines by the glass and any bottle off the shelves can be enjoyed for just a £5 corkage fee. There are also wine flights, a range of additional fine wines, boards of cheese and charcuterie, and homemade pies and parfaits. carruthersandkent.com Friends of Ham, Ilkley At its buzzy, informal West Yorkshire venues, Friends of Ham pushes artisan food in all its forms, from charcuterie and craft beer to small plates of raclette, boquerones or bath chaps. The European wine list at its Ilkley bar, deli and restaurant includes 25 by-the-glass with newly popular styles such as the orange wine, Baglio Bianco Catarratto, or a Melaric’s Petillant Naturel Rosé. “Pet-Nats” are sparkling wines bottled halfway through fermentation; “a great alternative to prosecco,” says owner Anthony Kitching. friendsofham.co.uk Vine, Oxford A wine shop, café and bar on vibrant Cowley Road, Vine specialises in artisan, unusual and organic wines served with cheese and charcuterie boards in a bar with a distinctive tin roof and bare brick walls. The regularly changing wine list offers a range of up to 20 wines by the glass, focussing on small producers, natural and biodynamic wines, and sustainable wine-making. It also includes vegan-friendly wine options, and the menu offers a selection of gluten-free dishes with its Spanish-, Italian- and French-inspired small plates. Vine also has a growing retail section of more than 70 wines to take away (or you can enjoy them in the bar for a small corkage fee). vineoxford.co.uk Smith & Gertrude, Edinburgh Launched in 2015 by Amy and Duncan Findlater, Edinburgh’s Smith & Gertrude was inspired by the couple’s time living and working in Melbourne, San Francisco, New York and Italy. Wines (more than 20 by the glass) and cheese are the focus but music and books come a close second with an ever-expanding and eclectic vinyl collection (team members buy one new record a week so it’s as democratic as possible) and a monthly wine and book club in collaboration with local bookshop Golden Hare Books. smithandgertrude.com Porta, Manchester Founded by brothers Ben and Joe Wright, there are now three Porta wine and tapas bars spread across the north-west, the latest of which opened in Salford at the end of 2018. The Iberian-influenced tapas – staples of jamón, croquetas and patatas bravas but also slow-roasted ox cheek, pickled walnuts and purple sprouting broccoli with romesco sauce – is complemented by a carefully curated selection of Spanish wines, cava, beer, sherries and vermouth. portatapas.co.uk Plateau, Brighton “It’s so fresh and vivid that once you’ve tasted natural wine there is no step back,” insists Thierry Pluquet, co-founder of Brighton’s evangelistic bar-restaurant, Plateau. Around 99% of its 100+ wines are natural; that is, wines made with almost no chemical or technological intervention. The natural wine movement, which began in Beaujolais in the ʼ70s, has recently swept the major French cities and is now making serious inroads in the UK. To its supporters, natural wine is a rediscovery of the true flavour of various wine styles without the dulling effects of stabilisers and preservatives such as sulphites. Chef Dan Cropper’s Plateau menu is suitably full of vibrant flavours. It takes-in bar nibbles, charcuterie and plates of cured salmon with oyster, fennel and blood orange or onglet with jerusalem artichoke. Thierry recommends easy-drinking wines from the Ardèche as an entry-point (try the Domaine les Deux Terres’ Grenache Vin Nu). Critics claim that natural wines (17 by-the-glass) don’t age well and, lacking preservatives, develop “off” flavours, but Thierry insists that problem is being resolved: “Makers are producing more stable wines, but still experimenting.” plateaubrighton.co.uk Ox Cave, Belfast Next door to Belfast’s Ox restaurant, Cave is a wine bar where you can enjoy light bites such as pickled Irish herring on toasted sourdough, or plates of carefully sourced charcuterie and cheese accompanied by high-quality wines from all over the world. It’s owned by Belfast-born chef Stephen Toman and French sommelier Alain Kerloc’h, who met while working in a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris. To encourage customers to experience new wines, you can try any by the glass and there are monthly wine tastings. oxbelfast.com Wright’s Wines, Cardiff An offshoot of the brilliant family-run Wright’s Food Emporium at Llanarthney on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, this wine bar in Cardiff’s