The capital has played host to a flurry of exciting openings over recent months, and it would seem there’s never been a better time to visit to some of the best new bars in London. from glamorous cocktail bars and hot rooftop spots to natural wine bars, there’s no shortage of new drinking destinations to add to your list. Here, we’ve rounded up the best London bars that have opened in 2023 to be seen in this season.
new bars in London
Forza Wine
When it comes to the best new bars in London, the new Forza Wine is right at the top of our list. Following on from the success of their site in Peckham, the team has just opened a second outpost at the National Theatre, bringing its inimitable energy to the north-west terrace of the famous Brutalist landmark. Overlooking the South Bank and the Thames, the space is Forza’s largest project to date, with a mix of banquette seating and high-top tables for pre-theatre dinners, post-theatre drinks or long catch-ups with friends.
Like their south London site, you can expect an accessible natural wine list and a regularly changing seasonal cocktail menu, with serves such as a cherry negroni, Limonata Bianca and a frozen peach margarita on offer. As for food, their ‘sort of Italian’ inspired snack menu features favourites including cauliflower fritti with aioli, mozzarella with figs and hazelnuts and pancetta potato cakes and pickled cabbage, as well as their signature soft serve.
Royal National Theatre, Upper Ground, Southbank, London SE1 9PX
nationaltheatre.org.uk
Viajante87
While this conceptual cocktail bar in Notting Hill may have originally opened at the turn of the year, September saw the team unveil an all-new cocktail concept courtesy of their new Bar Director Pietro Collina, formerly of the renowned Eleven Madison Park. Strongly inspired by the team’s travels around Latin America – ‘viajante’ translates as ‘explorer’ in Spanish – the cocktail list is divided into five sections and features a range of ingredients from the continent.
Highlights include the Glacier Martini, inspired by the glacial fjords in Patagonia, which uses grapes and plums grown in the fertile area and is served at -20 degrees Celsius, and the Charanda Old-Fashioned, which has notes of grass and unaged sugar cane, rounded off with a tincture of Amburana seeds sourced from the Brazilian Amazon. Sip along to Latin-inspired playlists and be prepared to get up and dance once the tempo ramps up later in the night.
87 Notting Hill Gate, Notting Hill, London W11 3JZ
viajantebar.com
Little Cellars
Peckham Cellars has made a name for itself as one of south London’s best-loved neighbourhood restaurants and wine bars – now the trio behind the Peckham hot-spot has launched a second wine bar concept, Little Cellars, in Camberwell. Following a dramatic renovation of the space, the bar serves an eclectic mix of old and new world wines by the glass, alongside a food and bar snack menu courtesy of new head chef, Ollie Lawrance (previously head chef at famed London wine bar group, Terroirs).
The cosy wine bar has been designed with a classic mid-century feel throughout, with clean geometric lines, dark wood panelling and rich green paint tones. There’s also an outdoor terrace and a dedicated wine shop next door, for those looking to pick up a bottle of something special to take home with them.
75 Camberwell Church Street, Camberwell, London SE5 8TU
littlecellars.co.uk
Dover Yard at 1 Hotel Mayfair
When 1 Hotel Mayfair opened this summer, it broke new ground for sustainable luxury hotels in the capital. Now their bar, Dover Yard, is following suit, adopting a conscious approach that takes its inspiration from the simplicity of nature. Headed up by Matteo Carretta – previously Director of Mixology at Claridge’s – the drinks have been designed to celebrate local craft spirits, as well as repurposed and native seasonal ingredients.
Overlooking a lush botanical courtyard, it’s a pleasingly zen space for an evening tipple. Go for one of the zero waste cocktails on the menu, which are all made using leftover ingredients and produce from across the hotel. Our top pick is the Rookie Bramble, which is a combination of Boatyard Double Gin, British honey, brambleberry and lemon sour mash, a concoction made from the daily leftover lemon husks used for fresh juicing.
3 Berkeley Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8DJ
1hotels.com
Nessa
Soho’s got a cool new late-night hot spot in the form of Nessa, a glamorous drinking establishment on Brewer Street. Designed by Fettle, the interiors have taken inspiration from Soho’s eclectic and colourful past, woven in with references to the Edwardian baroque architecture of the building. Mid-century modern vintage furniture dominates the space and the retro vibe is further amplified by the bar’s weekly live music nights, with guest artists performing stylish jazz-infused sets.
