West End Bars

Artesian at the Langham

Bars Portland Street, Regent Street

‘Sleek, sexy & dramatic’ is how one reader describes this David Collins-designed bar with its purple butterfly motif, chessboard tabletops… more »

Crazy Bear (bar)

Bars Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia

Long a destination in its own right, Crazy Bear’s basement seems to have fared better than its upstairs restaurant. The crowd may be less kooky… more »

Detroit’s automotive industry may not be quite as full-throttle as it once was, but its cave-like Covent Garden namesake’s production line… more »

Donovan Bar at Brown's Hotel

Bars Hanover Square, Savile Row

Nothing to do with the floppy-haired 60s folkie, Donovan Bar salutes the iconic fashion snapper whose editorial prints line the walls of this black… more »

Homage to the legendary Havana nightspot, fun-packed Floridita pulls off its 1930s’ glam supperclub/late-night cocktail lounge à la Perez Prado… more »

Galvin at Windows (bar)

Bars Mayfair

With its spectacular high-rise views from the 28th floor of the London Hilton, Galvin at Windows’ bar is the sort of lair that The Man From U… more »

For Londoners who enjoyed Kettner’s when the Champagne still came with pizza, the glam refurb hasn’t quite hit the spot; others, however… more »

The Lobby Bar at One Aldwych

Bars Covent Garden

The grand foyer at One Aldwych is the sort of rendezvous where chat turns to Hollywood deals, super-injunctions & big killings on the import/export… more »

Mahiki

Bars Hanover Square, Savile Row

Given that it’s run by the crew from Boujis, no one should be surprised that glitz, glamour & ‘money to burn’ gravitate to Mahiki’s tiki… more »

Mint Leaf (bar)

Bars Indian Whitehall, Buckingham Palace

Favoured by Matt Damon, Kate Moss, Keira, Sienna et al for its fine Indian dining, Mint Leaf’s bar snacks such as a mixed-grill platter, delicately… more »

2010 felt like the year of the Italian restaurant in London, with more openings than you could shake a grissini stick at. As a result, it has been… more »

Nobu Berkeley St (bar)

Bars Mayfair

Smile for the paps! Nobu (& The May Fair Bar, opposite) still draw the occasional Heat-seeking missile, even if neither venue is the edgiest ticket… more »

The Player

Bars Soho

Trends come & go, but this lively late-night den for Mad Men types demonstrates why classics are always in fashion. Pop-bitches, urban junkies… more »

The runway-sized bar in the Trafalgar Hotel’s lobby is matched in length by a list dedicated to bourbon – the pride of Kentucky. Hook up with… more »

Shochu Lounge

Bars Japanese Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia

Thanks to a gentle refurb, the Shochu Lounge – a ‘great hideaway’ beneath Roka – has a new spring in its step. Some of the seating has… more »