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.
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
The newest bar on this list, and named after a legendary bartender, Cato may still be 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 Hall (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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