20 of Londons Best Speakeasies and Intimate Bars
There's no doubt about the fact that London is home to some of the finest intimate bars and speakeasies in the world. Often though, when I'm there, I'll find that I've failed to plan ahead - and will end up dropping into a regular boozer rather than the secluded and intimate setting that I'm really after.
So, enough is enough. With this list of bars and speakeasies to hand, the next time you're in our nations capital you'll be able to dive into a cosy bar and grab a state-of-the-artisan cocktail at a moments notice.
In this selection, you'll find the ideal locales for intimate dates, late-night card games and live jazz performances alike. I'll introduce you to expert mixologists, take you secret entrances and dark passages in Grade-I listed buildings.
But don't tell anyone - this is our little secret...
Lounge Bohemia
1e Great Eastern Street, London, EC2A 3EJ
Nestled next to a kebab shop in the heart of Shoreditch, Lounge Bohemia is a mysterious, quirky and clandestine escape.
It's a 1950's Eastern-European style underground bar, where reservations must be made by appointment through the frankly quite bizarre website. Cocktails are imaginative and push the boundaries of mixology with inventive concoctions.
The cocktail tasting menu comes highly recommended - assuming you've never been served a drink from a lightbulb or toothpaste tube before, it's likely to leave you with a mix of awe, intrigue and bemusement
The Dragon Room at Isabel, Mayfair
26 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4HY
Tucked away in the upscale Mayfair district, The Dragon Room may be hidden, but it's no secret. It's located in the lavish basement of the restaurant Isabel Mayfair, and exudes sophistication and mystery.
The space is a sleek, modern setting adorned with subtle nods to traditional Chinese design and serves up a fusion of Asian-inspired cocktails. For an injection of energy, make your way down Thursday nights for a regular weekly DJ slot.
Nightjar
129 City Rd, London EC1V 1JB
Kingly Court, 49-51 Carnaby St, London W1F 9PY
Nightjar is the speakeasy in London and for good reason - I always pop in when I'm in the area. It's everything you want in a speakeasy: intimate, with vintage charm and a flight of innovative cocktails that rivals any bar around.
Renowned for live jazz performances, Nightjar transports you to the era of Prohibition with its dimly lit speakeasy atmosphere. Cocktails are meticulously crafted, and whilst they pay homage to classic recipes each comes with a contemporary twist.
As expected for many of the features on this list, the entrance is easy to miss, the lighting is dim and the service is excellent.
Happiness Forgets
8-9 Hoxton Square, London N1 6NU England
Small and unpretentious, Happiness Forgets is inspired by the Dionne Warwick song Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets - which is a great song for your cocktail party playlist.
Hidden beneath the bustling streets of Hoxton, it offers a cute and cosy retreat from the outside world, with a pinch of mischievous charm. The service is exceptional - both bartenders and waiting staff are on hand to help you find a perfectly balanced cocktail based on any flavour profile you conjure up.
Library Bar
10 Argyle St, London WC1H 8EG
Once home to the Camden Council Library, the Library bar is located within the iconic Standard Hotel. It's now part-book-filled-haven and part-cory lounge, with a thoughtfully curated 70's style interior. Even the books are laid out carefully - with the environmental section next to despair and the politics section sharing a stack with Tragedy.
Of course, it's not all lush greenery and comfy Saporiti leather sofas. You're just as likely to get lost in the cocktail menu here as you are in a good book. Pleasingly there's a list of smaller bites as well, plus access to dishes from across Isla and Double Standard’s own menus.
Wilhelmina's Lounge
49-50 St John's Square, London EC1V 4JJ
There's something about speakeasys that takes you back in time - but at Wilhelmina's you can expect to travel back further than most. The velvet furnishings, tasteful paintings and décor exude old-world charm reminiscent of the Georgian era.
Situated within a discreet location in Islington, it's offers a fabulously elegant and exclusive experience with its carefully curated selection of premium spirits and refined cocktails. Ask the staff for recommendations and try something you never normally would!
The Luggage Room
Grosvenor Square Mayfair, London W1K 6JP
Hidden behind a secret black door in The Marriot, The Luggage Room is aptle named - it's housed in a former luggage storage area beneath Grosvenor Square. Expect to be transported back in time with its 1920's / 30's Art Deco-inspired décor and music.
