If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you will know by now that I may have a slightly unhealthy obsession with quirky cocktail bars… Luckily for me (not my liver or bank account), London is the perfect place to quench my thirst, as it’s jam-packed full of amazing venues. If you’re tired of two-for-one jugs of Woo-Woo from Wetherspoons, or sick of looking at your local’s threadbare carpet, check out my comprehensive list of tried and tested cocktail bars guaranteed to spice up your drinking life. What’s more – I’ll keep updating this one as and when I visit more bars I think you’d like (this gives me a great excuse to keep spending all my disposable income on cocktails… it’s research… right?!)
Purl
Nestled in the heart of Mayfair under an unassuming black sign, Purl is my absolute favourite and go-to bar. It has the most creative cocktail menu I have ever seen, which changes seasonally so you can never get bored of it! The ambience is discreet and cosy, with lots of comfy sofas and chairs tucked away dark corners, perfect for a first date or a catch-up with friends after work. If you have a larger group, there are several booths under low vaulted ceilings which keep the intimacy, while giving you a little more room to socialise. The decor is beautiful – think prohibition era high-society study – and they play contemporary music with a lean towards swing/jazz/blues, which fits in with the theme perfectly. If you want to get a table here, book, or arrive early.



The Escapologist
Another speakeasy bar with incredible character, The Escapologist is located at Seven Dials, and well worth a visit. Styled as part ‘modern day Victorian men’s club’, ‘part Masonic lodge’, as soon as you step inside, you are whisked away to a raucous world of hedonism and intrigue. It has plenty of standing area, and the option to pre-book a more secluded booth if you are more in the mood for a quiet tete-a-tete. As part of the Adventure Bar group, The Escapologist is armed with a fantastic array of cocktails, ready to knock your socks off! My favourite is the Violet Femme. They also serve freshly made pizzas – perfect to line your stomach before you sample all of the cocktails! As it’s got quite a lot of room, this one quite often accepts walk-ins.


Opium
Hard-to-find Opium is a speakeasy bar behind the jade door above Gerrard Street in Chinatown. Once you walk up the stairs into the dark and secretive Apothecary area of the bar, you will be transported to 1920’s Shanghai – and you might not want to leave! Offering a creative cocktail menu based on the Chinese Zodiac served in beautifully designed mugs, Opium truly is a den of indulgence. Their website promises two further areas that I have yet to explore – Academy on the top floor with one half set as an old Chinese family lounge area, and the other half as The Carriage full of booths leading to the Bartender’s Table. Peony, the snug hidden within the main bar behind a red curtain – apparently it even has a different cocktail list! You can quite often get in without a booking, although you may have to queue up outside. However as it’s in such a busy area, if you have your heart set on this bar, just book ahead.


Experimental Cocktail Club
The ECC is another speakeasy bar located in Chinatown, with a great view over Gerrard Street. You’ll find it as a seemingly innocuous black door with a queue outside it on most weekends. It has a decadent and fun atmosphere – definitely a great place to start an evening in Soho. The cocktail list is long, and the service is good. Even with two floors of seating area, it can still get busy enough to leave only standing room! I’ve never booked ahead for this one, but the queue can get quite long.

Evans and Peel Detective Agency
A cocktail bar mixed with immersive theatre – this place ticks a lot of boxes for me. You must submit a case for the agency to work on while reserving your table, and upon arrival, you consult with the in-house detective about your case, which is very fun! You are then ushered into a nicely styled cocktail bar, keeping in theme with the 1920’s. The only thing I will say is that the cocktail list was quite short, and not particularly creative. Go here for the fun and novelty, not necessarily the cocktails! These guys have also got another bar they opened quite recently in Chiswick called The Pharmacy – I’m yet to check it out, so if you’ve been, let me know in the comments what it’s like!

Tonight Josephine
Brightening up the Waterloo and Southwark areas, and probably the most instagrammable bar on this list, Tonight Josephine is a neon pink celebration of all things female. You are greeted upon arrival with a giant sign reading, “Well behaved women don’t make history” – perfect for posing next to with your best girl group! Its namesake is Josephine de Beauharnais, Napoleon’s wife – she reportedly grew bored of being his trophy wife and kept busy by throwing parties and taking a string of famous lovers (yaaas queen). As their website says, she lived life with the motto ‘c’est la fucking vie’ – and this bar certainly encourages you to do the same! As another member of the Adventure Bar group, you can find a similar menu to that of Bar Elba and The Escapologist – with a few twists to match the theme.



