It’s almost the weekend (it’s so close, so close…) but for man-about-London-town Keith Barker Main, every day’s a drinking day. Find out where our bar reviewer extraordinaire has been downing and slurping over the past few weeks and get yourself inspired; there’s only so many hours in a weekend and we want you to sozzle each of them wisely. Discover the latest drinking dens in the City, Covent Garden, Hackney, Soho and South Ken and click the links for Keith’s full reviews.
Behind This Wall, Hackney (above)
Following its 2015 success as a pop-up at Bethnal Green arts hub, Oval Space, Behind This Wall has set up permanent camp in Hackney. The venue, previously a lurid Turkish men’s club, has received a minimalist makeover and is now all white tiles and blond plywood. The bar champions twisted classic cocktails that steer clear of artificial bad stuff. Just £8 buys a Mezcal Martini made with rosato vermouth and fragranced with rosemary.
Hair Of The Dog, Soho (above)
Hip Soho hairstylists, Blade, have brought new meaning to the phrase ‘half cut’ by opening a bar in the basement of their salon. This well-kept secret serves customers waiting for their locks to be trimmed (appointment needed), as well as members of Blade’s Precision Club – so, your short back and sides might be preceded by an Espresso Martini made with organic vodka, or a Pomegranate Screwdriver. We just can’t promise that prices are a snip…
K Bar At The Kensington, South Kensington (above)
Opulently revamped, the rebranded K Bar at The Kensington helps alleviate SW7’s dearth of swanky hotel lounges. Inside, this luxe looker is all honey-tone woods, copper shimmer, grouse-moor greens and divine art deco bronze doors. The whole operation scores well for charm, comfort and covetable cocktails: highlights include a Trois Rivières sweet Daiquiri (£10) and irresistibly plush emerald sofas…
Leman Street Tavern, Whitechapel (above)
Geronimo Inns splashed out £1.5m on this brand-new space adjoining Goodman’s Fields, a mega-development of luxury flats. The result, Leman Street Tavern, is comfy, colourful and serviceable – if a somewhat generic example of London’s postmodern bar-brasserie-gastropubs and private dining rooms. Nevertheless, Redemption and Truman’s draught ales add some character, while filling bar snacks include black pudding sausage roll and baked Camembert with buttered soldiers.
The Lexington, Islington
Despite its recent facelift – scarlet floral flock wallpaper, crystal chandeliers, steer skulls – the Deep South-themed Lexington still resembles a seedy saloon in Lexington, Kentucky. At its long bar, choose from nigh-on 100 American ryes and small-batch bourbons. Whiskey-based cocktails such as Boulevardier and Red Rye (a Manhattan made with Fernet Branca) are decent sips at £7, but we’d also like to see Juleps in all their juicy variations.
Paper Dress Vintage, Hackney
By day, browse for vintage fashion and enjoy tea served on colourful mismatched china. By night, pull on your glad-rags for an East End knees-up as this funky clothes shop transforms itself into a bar and social. The instant the dress rails are tidied away, stylish owner Hannah starts pouring classic pre-batched gin, rum, whisky and vodka cocktails courtesy of Craft Cocktail Co.
Sway, Covent Garden (above)
In January 2016, Sway, the self-proclaimed ‘Holborn’s adult playground’, unveiled a £1m makeover of its bar, dancing and party venue geared to attract the youngish, smart-casual, office crowd. Order craft beers and classic cocktails – Mai Tai, French Martini, Piña Colada, all at £8.50 – from the main bar, or from a chap marooned like a jack-in-the-box in a strange square wooden enclosure. Look out for bargain deals on booze and be warned, the dress code is basically Take Me Out.
Find out where Keith drank the night away last month here, in our round-up of January 2016 bar reviews
Thirsty for even more suggestions? Slosh on over to Square Meal's best London bars and pubs by area here
This article was published 25 February 2016