The Luggage Room boasts an eclectic and extensive mix of meticulously crafted cocktails, unusually presented in tea cups and vintage glasses. Last time I visited I had an excellent Martini - which inspired me to write this ultimate guide to making the perfect Martini at home.
The Whisky Room
38 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7DX
A hidden gem within bustling Leicester Square, The Whisky Room is nestled in The Residence, within The Londoner Hotel. It's a luxurious location for hotel guests to work, relax and indulge and caters to whisky aficionados with its extensive collection of rare and aged whiskies from around the world.
It's prohibition themed and has a dark and mysterious entrance through a secret passage, which will lead you to an intimate and refined setting with enough room for only fourteen covers. You'll need to book a room at The Londoner to secure your passage, which we suggest you do anyway because it's a superb hotel - be sure to visit the decadent rooftop terrace Izakaya Bar and The Y Bar whilst you're there.
Champagne Bar
116 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5ED
Many of the speakeasies on this list exude vibes of intimacy, with dimly lit and mysterious atmospheres. There's a touch of that at Champagne Bar, but it's underlined with an aura of absolute luxury.
Set within the elegant surroundings of 116 Pall Mall (a Grade-I listed building), the Champagne Bar is the once-wine-cellar of the Prince of Wales. It features opulent exposed brickwork and offers a luxurious retreat for champagne lovers with an extensive selection of bubbly.
Enter through the original iron gate cellar doors to find plush velvet, vaulted ceilings and a long wood-topped bar. Lovers of champagne should check out our guide to UK's best food & drink festivals - as Champagne bar is brought to you by Searcys, whose champagne festival The Bubbly Show features in that list.
Scarfes Bar
252 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7EN
Looking for a truly exclusive gentleman's club experience? Head to Scarfes Bar. Located within the iconic Rosewood London hotel, it has forged a rare formula of relaxing energy, ambience and luxury in equal measure.
Warm lighting and colours, comfortable antique-style furnishings, old-world bookcases, a beautiful fireplace and original artworks by Gerald Scarfe make this a unique hidden hangout. As if that's not enough, expertly crafted cocktails are paired with live jazz performances every week.
It's no wonder that Tales of the Cocktails voted this the No.1 Best International Hotel Bar - and Gerald Scarfe himself calls it “my personal art gallery, where you can see my life on these walls”.
The Candlelight Club
Shrouded in secrecy, you'll notice that we didn't share the location of this speakeasy - as even we can't tell you. One doesn't simply turn up. Instead, ticket holders will receive an email two days ahead of the event with a secret location somewhere in the capital, and a password for entry.
Evoking the glamour of the Roaring Twenties, The Candlelight Club offers a Gatsby-esque experience featuring live jazz music and vintage-inspired cocktails. Guests are required to dress the part, and we recommend bringing your dancing shoes for the retro DJs, live jazz bands and cabernet performances.
Bandra Bhai
79-81 Mortimer St, London W1W 7SJ
So far, I've brought you prohibition style bars with nods to Eastern Europe, the Orient and the United States. Now it's time to step into a retro, gaudy Indian smugglers den from the 1970's.
Hidden beneath Pahli Hill restaurant, Bandra Bhai offers an exotic escape with a sultry ambiance, curious trinkets and forbidden foreign liquors. Superbly innovative cocktails and an excellent wine list also feature, of course.
Enjoy this bar for it's unique atmosphere, a nod to the covert and surreptitious activities of days gone by…
Sessions Arts Club
24 Clerkenwell Green Old Sessions House, London EC1R 0NA
A chef, an artist, a restauranteur and an architect walk into a bar. No - really. Sessions Art Club is the brainchild of chef Florence knight, artist Jonny Gent, restauranteur Jon Spiteri and architect Russell Potte - and it's safe to say that they have excelled themselves.
Tucked away in the heart of Clerkenwell, Sessions Arts Club features a dining room, marble bar, and a rooftop infinity pool. It doubles as a performance space, combining contemporary art with stylish cocktails.
Access is via an unmarked door - but since this place is no longer the well-kept secret it once was you should book ahead if you are intending on dining.
Velvet by Salvatore Calabrese
Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2BD
In three words: glamorous, refined and eccentric. Helmed by legendary mixologist Salvatore Calabrese, Velvet is a one-of-a-kind cocktail bar that brings not just elegance but theatre to your evening experience.
