Best Cocktails in London
1. Prince of Peckham Pub, London
Lively corner pub pairing a traditional tiled bar with Caribbean cooking. Trays of jerk chicken and oxtail crowd the tables before the floor clears for DJs and rum punch.
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Lively corner pub pairing a traditional tiled bar with Caribbean cooking. Trays of jerk chicken and oxtail crowd the tables before the floor clears for DJs and rum punch.
Hidden cocktail bar under the Vintry & Mercer hotel serving barrel-aged drinks and small plates. Velvet chairs and leather banquettes fill the dark, 1920s-style room as early happy hours stretch into quiet date nights.
Two-floor food hall where independent kitchens serve everything from Vietnamese banh mi to Oklahoma-style burgers. Communal tables fill the bright, modern space – a surprisingly relaxed alternative to London's more chaotic markets.
Borough Market restaurant serving village-style Sri Lankan food from a central, open-fire kitchen. Counter seats have a direct view of the charcoal grill – from king prawns to simmering black pork curry.
Bustling Peckham railway arch and gravel courtyard serving unapologetically spicy Thai food. The menu splits straight down the middle, mirroring hand-pounded meat curries with exact plant-based versions alongside draft Singha.
Dimly lit, two-story Covent Garden dining room blending Scandi minimalism with raw walls and oak counters. Large sharing platters pair fresh sushi with hot yakitori sticks from the grill.
British steakhouse in a former brewery's cellar, serving charcoal-grilled steaks and classic cocktails. Exposed brick, reclaimed oak, and cast-iron columns define the moody, subterranean room – a popular spot for date nights and special occ
Raw, candlelit Soho basement bar pouring highballs and classic cocktails under a former chapel. Loud, live jazz and soul sessions regularly pack the bare concrete, walk-in-only room.
Bombay-style comfort food served in a space modeled on the old Irani cafés, with a 1960s rock-and-roll theme. The slow-cooked house black daal is essential; the bacon naan roll is a breakfast institution.
Japanese bakery and café in Waterloo with a rose-lined interior. Shokupan and katsu bagel sandos fill the counter by day, while the evening shift flips the room into a sake cocktail and tapas bar.
Vegetarian Indo-Chinese restaurant serving spicy sharing plates from a retro-futurist Soho space. Neon signs glow over dishes like Manchurian kofta and Hakka-style tacos, with creative cocktails poured late into the night.
Polished, split-level dining room serving a modern introduction to Burmese cuisine. Groups fill the warm interior and terrace to share bowls of mohinga and the signature pickled tea leaf salad.
Burger joint built around thick, dry-aged beef patties from native-breed cattle. The rest of the menu is pure American indulgence: bone marrow gravy fries, dirty tots, and boozy milkshakes.
Inventive British small plates served in a polished Art Deco dining room – a calm alternative to the Soho chaos outside. The menu reworks classics into seasonal dishes designed to be shared.
Subterranean cocktail bar hidden beneath the Hippodrome Casino behind an unmarked door. Bartenders pour ultra-cold freezer martinis and complex classic riffs alongside Hong Kong-style bites in a vintage, velvet-lined room.
Glossy Mayfair diner pairing elevated American comfort food with a heavy 90s R&B soundtrack. The long stainless steel counter faces an open kitchen turning out cheeseburgers, disco fries, and cold margaritas under warm amber lamps.
Airy French dining room tucked in a Mayfair mews with white linens and a zinc bar. Tables come set with fresh tomatoes and a lemon for slicing alongside sharing plates of Niçoise classics.
Opulent Mayfair dining room serving sushi and Robata-grilled seafood alongside a massive Japanese whisky collection. Bronze mermaids and glowing fish lamps surround the bar while daily DJ sets keep the room loud late into the night.
Jewel-toned Mayfair dining room serving modern Peruvian plates alongside Pisco infusions and loud music. Meals start with tableside guacamole and fresh ceviche before DJs turn the space into a heavy party late into the night.
Relaxed Belgravia pizzeria serving thin-crust pies, small plates, and cocktails. The warm dining room and courtyard tables run steady with walk-ins, catching groups finishing drinks at the adjoining sister wine studio.
Intimate St. James's hotel bar with overstuffed chairs and vintage portraits. White-jacketed staff wheel a trolley tableside to pour frozen spirits into icy glasses for an exceptionally stiff martini.
Old-school Soho Italian dining room with red leather banquettes and white tablecloths. Waiters in cream linen suits work the loud, busy floor, serving daily-rolled pasta and pouring from a deep organic wine list.
Intimate Brixton Market wine bar pouring minimal-intervention bottles and seasonal cocktails. Tall counter seating faces a tiny open kitchen where frequent chef residencies serve an ever-changing menu of small plates.
High-energy Herne Hill dining room blending fine-dining precision with Pan-Caribbean heat. An open kitchen sends out refined jerk chicken and ackee spring rolls against a loud backdrop of R&B and Afrobeats.