Victorian-built Castle Arcade is certainly compact but it goes big on natural wines from small growers, served by the glass and bottle. With so little space, the food menu is understandably concise but includes coppa and piccalilli, and a welsh rarebit and leek sandwich. Visit on Sundays when it sells any bottle at ‘shelf price’ with no corkage if you drink it on the premises, which essentially means a saving of more than a third. wrightsfood.co.uk Cave du Cochon, York Cave du Cochon is owned by Victoria and Josh Overington, who also run the restaurant Le Cochon Aveugle nearby. This wine bar and bistro serves small plates, farmhouse cheeses and charcuterie from across Britain and France, with the 200 wines on the list sourced from the smaller grower-producers, most of whom use low-intervention methods. Sommelier Victoria says: “We like our wines to be a true expression of their terroir, to tell the story of what happened with each vintage. They don’t have to be specifically natural or organic, we just choose delicious wines.” caveducochon.uk Le Pinardier, Deal, Kent This sister venue to the Frog & Scot restaurant serves predominantly French organic or natural wines (10 or more by-the-glass), charcuterie and cheeses. @Le_Pinardier Buyers’ Club, Liverpool This bar, restaurant and music venue carries organic wines from as far afield as Serbia and Oregon, many natural or biodynamic. 14 by-the-glass, served with chef Dan Heffy’s creative bar menu (eg. aubergine tempura with molasses syrup). buyers-club.co.uk Beckford Bottle Shop, Bath What started as a modest shop in the Wiltshire village of Tisbury has recently grown into a flagship bar, restaurant and wine shop in Bath, which has already received rave reviews. Beckford Bottle Shop serves inventive small plates, British charcuterie and cheeses, and an enormous range of wines. This is a place where locals pop in for an informal lunch but in the evenings there are regular wine talks, wine and food courses, and private dining. All the wine shop’s bottles can be opened to enjoy with a meal in the restaurant for a simple corkage charge, which gives customers reasonable prices and a wide variety. beckfordbottleshop.com Joe’s Bar, Dartmouth On the quayside, Joe’s is a standalone bar but also an integral part of The Seahorse restaurant run for the past 10 years by chefs Mitch Tonks and Mat Prowse. This intimate, wood-panelled bar has been likened to Harry’s in Venice and it’s used by diners before and after dinner at The Seahorse, and by locals dropping in for a drink. As well as a superb range of wines (many by the glass and half-bottle), vermouths and spirits, it serves Italian salamis and cheeses, and small plates and cicchetti from The Seahorse’s kitchen. seahorserestaurant.co.uk Maul’s, Salisbury Andy Maul and his wife, Ellen, launched their eponymous wine bar on Fish Row at the end of 2017, although it wasn’t the easiest of beginnings given that the street was closed off for several months during the Novichok poisonings investigations. Business has certainly picked up since and you have to book a table most evenings, when around 30 wines by the glass are served alongside sharing slates of artisan cheeses and cured meats. maulswinebar.com The Wine Store, Charlestown, Cornwall Slap-bang in the quaint fishing village where they film much of the TV series Poldark, The Wine Store opened at the end of 2018. Adjacent to The Longstore restaurant, this new tasting lounge and shop is run by the Pollocks Pub Co and offers a wide selection of wines by small artisan producers, and resident sommelier Gina Barr is often on hand for advice on the wines and host regular tastings and events. facebook.com/thewinestorecharlestown <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/2/2018/10/Clinking-Wine-Glasses-Outside-The-Wine-Store-Charlestown-Cornwall-577ec70.jpg" width="6000" height="4000" alt="Two people are holding glasses. One is a glass of red and the other is a glass of white. The glasses are about to touch in the image and in the background is a glass door with 'The Wine Store' etched onto it" title="Clinking Glasses Outside The Wine Store Charlestown, Cornwall" /> The Bishop’s Cave, Bishop's Stortford “I think what people enjoy about our bar is the simplicity,” muses Dan Leak, who owns The Bishop’s Cave in Hertfordshire with dad Steve. “We specialise in wine, craft beer and cheese, and we try to do them all well. We keep it relaxed, informal and sociable.” Every item is hand-picked and tested, and as