Bar Manager Floriano Cubeddu (previously of The Goring Hotel) serves a menu that champions British producers and seasonal ingredients, with playful tipples including Ol’ China Plate, which mixes East London rye whisky, Sacred dry vermouth and Sipello with Campari, and the Randy Hiball, a reimagined old British pub hangover cure that mixes Seven Tails brandy with rosemary tonic and port. Similarly nostalgic bar snacks come courtesy of executive chef Tom Cenci and range from homemade BBQ crisps to cheese and onion croquettes with mustard mayo.
86 Brewer Street, Soho, London W1F 9UB
nessasoho.com
Brooklands Bar at the Peninsula London
London has had a slew of new luxury hotel openings over recent months, and one of the most hotly anticipated is the Peninsula on Hyde Park Corner. The crowning glory right at the top of the hotel is the Brooklands rooftop restaurant and bar, overseen by Claude Bosi. With uninterrupted views over London’s skyline and a design inspired by its namesake, Brooklands Racetrack, implemented by top London-based architects Archer Humphryes, it’s a sleek new addition to the capital’s luxury bar scene.
Accessed by a lift designed to look like a hot-air balloon, complete with a wicker-basket interior, the bar’s geodetic ceiling is inspired by the work of English engineer Barnes Wallis, while the carriage seating and leather-lined wall panelling recall those of the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. Highlights from the inventive drinks menu include the Aldrin, which combines the freshness of a vodka sour with orange blossom liqueur, peppermint, pine, lemon and egg white, and the Disco, a tropical spin on a Negroni.
1 Grosvenor Place, Belgravia, London SW1X 7HJ
peninsula.com
Larry’s Bar at the National Portrait Gallery
As part of the National Portrait Gallery’s mega three-year refurbishment and reopening this summer, the iconic London landmark has welcomed a series of stylish new drinking and dining establishments, including the subterranean Larry’s. Dubbed London’s most glamorous new dive bar, the underground cocktail lounge is accessed via a secret entrance on Charing Cross Road and is located in the historic vaults of the NPG.
Originally built as coal storage in 1896, the exposed brick walls have been given a sophisticated makeover, adorned with prints from the gallery’s extensive archives, while elegant lighting and cosy booths set the tone. There are live jazz sessions held every night from Wednesday to Saturday and the cocktail list offers a nod to some of the famous faces that line the walls, with The Hepburn and The Cecil Beaton two of the top tipples.
St Martin’s Place, West End, London WC2H 0HE
daisygreenfood.com
Bar Rioja
This charming little wine bar in King’s Cross differs from others in London thanks to the fact that it’s solely dedicated to wines from the region of Rioja. Tucked away in a courtyard and infused with a thoroughly Spanish feel, thanks to the traditional tiles on the floors and the old-school wooden wine racks on the walls, it’s a great place to come and try some of the best wines from this part of Spain – and it’s not just reds, either.
The bar’s menu features over 40 wines, taken from the region’s three main zones: Alta, Alavesa and Oriental. There you’ll find a selection of white wines and rosados to choose from, as well as a few traditionally-made sparkling wines. The bar’s Executive Chef Nacho del Campo has been inspired by the area’s capital, Logroño, where the bars typically specialise in one dish, for his pincho-style snacks. The menu changes seasonally, but you can expect everything from tortillas and boquerones to artichokes romesco.
3 Varnishers Yard, The Regent Quarter, King’s Cross, London N1 9FD
barrioja.co.uk
Bar Lina
Following on from the success of their supremely popular delis and restaurants, which have now opened up all over London, Lina Stores has branched into the world of bars, opening a new aperitivo spot beneath their original delicatessen on Brewer Street. Housed in its former fresh pasta kitchen, which dates back to 1944, guests descend down a staircase inside the deli itself and arrive in the neighbourhood bar, which is decked out in a sultry, Sixties-inspired monochrome and dark red colour scheme – a stark contrast to Lina Stores’ signature apple-green hue.
The candlelit bar features moody lighting, velvet banquettes and a drinks list that offers new twists on classic cocktails. Their signature aperitif is the Syracuse martini, which comes with a twist of Sicilian tomato, while there’ll also be basil gimlets and a range of Negronis to choose from. The wine list, meanwhile, focuses on Italian producers, in particular independent, low intervention growers from lesser-known regions. Drinks are accompanied by freshly sliced cured meats, formaggi, antipasti and a variety of Italian bar snacks, such as fried gnudi with Calabrian chilli marmellata.
