Inside the Pan Pacific Liverpool Street hotel in the City of London, opened 2021, Silverleaf runs tea-infused cocktails and a sleek brass-and-walnut bar room from a hotel team.
Food program: Snacks and small plates
Tip: Walk-up at the counter; book the snug for groups of four. The tea-house design pairs every drink to a specific tea leaf.
Address: 100 Liverpool Street, London EC2M 2RH
Marian Beke's cocktail bar on Old Street in Shoreditch London, opened 2014, named for the Gibson Martini and built around the pickled-onion garnish that defines the drink.
Signature drink: Gibson Martini
Food: Snacks only
Tip: Walk-up at the counter; book the back for groups. The bar runs a long menu of variations on the classic Gibson template.
Monica Berg and Alex Kratena's two-room cocktail bar on Old Street in Shoreditch London, opened 2019, runs Elementary (the front bar) and Tayer (the back), top-ranked on the world bar lists.
Signature drink: Negroni at Tayer; classic spirit-forward at Elementary
Food: Snacks only
Tip: Walk-up only at Elementary in front. Tayer in the back books a week ahead. The menu changes every season and shows the production process.
Marian Beke's cocktail bar on Old Street in Shoreditch London, opened 2014, named for the Gibson Martini and built around the pickled-onion garnish that defines the drink.
Signature drink: Gibson Martini
Food: Snacks only
Tip: Walk-up at the counter; book the back for groups. The bar runs a long menu of variations on the classic Gibson template.
Tony Conigliaro and Marco Arrigo's Italian-cafe-and-cocktail-bar on Old Compton Street in Soho London, opened 2015, runs an aperitivo menu and the city's most photographed Negroni.
Signature drink: Caffe corretto and Negroni
Food: Italian snacks
Tip: Walk-up at the counter and bar tables. Tiny room of 20 seats; the espresso bar runs all day, cocktails from 16:00.
Tony Conigliaro's hotel cocktail bar inside the Zetter Townhouse on St John's Square in Clerkenwell London, opened 2011, runs a Victorian-styled drawing room and seasonally rotating menu.
Signature drink: Flintlock cocktail (gin, tincture of gunpowder tea)
Food: Snacks only
Tip: Walk-up at counter; book a side table a week ahead. The Marylebone Zetter sibling on Seymour Street has the same kitchen.
Agostino Perrone's hotel cocktail bar inside The Connaught in Mayfair London, opened 2008, runs the trolley-poured Connaught Martini and has topped the World's 50 Best Bars list twice.
Signature drink: Connaught Martini (trolley-poured)
Food: Hotel snacks
Tip: The trolley-Martini is the marquee order; £24 a glass. Book a fortnight ahead through the hotel; jacket required after 19:00.
Monica Berg and Alex Kratena's two-room cocktail bar on Old Street in Shoreditch London, opened 2019, runs Elementary (the front bar) and Tayer (the back), top-ranked on the world bar lists.
Signature drink: Negroni at Tayer; classic spirit-forward at Elementary
Food: Snacks only
Tip: Walk-up only at Elementary in front. Tayer in the back books a week ahead. The menu changes every season and shows the production process.
Ryan Chetiyawardana (Mr Lyan)'s cocktail bar inside the Sea Containers hotel on the South Bank in London, opened 2019, runs an ingredient-driven menu that turns over twice yearly.
Signature drink: Whatever Mr Lyan ingredient feature is on the menu
Food: Snacks and small plates
Tip: Walk-up at the bar most weeknights; weekend tables book a week ahead. Six house ingredients drive the menu each season.