Bar Elba
The rooftop answer to Tonight Josephine, Bar Elba is themed around Napoleon’s exile to the Mediteranean Island of Elba. According to their website, “he took 600 of his closest mates and his favourite horse, Marengo, with him. He stayed for 300 days. Party. Island”. Styled with a giant blue horse on the roof, and more instagrammable phrases painted around the bar, this is the perfect venue for some summer rooftop cocktails South of the river.

The Last Tuesday Society
Okay, I’m going to ramp up the weird a little bit here, so this one’s not for the faint hearted. However, if you are brave enough to take a step into a world of taxidermy, shrunken heads and endless oddities, you will be richly rewarded! The Last Tuesday Society is a bar-cum-museum (albeit a museum like nothing you have ever seen before), and every last inch of the ceiling and walls is covered with intriguing curios from around the world. They have a list of delicious yet punchy cocktails guaranteed to knock your socks off, so proceed with caution! If you visit on a Tuesday, they also have a reptile petting zoo, with snakes, chameleons, and a whole variety of animals to make friends with. This place gets super busy, so book a table in advance.


The Discount Suit Company
Yet another speakeasy bar well and truly hidden in the streets near Spitalfields Market (this one took me a few laps of the block to find!). Originally a storeroom for the suit company above, this cosy little bar is beautifully styled to pay homage to its roots in the Pettycoat Lane area. It is the perfect venue for an intimate catch up with friends in city over some delicious cocktails! Side note – I absolutely loved their hummus and bread-sticks (and not just because I was already drunk)!

Have I missed out your favourite cocktail bar?! Have you been to any on my list? What did you think?
Let me know in the comments, I am always looking out for some new haunts!
Some incredible sounding places, I’ll have to try and give a few of them a visit 🙂
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They look amazing!
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These are so fun!! I must say, I’m much more of a beer person than a cocktails person, but that Bar Elba looks like my kind of vibe. I often find myself in London sooner than I plan for, so I’ll be adding this to my next trip!!
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Awesome! If you’re more of a beer person than a cocktail person, Bar Elba is definitely a good choice for you – they have a few beers and ciders on their menu! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
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I’m sure the patio is awesome in the Summer, too 🙂
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I havent been out for drinks in London for a while, so I think its time for a trip. Those bars all sound great! Definitely going to check out Tonight Josephine and Bar Elba.
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Awesome! I hope you enjoy them! 😀
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Wow it must’ve taken you quite a long time to sift through so many cocktail bars in London! And these all look so vibey – I’m about it :).
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Haha, I definitely spend way too much time in bars :p London is one of the best cities for cocktails!
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I love the oriental look of Opium and the modern look of Tonight Josephine! I love visiting cocktail bars when traveling for obvious reasons but you also get to interact with locals (in most cases). Great selection and keeping this post on hand when visiting London!
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Great post. I have been to London one and didn’t know about these places 😉 Will come in handy the next time I visit London.
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What a perfect post with great recommendations. I will have to visit London immediately. 🙂
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Thanks so much!
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Amazing photos I must say! Keep the good job up!
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Thankyou!
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Yes, I thought I knew London – until I saw your pix of the first bar. Will make this one my second home from the next time on that I go to London!
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These places look incredible! I love cocktails and I love quirky places to drink them. I’m looking forward to checking them out next time I’m in London
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Yay! Glad you liked my suggestions! 😀
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Ok. I’m only a social drinker but I’ll definitely check out most of these when across the pond! That Purl cocktail with the orange and balloon thingamajig is too beautiful to drink! Plus, I’d love that Masonic-like bar; it better have some quirky history to go along with it. Oohhh!! very nice!!
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Haha! Purl really does make some works of art with their drinks! And The Escapologist does have an awesome back-story that they have printed on every menu! I hope you enjoy checking them out 😀
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Will definitely look for some of these bars when I go to London next. Thank you for compiling this list. Your photos are lovely too 😃
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Thanks so much! Glad it’s been helpful! 😀
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I have never been to London, YET, ggiong in august, but these cocktail bars are soem of the coolest I have seen! I will have to hit a few up while i am there!!
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Amazing!! I hope you have a great time in London! Let me know if you want any more tips! I love sharing my city with other people 😀
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London is always famous for their themed bars. Im a big fan!. Great to know that there are soo many other themed bars other than harry potter or breaking bad themed bars.
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Great recommendations i will try them all next time i visit London 😛 🙂
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