London’s best cocktail bars – as chosen by bartenders
With London Cocktail Week on the city’s proverbial doorstep, High Life turns to the those behind the bar to share their favourite industry haunts
01/10/2024
A spicy Bonnie’s Margarita at The Sun Tavern
The Sun Tavern, Bethnal Green
As chosen by: Kealan Seamus Patrick Lafferty of Happiness Forgets
If you want to find me this London Cocktail Week (or any other week, really), all you need to do is head to The Sun Tavern. The level of hospitality here and the cocktail knowledge maintained by all the staff is on par with some of the best spots in Europe, making it my favourite bar in the capital by a mile. Between its perfectly dim lighting to its amazing Irish spirits collection (it has one of the world’s biggest collections of poitín), plus the live music programme and bar takeovers from around the world, nobody does London Cocktail Week better. See you there!
An uncharacteristically empty “mu” (Charlie McKay)
“mu”, Dalston
As chosen by: Rhys Mason of Discount Suit Company
The unfortunate nature of bars is that if the food is good, I don’t expect the cocktails to be good. And if the cocktails are good, the vibe rarely is. “mu”, therefore, is a welcome surprise. Tender pork tonkatsu accompanies a tidily executed Hanky Panky, and hi-fi vinyls back everything up. But the best part is the revolving roster of live jazz performers who shepherd diners into drinkers better than any west London DJ.
Sweet&Chilli watermelon and tequila cocktail at Nine Lives (also opening image)
Nine Lives
As chosen by: Lucy Thomas of Lyaness
The spot I’ll be visiting this London Cocktail Week is Nine Lives, a funky basement bar in the back streets behind London Bridge station, where I'll be happily drinking the entire ‘Fizzie Rascals’ section of the menu (Yerba Mate aplenty). Oh, and if I’m really treating myself – I might go crazy and have a Baja fish taco from its food truck, too. There’s always the best vibe in there and an exceptional playlist to match!
A salty Scottish Coffee cocktail with shortbread cream at Three Sheets (Charlie McKay)
Three Sheets, Soho
As chosen by: La’Mel Clarke of Seed Library
This may be controversial, but Three Sheets is one of the few bars that’s made Soho interesting in the longest time! It’s a chameleon of a bar, the kind of place where one night you’ll run into everyone you know, and the next you won’t recognise anyone at all. They're doing great things behind the bar, but if you only drink one drink here, make it the bramble – they do an exceptional one. My favourite thing about this Three Sheets is going in and getting a hug from all my favourite bartenders – Tiago, Noel, Max – but even if you come away without a squeeze, you’ll still feel the love!
The mixologists’ workstation at Tayēr + Elementary
Tayēr + Elementary, Old Street
As chosen by: Rueben Clark of Silverleaf
There are a lot of incredible bars in this city, but I look forward the most to Tayēr + Elementary: a modern cocktail bar led by two powerhouses in the industry. I really enjoy the dual bar concept: simple, but still delicious, twists on classics at the front (served quickly from bottles, on draft or even slushy machines) and then more daring original serves using seasonal or rare ingredients in the back. You can usually find me in the back, where the vibe is a little darker and more exclusive, accompanied with an order of the ‘42 sec oyster’, otherwise known as the best dressed oyster you’ll ever eat. My absolute favourite thing about this bar is how frequently the menu changes, which keeps things fresh and tempts me to visit more often. An absolute must!
Moody vibes at Kwãnt
Kwãnt, Mayfair
As chosen by: Emmy Pip Knight of Equal Parts
A couple of doors down from Green Park station you’ll find Erik Lorincz’s Kwãnt. Walk in to see wooden slatted windows, large plants and a striking centrepiece bar manned by staff who juggle expert cocktails, five-star service and an always-laughing, entertaining warmth. A comprehensive list of drinks to suit every palate are crafted at the bar and finished with micro leaf garnishes, cut to order. I always start with ‘Come as You Are’ – a whisky highball with miso, oat and cardamom, and then move to classics. Get a seat next to the bartender and you’ll see their work up close (and spy the vintage spirit cabinet, too). My final tip? Stay for the food: Joni Ketonen has created a spectacular menu to match the setting perfectly. The beef tartare is particularly unforgettable.
