The West End
Perpetually busy, the pint-sized Lamb & Flag is full of charm and history: there's been a public house here since at least 1772, when it was known as the…
Must-see nightlife in The West End
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The West End
Home of the Lonely Street, Concrete Jungle and other house cocktails named after iconic songs collected in the 'Savoy Songbook', the seriously dishy…
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The West End
For a dose of colonial glamour with a touch of Oriental elegance, the sumptuous (often crowded) bar at the Langham hits many marks. Its cocktails (from …
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The West End
Sip a bourbon or a classic cocktail in the 1920s art-deco ambience of this stylish bar at the hallmark Beaumont hotel. It's central, glam and like a…
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The West End
Merrily undefinable, Sketch has all at once a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, a millennial-pink dining room lined with nonsensical cartoons by British…
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The West End
This legendary, twin-storied bohemian boozer has quite a history: it was the meeting place of the Free French Forces during WWII and de Gaulle is said to…
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The West End
From the 28th floor of the Park Lane Hilton, this swish bar boasts delightful views, especially during the golden sunset hour to which '10°' refers…
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The West End
The Grade II–listed Punchbowl, one of Mayfair's oldest pubs, is split between the public bar, a more formal dining room, and a reservations-only club…
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The West End
Drinkers who know their stuff single out the travelling martini trolley for particular praise, but almost everything mixed at the silver-and-platinum…
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The West End
Purl is a fabulous underground drinking den – decked out in overstuffed vintage furniture in intimate nooks, and adorned with antique wood, stripped…
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The West End
You may not quite need a diamond as big as the Ritz to drink at this art-deco marvel, but it might help. All camphor wood, illuminated Lalique glass,…
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The West End
Superb martinis and a gentlemen’s-club-like ambience are the ingredients of this classic bar, where white-jacketed masters mix up perfect preparations…
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The West End
Despite this 1602 coaching inn's Lilliputian dimensions, swarms of lawyers from nearby Lincoln's Inn congregate here after each day's business. Expect to…
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The West End
A favourite Soho drinking spot, Swift has a sleek, candlelit upstairs bar for walk-ins seeking a superior cocktail before dinner or the theatre, and a…
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The West End
This intimate basement bar has DJs, comedy, drag-king cabaret, burlesque, live music and party nights, all in addition to a generally friendly and…
The West End
Pendant bar lights, bright clutter, graffitied walls and raucous atmosphere give a New York vibe to this snug basement saloon just north of Oxford St. If…
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The West End
Encouraging hedonism since 1979, when it opened on the site of a former roller disco, this perennially popular mixed/gay bar under the Charing Cross…
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The West End
Inaugurated in 1723, this storied pub has refreshed scholars from the British Museum's Reading Room including Karl Marx, George Orwell, Sir Arthur Conan…
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The West End
This stunner of an art-deco bar (cocktails £17) offers gorgeous views, especially of the Thames, South Bank and Trafalgar Sq, from the open-air terrace on…
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The West End
Make this the first stop on your crawl because there’s no way you’ll make it down (or up) the stairs (not much more than a ladder) after a few drinks. It…
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The West End
Tricked up to look like a disused Underground station, Cahoots is a retro cocktail bar channelling the spirit of London during WWII and its aftermath…
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Experimental Cocktail Club Chinatown
The West End
Deliberately obscure in its nondescript location, the ECC is a sensational cocktail bar behind an unmarked, faded-grey door in Chinatown. Soft lighting,…
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The West End
The gorgeous ground-floor saloon of this Sam Smith's pub, dating from 1872, boasts pressed-tin ceilings, handsome tiling, etched mirrors and 'snob screens…
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The West End
This plush, tropical-themed cocktail bar is tucked into the decadent surroundings of The Waldorf Hilton. The luxury extends to the menu which is packed…
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The West End
An unexpected oasis for the weary Covent Garden visitor, Mr Fogg's is a themed throwback to the drinking dens of yore. Taking its name and inspiration…
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The West End
This food-friendly wine bar near Charing Cross has a fantastic selection of Old and New World wines, with plenty by the glass and available for takeaway…
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The West End
With a fine array of real ales and some stunning Victorian glazed tiling and pressed-tin ceilings adorning its intimate interior, the Dog & Duck has…
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The West End
This chilled Soho spot has managed to stay off the lager-lout radar screen by eschewing outdoor signage. The Pacific bar on the main floor has a long zinc…
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The West End
Sitting at the northwestern entrance to the marble-enriched Edwardian pedestrian arcade Sicilian Ave, the Whippet is a snug modern pub with an emphasis on…
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The West End
Its curved mahogany bar topped with etched-glass ‘snob screens’ (swivelling panels concealing genteel Victorian drinkers from bar staff and other workers)…
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The West End
This cheery local favourite takes its name from Queen Charlotte, who previously stored food here for her husband George III, during his nearby treatment…
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The West End
Cool, assured, and expertly staffed, this tiny Soho cafe-bar is perfect for a Negroni (the speciality), house cocktail (mostly £12) or top-notch coffee,…
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The West End
Ever since opening its doors in 1991, the Village has been up for a party any night of the week. There are karaoke nights, go-go-dancers and DJs on the…
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The West End
Incongruously carved out of a corner of a leisure centre, this branch of a nine-strong chain boasts 15 cask pumps from UK microbreweries, as well as 30…
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The West End
If you are seriously into singalongs, head for this attractive free house in Marylebone, where the keys of the old 'goanna' (piano) get tickled by Tony …
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The West End
This Soho favourite attracts a cross-section of the good, the bad and the beautiful. Fairly attitude-free, it's perfect for pre-club drinks or just an…
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The West End
This abandoned Victorian public toilet got a flush of new life when this coffee shop opened here in 2013. The restroom has been sensitively restored (and…
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The West End
With around 60 different Polish spirits on offer – from hazelnut- and wheat-flavoured vodkas to slivowica (plum brandy) – every devotee of strong liquor…
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The West End
Quite possibly the oldest wine bar in London (it opened in 1890), cavernous, candlelit and atmospheric Gordon’s is a victim of its own success – it's…
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The West End
In the years before and after WWII, the Fitzroy was a hangout of literary giants like George Orwell and Dylan Thomas and the sculptor Jacob Epstein. Since…