18 Brewer Street, Soho, London W1F 0SG
barlina.co.uk
Shoreditch Arts Club
Creatives have been flocking to the Shoreditch Arts Club ever since its doors first opened in March, thanks to its thought-provoking art collection and cultural events. But it’s also become known for its destination bar, which is helmed by award-winning mixologist Walter Pintus. There, the cocktail offering is as eclectic as the artworks that line the walls, with inventive drinks like Cheeky Thyme, made with Patron Reposado, lemon thyme, Fino sherry, verjus and pink grapefruit soda, on the list.
Alongside these you’ll find a range of low intervention wines, kombuchas and CBD-infused wellness drinks, for those looking for more laidback alternatives. Naturally, the bar has been designed in keeping with the rest of the club, so instead of a typical back bar you’ll find a huge sculpture by Joey Holder in the place of bottled alcohol and glasses, made up of driftwood, a 3D printed object and silicone sculptures.
6 Redchurch Street, Shoreditch, London E2 7DD
shoreditchartsclub.com
Gothic Bar
The Midland Grand Dining Room at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in King’s Cross has been one of the most hotly anticipated openings of the year, and with it the arrival of its atmospheric Gothic Bar. Helmed by bar manager Jack Porter (formerly of Booking Office 1869 and Library Bar at The Ned), the bar was named in honour of the building’s Gothic Revival style and features suitably opulent décor, with frescoed ceilings, velvet furnishings and marble table tops.
In keeping with the heady atmosphere, the cocktail list centres around the potent flavours of Eau de Vie, a pure, clear and unaged brandy, distilled in fruit. Top tipples include The Menagerie, made with asparagus Eau De Vie and Vermouth topped with soda, and the Eau de Martini, which sees X Muse (the first blended barley spirit from Scotland) combined with a grand vermouth blend and a choice of Eau de Vie profiles to be spritzed on top. Alongside the cocktails you’ll find a hand-picked selection of absinthe, resurrecting the 19th-century favourite for a new audience.
Euston Road, King’s Cross, London NW1 2AR
midlandgranddiningroom.com
Noble Rot, Mayfair
Renowned wine bar Noble Rot already has locations in Soho and Bloomsbury, and now it’s added a third outpost in Mayfair. Located just off Shepherd Market, the new spot follows the same formula as the others, serving up seriously good wine alongside excellent French-inspired plates of food – think warm boudin noir and pickled apricot, roast veal chop with sauce charcutiere and strawberry clafoutis.
Of course, while the food is good, it’s all about the wine here – die-hard devotees swear it’s the best wine list in London. And it should be, considering it runs to 41 pages. On there, you’ll find everything from picks from England and Wales to French beauties and vin doux naturel sweet wines, but if the thought of reading through it one by one feels overwhelming, ask one of the knowledgeable members of staff to pick out something you’re bound to love.
5 Trebeck Street, Mayfair, London W1J 7LT
noblerot.co.uk
Lucy Wong
This new night spot in Fitzrovia bills itself as a ‘sophisticated and eccentric underground cocktail bar’, where potent drinks are paired with delectable dim sum dishes. The bar takes inspiration from the 1957 novel The World of Suzie Wong by Richard Mason, which tells the story of a heady romance in 1950s Hong Kong. In keeping with the theme, the cocktail list features plenty of old classics with inventive Asian twists, like the Cherry Blossom Manhattan, which combines Goji infused Maker’s Mark bourbon, Courvoisier VSOP Cognac, Mancino Sakura vermouth with cherry bitters and goji berries.
The sultry subterranean spot plays host to live music on weekday evenings, with Soho showgirls, top pianists and jazz artists all part of the regular line-up (much of the entertainment has been curated in keeping with the bar’s retro inspiration). Come the weekend and it’s all about the DJs, with big names coming to spin the decks until the small hours.
33 – 34 Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia, London W1T 1JN
lucywong.co.uk
Nipperkin Bar
The recent opening of 20 Berkeley has got London restaurant lovers all abuzz and has garnered rave reviews from critics, but now all eyes have turned to Nipperkin, the restaurant’s underground bar, which is very much a destination in its own right. In keeping with 20 Berkeley’s ethos, the bar follows the same English country manor house vibe, with plenty of cosy nooks to while away the evening in.
The menu, curated by bar manager Angelos Bafas, is a celebration of the best of British produce and features more than a few unusual ingredients. Standout creations include the ‘Aged’ Kelp, a blend of seaweed aged for half an hour, paired with fresh Norfolk mint alongside roasted Kent hazelnuts, and the Black Mustard, a gimlet blended with Dorset wasabi distillate and Cotswolds apple eau de vie. Inventive and unexpected, it’s the antithesis of a flashy Mayfair cocktail bar, in the best possible way.
