For years we’ve kept Londoners apprised of the hottest restaurants to have on their radar. Now we’re doing the same for the city’s bars. Every season, we’ll update this list with the hot new bars you should know about.
New: Tramp’s
Islington - 15f Micawber Street, London N1 7TB
If Tramp’s were a restaurant, it would be The Yellow Bittern. In order to find any information about it at all, you're forced to scour the internet with the tenacity of a someone stalking their ex on socials. In essence, this is a bar that’s attached to a new art gallery, just off City Road. It’s actually in the spot which you might remember once held Sardine restaurant. They do martinis and banging sandwiches apparently. We haven’t made it down yet, but we will soon…
New: Brutes
Mayfair - 34A Bruton Pl, London W1J 6NR
We’ve been mad about martinis way before the current craze kicked in, but we very much approve of the mindset at this new Mayfair bar where you get to tailor your martini with whatever idiosyncratic touches you want (within reason). The bar also serves up seasonally inspired cocktails, and the bar food is an easy-to-like mix of loaded crisps, gildas and stuffed olives. This is just the kind of place we’d like to see more of in London. Worth noting, although it's on our hot list, the AC here is fully operational for the summer, making this both hot and cool.
New: The Cloakroom Bar
Mayfair - Selfridges, 40 Duke St, London W1U 1AT
There’s been a lot of talk about the new personal shopper space at Selfridges, which is being run by French hospitality group Cellar Society. But what you might not know is that right beside that on Duke Street is the Selfridges Cinema, which now has a rather lovely cocktail bar. The look and way you get into the bar was inspired by this steadicam tracking shot of the Copacabana Club in Goodfellas. Signature drinks include a Red Velvet Negroni and Crystal Colada and, as you might expect from a film-focused bar, they all come with mini bowls of popcorn.
New: Eagle Bar Upper West
Mayfair - 30 Grosvenor Sq, London W1K 9AN
Over at Chancery Rosewood, they’re still opening new food and drinks spaces. The latest of these is Upper West, which is a wholly new part of the hotel’s rooftop Eagle Bar. As the name suggests, this bar looks out over West London, giving it lovely views across Hyde Park and Kensington Palace. The drinks offering is aperitif-focused, and there’ll be DJ sets at the weekend. We haven’t heard too much buzz about this hotel since it opened, so maybe this new bar will be the one to give Londoners a reason to visit.
Waltz
Shoreditch- 28 Scrutton St, London EC2A 4RP
Waltz is probably the bartenders’ choice of hottest bar in London right now; it’s certainly the one we’ve heard most referenced when talking to bar folk about where to go. The man behind it is Tokyo-born mixologist Gento Torigata, who spent two years working at Kwãnt before setting up his own bar. There are two separate drinks lists, depending on whether you get a seat at the bar, or a standing space: both are worth checking out. Everything is so considered here, from the glassware to the vinyls being played and the ingredients like the five months in the making homemade Nocino currently being used in the negronis.
Rasputin’s
Hackney - 171 Mare St, London E8 3RH
When the folks behind Dom’s Subs decide to open a bar, you pretty much know that it’s going to be a good one. And, true to form, Rasputin’s is quite the scene. Following the strategy of doing a few things and doing them very well, the focus here is on martinis, cold beers and hotdogs (although there is a weekly Parm Night if you fancy switching things up). Drinks-wise you’re going to want to try the five olive house martini made with “a whisper of sherry” which is priced at a student bar level of just £8.
Cato
Covent Garden- 17 Mercer St, London WC2H 9QJ
Named after a legendary bartender, Cato may still be relatively box fresh but the team behind it have a wealth of expertise - bartender Angelos Bafas was most recently at the excellent Nipperkin and the Kioku Sake Bar. Upstairs, it’s all about the Julep and modern twists on classics with a old-school tavern aesthetic. Downstairs, there’s a synesthesia-inspired colours menu with an aluminium bar station and a lot of clever elements pre-batched for a fluid service.
Space Talk
Smithfield- 18-20 St John St, London EC1M 4AY
This Smithfield bar, two doors down from St John, has created quite the reputation since opening, but you won’t see it plastered all over your socials because they actively discourage any photography or filming. Which is a shame, as it’s quite the looker, with its retro-styling. This is a sound-first listening bar with a cocktail list named for key ingredients, like fir, quince and fennel. The bar food is Japanese - think sushi rolls and tuna tataki with ponzu.
All My Gods
Bethnal Green- 253 Paradise Row, London E2 9LE
What kind of bar do you get when a tattoo artist and burlesque performer teams up with an established whisky bar team? All My Gods in Bethnal Green is the answer - a loud, brash dive bar where tatted-up bikers brush shoulders with start-up interns. Drinks are fast (and well priced) and who wouldn’t love a bar with an ice cold martini served ice cold direct from the ‘Martininator’ (a retrofitted Jaegermeister machine)?
The Martini Bar
King’s Cross- Hawksmoor, St. Pancras, Euston Road, London NW1 2AR
Ever since the opening of the first Hawksmoor in Spitalfields, cocktails have been an integral part of the steakhouse’s offering. The arrival of Hawksmoor at St Pancras gave the team the chance to fully lean into that with the opening of a bar celebrating their excellent martinis. It doesn’t hurt that the Grade I listed interiors instantly made it one of the most beautiful bars in London. Obviously, martinis are the go-to here, although purists might be shocked by the super-popular Steakhouse iteration, which is shaken rather than stirred.
Bar Lotus
Dalston- 480 Kingsland Rd, London E8 4AE
It’s all ultra-clean lines at this Dalston bar, run by a team who are also responsible for award-winning bars in both Shanghai and Chengdu. Think of this as a bar of two halves, where one of the two islands devotes itself to general cocktails - the Ube Ramos is a highlight - and the other is whisky-focused with quite the list of Scotch and Japanese single malts, among others. Bar snacks are elite too.
New Forms
Chelsea- 9 Chelsea Manor St, London SW3 3TW
Is Chelsea (whisper it) becoming cool again? The arrival of New Forms has set the Royal Borough buzzing. By day, this is a workspace and cafe, but at night things change up with the lights going down and the music being turned up. Owners Next Door Records in Shepherd’s Bush are responsible for giving SW3 its groove again. The cocktail list is a tight but interesting one - think olive oil negronis and smoked Bloody Marys alongside rotating seasonal specials.
The Prince
Old Street- 44 Old Street, EC1V 9AQ
Taking over the Old Street space vacated by The Gibson, The Prince is what happens when the worlds of pub and cocktail bar collide. Owners Aaron Wall (Homeboy) and Will Hawes (Milk & Honey alumnus but also 69 Colebrooke Row, Callooh Callay and many others) are as likely to serve you up an excellent martini as they are a pewter tankard of Black Velvet. If you are thinking about working your way through that 10-piece martini menu, you might need their cheese and ham toastie as ballast.
London’s hottest bars, mapped.
Here's where to find the current hot cocktail bars around town.
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