well as a fantastic range of wines, the food is simple, with antipasti and cheese/charcuterie boards alongside pork pies or scotch eggs with piccalilli. thebishopscavestortford.co.uk Barrique, Lytham, Lancashire Paradise for the curious, this buzzing wine shop, deli and bar offers 24 wines in measures from 25ml. Graze on salads and charcuterie. barriquelytham.com David Brown’s Deli and Wine Bar, Whitstable A small but perfectly formed wine bar with just one table; book it to enjoy a lunch of small sharing plates such as antipasti, chicken liver parfait and locally caught fish. Swing by on a Friday night in the summer and people will be spilling out onto the street. davidbrowndeli.co.uk Words by Mark Taylor, Tony Naylor and Hannah Guinness Photographs by Sam Ashton, John Carey, Tom Parker Bowles and Whitney Hocking
Lyaness, London SE1: cocktail bar review
Try elegant tiki cocktails, funky daiquiris and banana-tinged sazeracs at Ryan Chetiyawardana’s newest opening
Looking for bars in South Bank? Read our review of Lyaness, or check out our London bar reviews here. Lyaness in a nutshell When drinks maestro Ryan Chetiyawardana’s lavishly garlanded Dandelyan (including World’s Best Bar in 2018) closed earlier this year at Sea Containers London it was swiftly replaced by his next incarnation – Lyaness. Where is it? South Bank. Nearest tube: Blackfriars underground station What’s the vibe? The sweeping green marble bar and sleek mid-century aesthetic remains at Lyaness, but this time the colour palate is lighter (but still statement-making), with sky-hued walls, soft-grey sofas and electric-blue banquettes, plus lots of opulent gold accents. What’s the drinks menu like? While Dandelyan’s thematically complex menus covered topics such as botany, sustainability and agriculture, Lyaness is more pared back, with a cocktail menu built around seven key ingredients. If this sounds simple then rest assured there’s plenty of Ryan’s characteristically intricate drinks wizardry going on behind the scenes, with each ‘ingredient’ the end result of various clever processes and techniques. Take Infinite Banana, made from bananas that have undergone everything from curing to fermentation, until the end result is intriguingly multi-layered: creamy, sweet, smoky, caramelised, tropical and umami all at once. Or the oddball ONYX, a spirit made in collaboration with Copenhagen’s Empirical Spirits that uses ingredients such as blackened koji, birchwood kombucha and Equinox hops to create an intriguing savoury/sweet concoction with fruity funkiness. You can try a £2 taster of all the ingredients if you’re curious to try them on their own. Which cocktails to order? The layered nature and versatility of these ingredients becomes truly apparent once they’re used in cocktails (some of which come with boozeless options). In the tiki-inspired Double Painkiller – Infinite Banana, Bombay Sapphire gin, Bacardí Cuatro rum, toasted coconut, lemon and orange – where one would expect banana to dominate it instead blends seamlessly within a smooth, elegant drink with bright tropical notes, and subtle smokiness at the finish. The Rosa Daquiri sees Grey Goose vodka, Trois Rivières rum, Cocchi Rosa vermouth and lime join ONYX in a fruity, citrussy creation with a subtle funk and a surprising cocoa-tinged finish. Click here for more rum cocktails. Is there any food? Bar snacks range from buttery Nocellara olives and moreish spiced nuts to tacos (think sea bass, pulled jerk pork and goat’s cheese), buttermilk chicken sliders, Irish rock oysters and more. Where to go nearby for dinner: An 11-minute walk away on the first floor of the Royal Festival Hall, head to Skylon for seasonal modern British food and great views of the Thames. olive tip The core menu ingredients can also be used to customise your favourite cocktails – chat to the knowledgeable bar staff about your preferences and they’ll whip up something for you (top tip: Infinite Banana in a sazerac is a winner). Price: From £13 for a cocktail. lyaness.com Words by Hannah Guinness
Check out our bar review of Three Sheets Dalston from Max and Noel Venning, including the best cocktails to order and where to eat nearby