20 Berkeley Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8EE
20berkeley.com
Kwant
You may have already heard of Kwānt. When the bar was first opened by award-winning bar industry veteran Erik Lorincz (who was head bartender at The Savoy’s American Bar for eight years) in 2019, it swiftly landed a number six spot on the prestigious World’s Best 50 Bars list. The pandemic forced its closure, but now it’s back after an 18-month renovation, having moved from its original Heddon Street location to Stratton Street. The new design is stunning, with a huge island bar dominating the centre of the room and three individual bar stations, where guests can enjoy a chef’s table-esque experience, seated right next to the bartender.
And trust us when we say you’ll want to be as close as possible when you see these concoctions being created. Skillful mixologists are on hand to knock up enticing and unusual drinks, like the Gonzales, made with tequila, guava, makrut lime, 30/40 eau de vie and CO2. Bar bites are just as eclectic, created by top chef Joni Ketonen, who’s worked at The Fat Duck, Jason Atherton and St John. We have a feeling it won’t be long until they find themselves right back on that list again.
52 Stratton Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8LN
@kwantmayfair
Equal Parts
If you’re a fan of Sager + Wilde, you need to get yourself down to Equal Parts, which was founded by the same team behind the perennially popular wine bar. The Hackney Road spot started out as a wine and coffee shop but has now transformed into an Amaro and Aperitivo bar. Housed in a distinctive avocado-green tiled building, it’s already become a firm neighbourhood favourite since opening in the spring.
The interiors are pleasingly retro, with an old fashion record player behind the bar and vinyls stacked on the shelves. There are plenty of brilliant cocktails to choose from, including ice cold Martinis and cleverly balanced wine cocktails, but the main draw here is the seasonal negronis, made with infused Campari. One time it could be blended with Jerusalem artichoke, another time with strawberry and fig leaf – it all depends what’s in season and what catches the bartender’s eye.
245 Hackney Road, Hackney, London E2 8NA
equalpartslondon.com
Maroto
New Brazilian hot spot Bossa has caused quite a stir since opening in Marylebone, and its underground lounge and bar, Maroto, is destined to be just as popular as Alberto Landgraf’s restaurant upstairs. This is a late-night spot in the truest sense of the word – on Thursdays it’s open until 3am, while on Fridays and Saturdays closing time doesn’t come until 5am, where you’ll see revellers emerging into the dawn light from the moodily-lit subterranean bar. The striking interiors combine Art Deco styling with authentic Brazilian flair – the low-lit bar is complemented by strikingly patterned wallpaper, while guests drink and dine on marble tables from plush sofas.
The well-executed cocktail list features drinks with an unsurprisingly Brazilian twist, with highlights including the Basilao, a mix of Zeca de Mato Cachaça, apple, egg white, basil, lime, and orange, and the Oba Oba, a potent blend of Fernet Branca, JW Black Label, Ketel One, Mezcal Amores Espadin, Cointreau, coke, and lemon. The bar snacks are just as elevated, ranging from crab pastel with açai dip to Bossa’s signature pan-fried scallops with Tucupi sauce from the Amazon. But, above all, this is a place to come and let your hair down, with a stellar line-up of DJs curated by Shane Mac, who’s worked with the likes of Calvin Harris and Beyoncé, in conjunction with DOC Records Brazil.
4 Vere Street, Marylebone, London W1G 0DH
maroto.london
Bar Antoine at Four Seasons Hotel at Park Lane
London is full of splashy new restaurant openings right now – case in point, the arrival of Pavyllon London at the Four Seasons Hotel at Park Lane, multi-Michelin-starred French chef Yannick Alléno’s first ever restaurant in the capital. And where there’s a great new dining spot you can bet there’s also an equally brilliant bar, which here takes the form of Bar Antoine. Designed as a place to celebrate, converse and connect, it was created as a beautiful tribute to the joyful spirit of Chef Yannick’s late son, Antoine.
The cocktail list was created as a collaboration between the culinary team and head mixologist Michele Lombardi (who formerly headed up the bar team at The Ritz), and features a series of reinvented classics, like a Smoky Negroni and a Pear Sidecar, sitting alongside complex original creations, including Chef Yannick’s signature Allenotics (the reinvented Gin & Tonic) and his innovative spirit-free extractions. We recommend booking on a Thursday, where you’ll be treated live music from some of London’s most sought-after jazz musicians.
Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, Hamilton Place, Mayfair, London W1J 7DR
pavyllonlondon.com
3’6 at Fortnum & Mason
Earlier this year, beloved department store Fortnum & Mason unveiled their brand-new third floor, revolutionised to include an experiential hub dedicated to all things food and drink. Also on the third floor you’ll now find their newly revamped bar, 3’6. Pronounced ‘three and six’, the name is a nod to the historic cost of hiring Fortnums to host a cocktail party in a guest’s home, and the space certainly has that intimate, homely feel, with rich velvet sofas to sink into and patterned lampshades lending it a cosy air.
By day it’s a spot where weary shoppers can refuel with coffee and cake, but by night it transforms into a speakeasy-style cocktail lounge, where guests can mix their own drinks as part of a special ‘Made to Measure’ section of the menu. If you’d rather leave that job to the professionals, you can choose from six signature drinks from the bar, including The Tesseract, a twist on the Vieux Carré, or a selection of classics. Art aficionados will also like the fact that the walls are being used to host rotating art exhibitions, the first being a series of works by street photographer Allan Schaller.
181 Piccadilly, Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER
fortnumandmason.com
Paradise: After Dark
By now, you’re probably familiar with Paradise, the buzzy Sri Lankan restaurant in Soho that opened to critical acclaim in 2019. Now Dom Fernando is taking on the nightlife scene by transforming the restaurant into a late-night spot every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Come 10pm, the lights go down, the dishes are swept away and all eyes turn to the brutalist stainless steel bar in the centre of the room.
Here, head bartender Erin Mulkerrin-English concocts unique Sri Lankan house batched cocktails that have already garnered a cult following. Packed full of flavour, popular choices include the Rhubarb and Rose Manhattan, blended with Regal Rogue rosé vermouth and Kimbula Kithul, and the Rambutan and Curry Leaf Daquiri, made with coconut rum.
61 Rupert Street, Soho, London W1D 7PW
paradisesoho.com
The Cross
When famed nightclub The Cross reopened earlier in the year it caused quite the buzz, and mid-May saw the launch of Wild, the club’s standalone restaurant on the first floor, as well as its ground floor bar. The vibe here is distinctly cool, with décor to match – think exposed brick and steel, stripped back floors and vintage leather furniture sourced from various fashion houses in Italy.
The cocktail list is made up of a range of signature drinks and there’s also a well curated selection of biodynamic and low intervention wines available. But really, it’s all about the music here. As you might expect, the bar will be playing host to an ever-changing roster of big name and up-and-coming DJs – next up, award-winning British DJ/composer KosmetiQ will be taking to the decks.
2-4 Wharfdale Road, King’s Cross, London N1 9RY
thecrosslondon.com
Joyau
Tucked away under the railway arches in Forest Gate you’ll find this charming natural wine bar, which has already become a firm favourite with the locals. The team here learnt their trade at Noble Rot, Pidgin and Planque and are deeply knowledgeable about wine, particularly those from small producers. The selection on offer is pleasingly broad, from easy-drinking piquettes to more elegant classics.
The intimate space is a bustling hive of activity come sundown, with friends catching up over crisp glasses of white and seasonal small plates on candlelit tables. The well-curated menu of nibbles is just as inviting as the wine list, with an ever-changing selection that might include beetroot, cherries and lardo one week, Cornish mackerel and peas the next.
353 Winchelsea Road, Forest Gate, London E7 0AQ
joyau.co
Lowcountry
If you’re venturing to the chef’s table restaurant Counter 71 in Shoreditch, make sure you pay a visit to their newly-opened underground bar, Lowcountry. Inspired by the American South and named after the area which spans from Mid-coast Georgia to North Carolina, famed for its Bourbon and Rye, it’s headed up by Savannah-born mixologist Ryan Sheehan and features a menu that highlights American whiskey and its prominence throughout the ages. The cocktail menu is split into three sections – ‘Signature’, ‘Historical’ and ‘Classic’ – and all the drinks are made using surplus produce from the Counter 71 kitchen, in a bid to eliminate unnecessary waste.
The bar’s ‘Signature’ cocktails in particular will incorporate a range of complicated techniques, including fat-washing, maceration, gelling and infusions, to create new flavour sensations. Standout tipples include the Hot Tomato, made by combining tomato water, jalapeno-infused tequila and basil oil with salt, and the Fat-Fashioned, a concoction of bacon-washed Bourbon, maple syrup and creole bitters. They’re all accompanied by lowcountry-inspired light bites devised by Counter 71 chef Joe Laker, which include pimento cheese rarebit, shrimp and grits and fried okra.
71 Nile Street, Shoreditch, London N1 7RD
counter71.co.uk
