After sightseeing your way through the city’s countless tourist attractions by day, these bars in London are perfect for a tipple in the afterhours. Whether you’re in the mood for a casual and fun place where you needn’t bother with a dress code, or you want to get all dressed up and go some place snazzy; there are options for all occasions. From loud and raucous, to laidback and easy—here are London’s best watering holes.
Get high in the afterhours
69 Colebrooke Row
This small bar injected some sophistication into Angel's nightlife scene when it opened in 2011. The idea is simple: a small room, a perfectly balanced drinks list, and cool but never cold staff. Many establishments work...more
Experimental Cocktail Club (ECC)
Hidden behind an unmarked wooden door on Gerrard Street, ECC is a stylish Chinatown speakeasy, steeped in quasi-secrecy so you feel like one of the selected special few. But it's not all about image - the bartenders are ...more
Opium Cocktail and Dim Sum Parlour
You would never suspect a bar like this to be here, at least, not in this century. On Chinatown's main drag of Gerrard Street, pass through a jade door, up a dark staircase, you'll find yourself in an oriental tea parlou...more
The Book Club
The Book Club opened its doors in 2010 under the management of Queen of Hoxton (located around the corner) and quickly made a name for itself as the go-to place in Shoreditch. It hosts a packed schedule including erudite...more
The Electric Diner
This central Portobello pitstop is the go-to venue for many locals; that place you always seem to end up any time of day or night because it does everything you might want whether that's a big American brunch while readi...more
The Elk in the Woods
Located down Camden Passage – a chic walkway that’s home to a selection of up-market boutiques, cafés and the famous antiques market - the Elk in the Woods is decked out in the style of a Canadian hunter’s cabin. There a...more
The French House
The French House is everything a drinking establishment should be. Bolshy and bohemian, with an air of faded elegance, it has long been a magnet for Soho's demi-monde and the walls are adorned with photos of past custome...more
The Holly Bush
Tucked away in a cul-de-sac, this 18th century pub is quiet and cosy by day but at night it transforms into one of the most popular local pubs in the area, attracting a loud beer-loving crowd of all ages.
The Southampton Arms
Until a few years ago, this small drinking hole near Hampstead Heath was a dreary, unwelcoming old man's pub. Now, under new owners, it's so hot that people London-wide make a pilgrimage to drink here and several respect...more
The Troubadour
The Troubadour is the stuff of musical legend. The downstairs club has been graced by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Nick Drake and Paul Simon, and it's still a fantastic place to catch up-and-coming live acts or folk stalwa...more
Worship Street Whistling Shop
Along a quiet backstreet, through a discreetly signposted door and down a dimly lit flight of stairs, you'll find impeccably groomed bartenders mixing old-fashioned drinks. Not everything is vintage inspired; the cocktai...more
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