Three Sheets won Bar of the Year at CLASS bar awards 2019, here's why to head in to celebrate... Next discover our favourite listening bars in London. Three Sheets in a nutshell: A stripped-back cocktail bar with a succinct list of drinks and a buzzy neighbourhood hang-out vibe. Where is it? 510b Kingsland Road. Nearest tube: Dalston Junction overground station. Who’s behind Three Sheets? This is 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. Max also won bartender of the year at CLASS bar awards 2019. What’s the vibe? 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. What’s the drinks menu like? The menu reflects the name, and is split into three ‘sheets’ (aka pages), with three cocktails on each. The first ‘sheet’ showcases lighter, aperitif-style cocktails, and the drinks become more complex and punchy as the sheets unfold. There are a few beers from local breweries and a red, white and sparkling Italian wine for good measure. Which cocktail to order at Three Sheets? The fizzy pre-bottled French 75, made with gin, verjus, clarified lemon juice, moscato and orange flower, is 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). Different but equally as sinkable is the Scottish coffee, an indulgent take on its Irish counterpart. Super-smooth hot coffee is combined with salted coffee liqueur and whisky ‘washed’ in salty butter. A shortbread-infused cream top is the icing on this creamy, biscuity drink that could be mistaken in appearance (and smoothness) for a mini Guinness. Is there any food? Not really, unless you count honey almonds and olives. This is more of a pre or post-dinner destination. Anything else? Three Sheets opens at 2pm on Saturdays, so pop in for a chat and an Alchemy coffee, hand-roasted in Wimbledon. Insider tip: As their French 75 serve suggests, the boys are big on pre-batched ingredients that every top bartender relies on to create cocktails on a busy night. Look out for their book, Batched & Bottled, out May, that teaches you how to make creative concoctions at home. We predicted pre-bottled cocktails to be a big trend for 2018, here's what else we predicted... Where to go nearby for dinner: Chick ’n’ sours is practically next door, perfect for some pre-cocktail carbs, in the form of fried chicken, to line your stomach for a late night at Three Sheets. threesheets-bar.com
Fare Bar + Canteen, London EC1: cocktail bar review
The latest launch from the team behind Sager + Wilde delivers punchy, creative cocktails, intriguing wines and pared-back sharing plates
Looking for bars in Clerkenwell? Read our review of Fare, a creative bar and eatery on Old Street Fare in a nutshell: An ambitious new bar and restaurant from Michael Sager and Marcis Dzelzainis, the duo behind much-loved east London wine spot Sager + Wilde. Check out more wine bars that serve food here. Where is it? A six-minute walk from Barbican underground station. What’s the vibe? Fare, located in the old Morelands building on Old Street, is a venue of two halves. Entry takes you first to the Upstairs Bar, a large, light-filled minimalist space with Crittal windows, high ceilings and pendant lamps, dominated by a sweeping marble-topped, horseshoe-shaped bar. Head downstairs to find a more intimate restaurant and bar set-up: low lighting casts a soft glow across the basement room, with an exposed-pipe ceiling brightened up with whitewashed brick and plants of all shapes and sizes. What’s the drinks menu like? There’s lots to explore at Fare. On the ground floor there’s a roster of pithy, affordably priced cocktails on tap, from nitro espresso martini to old fashioned, plus coffee (from Assembly Coffee in Brixton), natural wines and beers. Downstairs there’s a separate menu of pricier cocktails replete with à la mode and homemade ingredients – from clarified milk to celeriac-infused vermouth. There’s also a 250-strong, Sager + Wilde-curated wine list, packed with boutique producers hailing anywhere from Burgundy to Greece. Which drinks to order at Fare? Cocktails on tap are easy-drinking, yet refined. Altos tequila and sour cherry with Punt e Mes vermouth, verjus and eucalyptus is a dream pairing, the mouth-puckering dryness of the fruit a match for the bright vegetal notes of the spirit. A Green Apple Spritz – Lillet Blanc vermouth, clarified Granny Smith apple juice, 30&40 Aperitif de Normandie (a blend of calvados, pommeau and rum) and soda water – was bright and refreshing, with a distinctive green apple snap. Downstairs, drinks are complex and punchy. Gin infused with petit grain (an essential oil extracted from the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree) gives a negroni a herbaceous edge, while a celeriac martini is a crystalline yet earthy and deeply savoury marriage of Beefeater gin with celeriac-infused vermouth, celeriac brine