It's cocktail menu, fondly named 'The Quote Book', draws inspiration from the likes Frida Kahlom Walt Disney, Marie Curie and Coco Chanel - with each cocktail expertly mixed with incredible attention to details.
Situated within The Corinthia Hotel, Velvet is a fusion of history and modernity, set amidst stylish and luxurious décor. Don't miss it!
Discount Suit Company
29A Wentworth Street, London E1 7TB England
Don't be fooled - what may look like a run-down suit shop is in fact one of London's most trendy cocktail bars. It's situated in the former stock room of the tailors that lies above it, behind a small unobtrusive black door and down a dark staircase.
Mixology enthusiasts can relax with a selection of creative and well crafted cocktails, which nod to the area's rich history - enjoyed alongside soundtrack of Northern Soul and Vintage Rock.
It's a gem of a find, but as one of London's most popular speakeasies it can get a little jammed - so we recommend arriving early to get your pick of tables. Decadent, sultry, warm and inviting, it's no wonder this haunt is something of a badly kept secret.
Purl
50-54 Blandford Street, London W1U 7HX
Featuring innovative drinks infused with smoke, foam, and molecular gastronomy techniques, Purl is our choice for an experience that ignites all of the senses. Here you can expect a truly 21st century cocktail, served in a truly 1920's bar.
With a number of cosy yet spacious alcoves in which to recline, Purl brings flair and creativity to the forgotten libations of the prohibition era. They also have live jazz on Wednesday nights, and if you're looking to host an event or celebration the cocktail classes come highly recommended.
Waterloo Lost Property Office
Waterloo Station, 1 The Sidings, London, SE1 7BH
Waterloo station has a lot of footfall, but if you're looking to escape the hustle and bustle we've got a secret for you. Head upstairs inside the BrewDog bar (one of the UK's largest pubs) after 5pm to find a vintage telephone - and ask the operator to let you in the Waterloo Lost Property Office.
Once inside, you'll find a quirky and eclectic ambiance away from the humdrum. Run by the award-winning mixologist, Rich Woods, the unusual cocktails are lost-property themed and not unexpectedly excellent quality. We recommend The Evolution of the Martini to kickstart your proceedings - a trio which includes a classic Dry Martini, a Vesper and a clarified Espresso Martini.
Ricco
11 Russell Gardens, London W14 8EZ
Live music enthusiasts - look no further. Hidden beneath the streets of West Kensington, Ricco, we'd recommend visiting on a Saturday for the entertainment - live singers that will get you on your feet, followed by an impressive resident DJ as the bar metamorphizes into a chilled out club lounge. There's also excellent burlesque.
The cocktail menu is thought-out but not extensive, and the setting is intimate, stylish and art deco. Coupled with a Mediterranean food menu that features carefully chosen dishes, Ricco is an easy place to spend an evening of dinner, drinks, entertainment and dancing.
Below & Hidden
42 Northampton Rd, Clerkenwell, London EC1R 0HU
Tucked underneath the chic Bourne & Hollingsworth restaurant is Below & Hidden. The history of nightlife is filled with legendary places no bigger than a living room - and this is one of them.
An intimate basement, it's moody with forgiving lighting - dark and moody, unlike The Greenhouse - it's bright, airy and Instagrammable sister bar upstairs. Under the cover of nightfall, the tapestry covered walls reveal a secret - floor to ceiling LED panels which illuminate to the beat.
I've put this near the end of the list for a reason - it's still relatively undiscovered. Shh!
Seed Library
100 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, London E1 6JQ
Run by mixology maestro Mr Lyan (whose real name is Ryan Chetiyawardana - arguably more of a mouthful), Seed Library a stripped-back speakeasy at the One Hundred Shoreditch Hotel.
The setting is lo-fi, moody and atmospheric with bespoke upholstery in deep orange and red tones. A chill fusion of jazz and electronic music compliments the décor and sets the scene - overall, it feels like you're drinking in the sitting room of a 1960's millionaire. Cocktails are sophisticated, with new takes on your favourite classics - the Gimlets in particular come recommended.
London's Best Speakeasies and Bars
I think it's fair to say we've covered a lot. I've thrown a few of my personal favourites into this list - some of which are not so secret any more, but a few of which are still relatively clandestine amongst those in the know.
We hope you share Suave and Debonair articles with anyone who might find them valuable... But on this occasion - we'll let you off if you don't.
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