Polished Persian dining room pairing the communal warmth of a Tehran kabab house with dark woods and ornate tilework. An open kitchen turns out charcoal-grilled meats and fresh tandoor breads for long, shared dinners.
Vibrant Mayfair spot serving regional Mexican classics with British ingredients. The central comal is the room's heart, firing off house-milled corn tortillas for sharing plates of pork carnitas and ribeye costras.
Modern Australian restaurant in a Soho courtyard, serving multicultural small plates like prawn toast and BBQ pork dumplings. The large, heated patio creates a coastal-style retreat, pouring specialty coffee and natural Australian wines.
Polished Mayfair dining room mimics a contemporary Italian residence with soft plaster walls and green velvet. Comforting family recipes join theatrical touches like clay-pot Negronis and a rolling dessert trolley.
Subterranean chophouse serving thick steaks and piles of chops in a lively, brick-lined basement. Waiters navigate the busy dining room pushing tableside cocktail trolleys and pouring wine straight from the tap.
Busy modern Indian dining room built into two exposed-brick railway arches. The open kitchen turns out sharing plates of Keralan fried chicken and samphire pakoras while trains rumble directly overhead.
Discreet Borough townhouse serving slow-cooked Awadhi Indian dishes across three floors of intimate dining rooms. Ground-floor tables sit right by the open kitchen, while a quiet bar pours late-night cocktails upstairs.
Vibrant Mexican restaurant and cocktail bar fueled by one of Europe's largest agave collections. The Tulum-inspired back terrace hosts weekend DJs, serving Baja fish tacos and strong margaritas to a party-ready crowd.
Intimate Herne Hill bar with the rhythm of a continental café. Morning espresso gives way to evening candlelight, natural wines, and seasonal European small plates.
Quiet townhouse hotel built around a leafy garden courtyard – a true oasis in Kensington. The rooms are calming retreats with Le Labo toiletries; a neighborhood restaurant and cocktail bar are downstairs.
Industrial Golborne Road restaurant serving Berlin-style döner kebabs and batched cocktails on tap. A massive communal steel table fills the narrow concrete room, backed by a custom sound system and weekend DJs.
Family-run corner pub serving draft beer, carafes of wine, and seasonal British cooking. Plates of venison ragu cross the single, wood-floored room, a relaxed, dog-friendly space where the chef stops by tables to chat.
Casual pizzeria serving thick Detroit-style pies with crispy, caramelized cheese edges and a tight list of natural wines. The pepperoni comes drizzled with hot honey; dessert is a deep-fried Mars bar with soft serve.
Red-brick Victorian fire station turned hotel and Marylebone social anchor. Dining and drinking spill from the open kitchen to a fire-lit lounge and heated courtyard.
Bustling ground-floor pub in a restored Georgian building, pouring cask ales and craft beers. A quieter dining room sits upstairs, with a speakeasy-style cocktail bar hidden in the basement.
Northern Thai spot specializing in Khao Soi – a complex coconut curry noodle soup from a 40-year-old family recipe. Shareable small plates include Chiang Mai sausage; the Thai tea cheesecake is the essential finish.
Intimate Camden music venue running live jazz, hip-hop, and soul gigs. Crowds pack the standing-room ground floor, while diners watch the stage from tables on the mezzanine.
1920s-inspired Fitzrovia brasserie serving modern European live-fire dishes. Leather banquettes face a frosted glass wall revealing chef silhouettes at work, and a spiral staircase leads down to a basement cocktail bar.
Plush hotel cocktail bar built around a roaring fireplace, velvet armchairs, and shelves of antique books. Live jazz plays nightly while bartenders mix inventive cocktails under marble walls covered in bold caricatures.
Dark green pub in Islington dishing up homestyle Tamil cooking from an open kitchen. Expect shareable curries and flaky roti – just be sure to book a table weeks ahead.
Polished Soho dining room serving modern Tamil curries, fresh dosas, and made-to-order roti. Spiced cocktails and shared plates land on marble tables across the ground floor, while a dark plum basement below holds larger groups.
Dark, lively Cuban dining room in Dalston serving traditional tapas and strong classic cocktails. Rhythmic music runs through the room as tables split plates of braised beef and rounds of mojitos.
Spacious Shoreditch hall with live blues and soul seven nights a week. A wall of vintage speakers frames the bourbon bar, and the floor shifts from BBQ dinners to late-night dancing.
High-energy Dalston taqueria running loud and fast with tight tables and a heavy soundtrack. The kitchen slings traditional street tacos alongside steady rounds of mezcal margaritas.
Restored Victorian pub serving generous, family-style Southern Italian cooking. Candlelit tables beneath a salvaged stained-glass skylight crowd with Negronis, Neapolitan pizzas, and shared plates of slow-cooked beef ragu.
Victorian dining room channeling a classic tavern, serving European bistro dishes and strong cocktails from a central bar. Live piano and jazz music fills the space on weekends; reservations are tough to get.
