London’s Calling, and LAFM is here with all the answers. If you ever find yourself jet-setting across the pond, whether it’s for a long layover or a holiday visit, what better way to see the city than hitting up some of the best spots for a cocktail?! LAFM traveled to this historic city to find the best places to grab a delicious cocktail in London…check it out below!
Cahoot’s London, Kingly Court: try the Vera Lynn and Winston Churchill
Step back to the 1940s and into a delicious drinking and dining adventure when you head down the staircase into Cahoot’s London in Kingly Court. A renovated former train stop off the London Underground, Cahoot’s pays homage to the days of Winston Churchill’s post WWII London where every detail is curated to enhance your experience. From train-carriage seating booths to newspaper menus, classic cocktails with a twist (and a taste of history!), delicious bites, and waiters and waitresses dressed in character, Cahoot’s is hands-down one of the best places to stop in-whether you’re a tried and true local or a tourist!
Sit back and enjoy the remixed tunes of Vera Lynn while sipping on the ‘Vera Lynn,’ a mix of Tanqueray gin, pear puree, apple juice, ginger, elderflower, lime & black pepper, or take it easy by knocking back the ‘Winston Churchill’-a spin on the whiskey sour with Glenmoragie Original Scotch Whiskey, Ardberg 10 year Scotch Whiskey, Montenegro amaro, pineapple shrub and lemon, alongside the tasty steak and ale pie!
Cahoot’s London won’t let you forgot about the magic of the 1940s, nor should you forget it when your wondering where to grab your next drink!
Sketch London, Mayfair: try the Goodbye Kiss
Right in the center of Mayfair is the glorious and oh so scintillating Sketch London. Whether you want to stop in for a cocktail to get off the rainy streets, or enjoy some afternoon tea, Sketch London is the place to do it with its Mod 60s designed velvet Parlour Room, the Glade restaurant that feels as if you’re stepping into a Rococo painting, the Lecture Room or absolutely divine~allover pink Tea Room, there’s something for everyone when you enter!
Looking for something refreshing with a fruity flavor, I went for the ‘Goodbye Kiss’ cocktail while sitting window-side in the Parlour. Ketel One vodka, Ketel Citroen, Ketel Orange, Italicus Bergamot liquere, strawberry, green tea syrup, lime and egg white make up this dazzling cocktail that warms up your appetite and your senses in no time! If you have the chance to stop into Sketch London while you’re in the city, hop to it, but make a reservation first as this place is a favorite for locals and tourists alike and seating fills up fast!
Duddell’s London, London Bridge: try the Lotus Blossom Cocktail and Success Drink
Disguised in an unassuming street, you’ll almost walk right past Duddell’s London when careening down St. John’s street, expecting the usual bar and lite bites set-up with heavy signage promoting street-walkers to enter. But then you’ll come across it, situated in a converted church and find yourself quite miraculously intrigued by the location, decor and drinking and dining adventure that is Duddell’s London.
I stopped in for a 3:30pm reservation to try out their Dim Sum happy hour, thinking I’d be in an out in an hour. I ended up staying until nearly 6pm chatting with the friendly staff, admiring the former church’s high windows and an even higher ceiling, and relaxing in 1960’s Hong Kong. Mixing Cantonese cuisine with England’s knack for impressive cocktails, at Duddell’s you can literally drink to your good fortune when you try the Feng Shui inspired cocktail menu. Drink to the six principles of Feng Shui by sipping to love, wealth, luck, health, success, happiness or *double happiness, and after dining and drinking here, you’ll feel your blessings being answered! I decided to drink to my success with a delicious cocktail featuring a mix of Havana Club 7 year dark rum, cynar, ancho reyes, Chinese red tea and aromatic bitters, and I absolutely felt successful sipping away from the hustle and bustle of the city!
Don’t leave without trying ‘A Lotus Blossom’ cocktail-complete with Beefeater gin, lemongrass, yuzu, honey, whites and topped with Szechaun dust as you nibble at the heavenly 6 piece Dim Sum Symphony comprised of lobster, scallop and king crab meat! Come for the drinks, stay for the dim sum at this delicious spot and you’ll never leave feeling hungry or unimpressed!
Bob Bob Ricard, London, SoHo: try the Bollinger Champagne and a shot of Vodka!
Equipped with a ‘press for Champagne’ button at every table, Bob Bob Ricard is the James Bond-Casino Royale environment you need to see to believe. Claiming to pour more champagne that anywhere else in London and encouraging an ‘elegant’ dress code, this sweet Soho spot offers a mix of English and Russian classics, reinvented.
Not for the faint of heart or drink, you can do vodka shots at -18 degree Celsius while nibbling on Russian Oscietra Sturgeon Caviar, have some delicious Egg St. Petersburg while you knock back some absolutely decadent champagne. Pro tip: Go for the Bollinger Champagne, it’s worth the price!
Annabel’s, Mayfair: head to The Garden and try the ‘Fresh From the Garden’
If you’re lucky enough to have a member invite you to Annabel’s, don’t delay! This private club is so much more than a fine dining or delicious drink spot experience, it feels like you’ve entered into Alice’s Wonderland.
With The Club Room, The Nightclub & Jungle Bar, The Rose Room, The Garden, The Elephant Room, The Mexican and The Humidor & Cellars to choose from, as well as world-class chefs, sommeliers and mixologists on hand, there’s no going wrong with whatever you decide! I tried out The Garden Room and had to go for the ‘Fresh from the Garden’ cocktail, a mix of 1800 silver tequila, fresh pineapple, basil & pepper cordial and cold-pressed avocado…you’ll want a second and maybe third round after trying this delicious drink!
