11 bars in London, editor-picked for bars open past midnight friday or saturday. Bars going past midnight on friday or saturday. All bars in London.
The Connaught Bar ★ 4.8
mayfair · The Connaught, Carlos Place, Mayfair, London W1K 2AL
Hours: Mon-Sat 16:00-01:00, Sun 16:00-00:00
Agostino Perrone's hotel cocktail bar inside The Connaught in Mayfair London, opened 2008, runs the trolley-poured Connaught Martini and has topped.
Tip: The trolley-Martini is the marquee order; £24 a glass. Book a fortnight ahead through the hotel; jacket required after 19:00.
Lyaness ★ 4.7
covent-garden · Sea Containers London, 20 Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9PD
Hours: Mon-Thu 17:00-00:00, Fri 16:00-01:00, Sat 13:00-01:00, Sun 13:00-00:00
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.
Tip: Walk-up at the bar most weeknights; weekend tables book a week ahead. Six house ingredients drive the menu each season.
Swift Soho ★ 4.7
soho · 12 Old Compton Street, London W1D 4TQ
Hours: Mon-Sat 15:00-00:00, Sun 15:00-22:30
Mia Johansson and Bobby Hiddleston's two-floor cocktail bar on Old Compton Street in Soho London, opened 2016, runs an upstairs Irish-coffee bar.
Tip: Upstairs takes walk-ins from 17:30. The basement runs to 02:00 with a deeper whiskey list. The Borough sibling has the same kitchen.
The American Bar at The Savoy ★ 4.6
covent-garden · Strand, London WC2R 0EZ
Hours: Mon-Sat 12:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-22:00
The Savoy hotel's American Bar on the Strand in central London, trading since 1893 and the world's oldest surviving cocktail bar of name, codified the modern.
Tip: Walk-up only between 11:30 and 19:00; book a week ahead for evenings. The Beaufort Bar across the lobby has the more modern programme.
Satan's Whiskers ★ 4.5
shoreditch-spitalfields · 343 Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9RA
Hours: Daily 17:00-00:00
Daniel Bovey's east-London cocktail bar on Cambridge Heath Road in Bethnal Green London, opened 2014, runs a daily-changing menu of classic and modern.
Tip: Walk-up only. Tuesday-Thursday from 17:00 is the easy slot. The daily menu turns over fully; favourites change weekly.
Three Sheets ★ 4.4
hackney · 510B Kingsland Road, London E8 4AE
Hours: Mon closed, Tue-Sun 17:00-01:00
Max and Noel Venning's neighbourhood cocktail bar on Kingsland Road in Dalston London, opened 2016, runs a daily-mixed-on-site cocktail menu and a small wine.
Tip: Walk-up only Tue-Thu. Friday-Saturday books a week ahead. The brothers source ingredients to make every house spirit from scratch.
Coupette ★ 4.3
shoreditch-spitalfields · 423 Bethnal Green Road, London E2 0AN
Hours: Mon closed, Tue-Thu 17:00-23:30, Fri-Sat 17:00-01:00, Sun 16:00-23:00
Chris Moore's French-influenced cocktail bar on Bethnal Green Road in east London, opened in 2018, runs a Calvados-heavy menu and ranks regularly.
Tip: Counter seats walk in any night. Booking a fortnight ahead through their site secures a table. The cocktail flight is the easy ask.
The Donovan Bar ★ 4.3
mayfair · Brown's Hotel, 33 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BP
Hours: Mon-Wed 12:00-00:00, Thu-Sat 12:00-01:00, Sun 12:00-23:00
Salvatore Calabrese and Federico Pavan's hotel cocktail bar inside Brown's Hotel in Mayfair London, named for photographer Terence Donovan, runs.
Tip: The Breakfast Martini was Calabrese's invention; ask for it after his Guinness-record house pour. The bar opens at 16:00 weekdays.
A Bar with Shapes for a Name ★ 4.1
hackney · 232 Kingsland Road, London E2 8AX
Hours: Daily 17:00-04:00
Remy Savage, Paul Lougrat and Maria Kontorravdis's Bauhaus-themed cocktail bar on Kingsland Road in Dalston London, opened 2022, runs blind-tasted spirit.
Tip: Walk-up at the counter; tables run on Resy. Open until 04:00 weekends; the rotating cocktail menu pours all under £14.
Bar Termini ★ 4.1
soho · 7 Old Compton Street, London W1D 5JE
Hours: Mon-Thu 17:00-23:00, Fri 17:00-01:00, Sat 12:00-01:00, Sun 12:00-22:30
Tony Conigliaro and Marco Arrigo's Italian cafe-and-cocktail bar on Old Compton Street in Soho London, opened in 2015, runs an aperitivo menu and one.
Tip: Walk-up at the counter and bar tables. Tiny room of 20 seats; the espresso bar runs all day, cocktails from 16:00.
The Zetter Townhouse Bar ★ 4.0
clerkenwell · 49-50 St John's Square, London EC1V 4JJ
Hours: Mon-Wed 07:00-00:00, Thu-Sat 07:00-01:00, Sun 07:00-00:00
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.
Tip: Walk-up at counter; book a side table a week ahead. The Marylebone Zetter sibling on Seymour Street has the same kitchen.