The five best places to go for drinks in London

This historic Chelsea pub on the King’s Road boasts roaring fires, cosy dining rooms, luxurious pub food and an impressive drinks menu to boot. There are plenty of cocktails to choose from including spicy Margaritas, Negronis and Martinis, as well as a range of mocktails. There’s also an extensive wine list as well as a wide range of spirits, craft beers, and ciders on offer. And if that wasn’t enough to entice you, The Cadogan Arms has a wonderful community atmosphere, regularly hosting events such as pub quizzes, seasonal meals and football screenings, making it a great place to come if you’re seeking a warm, convivial venue to have a tipple and a natter in. Dogs are also more than welcome here, so bring your pup along for a slice of the action!

Happy hour deals? Check. Freshly made cocktails? Check. Buzzing atmosphere with vibrant music? Check! If this sounds like your idea of a good night, head down to Cubana in Waterloo between 4-7pm for 2-for-1 cocktail deals! This Cuban cocktail bar is one of London’s most famous cocktail bars, responsible for introducing the Mojito to the UK back in the 1990s – so it goes without saying that the Mojitos are truly spectacular here. Cubana also shakes up plenty of other classic cocktails such as Cuba Libres, Caipirinhas, Daiquiris, Margaritas, and plenty more. It serves some irresistible Cuban-style street food alongside the drinks, which you simply have to try, including Cuban tapas, Feijoada and Barbacoa. 

This Australian craft brewery is incredibly cool, with trendy taproom interiors, fab food, and, of course, phenomenal craft beers on offer. Little Creatures serves up its own hop-driven Pale Ales fresh from the tank, as well as a range of lagers, citrussy IPAs and everything in between – including Hoptails, which are beer-infused cocktails! Expect some seriously good Aussie-inspired food too, including gourmet burgers, delicious sharing plates and pizzas with heaps of incredible toppings. This truly is a wonderful microbrewery to visit if you’re crazy about craft beers and want to share your passion with some great, like-minded people in the community.

If you’re seeking a bar with a bit of pizzazz, head on over to this 19^th-century cellar bar to have your socks blown off. Purl really is one of the most unique bars on the London drinking scene right now, offering so much more than your bog-standard cocktail list. This speakeasy-style cocktail bar in Mayfair offers a full-blown, multi-sensorial drinking experience, serving theatrical and experimental cocktails which are designed to tantalise all the senses – in addition to tasting absolutely phenomenal! Mixologists use aroma, fogs, airs, foams, liquid nitrogen, bespoke silverware, and culinary food items to create a little bit of magic in a cocktail glass. We highly recommend.

If you love your wine, you need to check out this gorgeous hole-in-the-wall in Covent Garden which serves up a huge range of organic wine and artisan French charcuterie plates. This intimate wine bar is the perfect place for sipping vino and tucking into some baked Camembert on a date night or catching up with friends over a bottle of red (or two) on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Lady of The Grapes has a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with attentive and helpful staff who’ll be happy to recommend wines and complementary food-pairing plates. It’s also dog-friendly, so feel free to bring your pooch along!