and sherry. An on-trend milk punch with clarified milk (where the dairy solids are removed, leaving behind a clear, light liquid that retains the creamy character and silky mouthful of milk), beurre noisette (brown butter), cognac and lemon is the standout drink of the night, with subtle salty-sweet butterscotch and lactic notes. The wine list is dense, so do chat to the helpful sommelier if you’re feeling daunted. A Greek moschofilero is aromatic, fresh and vibrant, while another Greek wine, a robola, is more robust and round, with oak notes and a long finish thanks to the limestone the vines are grown in. On the reds list, a tempranillo has very ripe fruit but retained a refreshing acidity, while an intense Georgian saperavi budeshuri delivered plenty of well-integrated tannins and an earthy complexity. Is there any food? Downstairs, head chef Thomas Raymond – previously of the now closed Michelin-starred Ellory – has put together a menu of seasonal, vegetable-forward small plates and larger sharing ones. Dishes are simple but pack in plenty of flavour, from spicy pickled carrots with soft goat’s curd and soft, pillowy sesame flatbread, to a flatbread unctuously topped with brown butter, smoky caramelised aubergine and sumac, covered with a slightly OTT duvet of fresh green herbs. Confit fennel with chilli and goat’s curd on toast is a mixed affair – the vegetable cooked until lusciously soft, but the dish as a whole too oily, needing the zing of citrus to lift it. A whole plaice comes basted in a lavish curry brown butter – the sweet, mild flesh the perfect foil for the spices. Beautifully flavoured Denver beef, lightly seared and caramelised around the edges, is elegant, the richness of the meat balanced by a tangy pomegranate sauce and another verdant blanket of fresh, whole herbs. Where to go nearby for dinner: Head to Luca, a four-minute walk away, for modern European fine dining. Price: From £4.50 for a cocktail upstairs, and from £6 downstairs. farebarandcanteen.com Words by Hannah Guinness
Library Bar at The Ned, London EC2: cocktail bar review
1930s-style interiors, champagne and martini trolleys are on the agenda for this plush City cocktail bar
Looking for cocktail bars in The City? Check out our review of Library Bar, a plush, intimate addition to The Ned. In a nutshell: This luxe bar at The Ned serves champagne and bespoke martinis. Where is it? The City, a three-minute walk from Bank underground station. What’s the vibe? With 17 bars there’s no lack of drinking opportunities at The Ned but what sets Library Bar apart is its more private atmosphere – a desirable quality for those who find the open-plan, food-court-style layout of the hotel’s other restaurants and bars a little overwhelming. Enter through a dramatic, sweeping jacquard curtain and discover a surprisingly intimate, 1930s-esque space with comfortable velvet armchairs, a bar clad in oxblood leather and soft lighting. What’s the drinks menu like? Aside from a pithy list of house cocktails the main focus is on champagne and martinis. There’s 30 varieties of the former and for the latter an extensive list of gins, vodkas and vermouths. Click here for more martini recipes. Which cocktails to order? The house cocktails acquit themselves well, especially the Apricot Vesper – a floral, dry blend of Botanist gin, Sipsmith Sipping Vodka, fino sherry, Cocchi Americano vermouth and apricot. The star of the show, however, is the martini menu. Choose a combination of gin or vodka, and vermouth (or ask the knowledgeable staff to make one up for you) and have a white-jacketed bartender wheel a trolley laden with booze to the table to mix up your drink, served in super-chilled glasses. Our wet martini – salty Rock Sea vodka, Regal Rogue Daring Dry vermouth and nutty Xeco amontillado sherry – was deliciously saline and punchy. Try our martini cocktail recipes here chocolate martini elderflower martini breakfast martini Is there any food? There’s a luxe bar snacks menu featuring the likes of caviar, oysters and wagyu beef tartare. Where to go nearby for dinner: Head back out to the main hall to explore The Ned’s nine different restaurants. Price: From £16 for a cocktail. thened.com
Read our review of Original Sin, a cosy neighbourhood bar in North London serving killer Old Fashioned's
Looking for places to drink in North London? Read our review of Original Sin, a cosy neighbourhood bar in Stoke Newington. Original Sin in a nutshell: A dimly-lit neighbourhood basement bar serving creative cocktails with a focus on obscure spirits. Where is it? Stoke Newington, a seven-minute walk from Stoke Newington overground station. What’s the vibe? Dark and cosy, a long bar with stools hugs one side of the room while on the other leather booths are lit up by pineapple-shaped wall lights and single tealights on tables. Exposed brickwork adds a rustic vibe while a pool table at the other end brings a fun touch to the space. What’s the drinks menu like at Original Sin? Vermouth, sherry and whisky are strongly featured on the menu which puts a wild twist on classic drinks. Expect to find Fernet Branca bitters, Escubac (a juniper-free botanical spirit) and Suze (a French liqueur made from gentian root) peppered throughout the list, but just ask the enthusiastic bartenders to point you in the right direction if you’re unsure, or to mix you an off-menu number. Which cocktails to order? The House Old Fashioned made with bourbon, plum wine, peppercorn tincture and bitters is perfect for whisky lovers – smooth and sippable, with warm depth. For something lighter, go for the White Americano, where Cinzano Bianco vermouth is matched with floral peach, Suze and tonic. Negroni lovers (read our guide to the perfect nergoni here) can choose between the punchy Negroni Nero made with tequila, sherry vermouth, rhubarb aperitivo and coffee, or one created with gin, Campari, Cinzano 1757 Rosso vermouth and cold-brew coffee which adds a slightly smoky flavour. We also loved the sweet yet punchy notes of pomegranate molasses and apple brandy in the Handy Dandy bourbon cocktail. Is there any food? There’s a selection of platters and pâtés to choose from as well as smoked almonds and olives to nibble on. Go for the creamy salmon pâté with chunks of toasted sourdough and red onion chutney for a feast. Where to go nearby for dinner: Head upstairs to Stokey Bears for indulgent burgers, or walk eight minutes for the best Neapolitan pizza in London at Pizza Stokey. Click here to read our full guide on where to eat in Stoke Newington Price: From £6 for a cocktail. originalsin.bar Words by Ellie Edwards
Nightjar, London EC1: cocktail bar review
Check our review of Nightjar, an intimate, speakeasy-style bar in Shoreditch that's all about intricate, elaborately crafted cocktails
Looking for places to drink in East London? Read our review of Nightjar, a slick, intimate speakeasy bar in Shoreditch Nightjar in a nutshell: A sleek, subterranean cocktail den with a fine line in thoughtfully crafted, potent cocktails. Where is it? A two-minute walk from Old Street underground station. What’s the vibe? Busy City Road in Shoreditch seems an unlikely setting for a stylish speakeasy-style 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. It’s table service only, and staff are assured and knowledgeable. What’s the drinks menu like? 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. Its latest iteration, launched this summer, uses the Arts & Crafts decorative movement as inspiration, with ornate, embellished glassware and intricate garnishes. Which cocktails to order? Start with the Poet’s Dream, a martini-like concoction of Tarquin’s gin, hemp leaf vermouth, yarrow and grain of selim (a type of African pepper). Clear, crystalline and bone dry, it’s an ideal aperitif. Click here for more martini recipes. The Honeymoon came in a round, black ox-bone bowl modelled on a quaich, a traditional vessel used by Celtic brides and grooms to share a sip of whisky during the marriage ceremony. A short, fresh yet punchy blend of Glenfiddich 12-year-old whisky, Nightjar’s ‘forbidden fruit liqueur’ (a mix of citrussy pomelo, sherry and dry vermouth), artichoke honey wine, lemon and geranium leaf, it was a complex drink, dry and delicately smoky, with subtle honey and aniseed notes. Read our whisky guide here. Is there any food? There’s a pithy roster of bar snacks and sharing plates, from ham croquettes and bourbon BBQ chicken wings to smoky veggie burgers and soft-shell crab in a brioche bun. Anything else? There’s live jazz and blues performances most evenings. Where to go nearby for dinner: Hop over the roundabout to Niall Davidson's Irish open-fire restaurant Nuala. Or a 10-minute walk takes you to Leroy for pared-back sharing plates and great wine. Insider tip: 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. If you'd like to continue the speakeasy vibe, head to sister bar Oriole in Farringdon (read our review here). Price: From £12 for a cocktail. barnightjar.com