These London Bars Have The Best Summer Cocktails
From summery twists on the classics to cocktails with a backdrop of soaring views over London’s iconic skyline, here’s where you’ll find us sipping the summer away.
Velvet Alfresco
If you’re looking for a summer spritz, head to Velvet Alfresco, Corinthia London’s gorgeous summer terrace that promises a taste of an Italian summer. The cocktail menu has been created by the legendary Salvatore Calabarese and Bar Manager Christian Maspes and is served alongside Italian small plates and pizzettes. The highlight is Salvatore’s iconic martini, the classic Campari spritz.
The highlight is Salvatore’s iconic martini, the classic Campari spritz.
where: Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2BD
website: www.corinthia.com
Donovan
For cocktails that whisk you away to a fairytale land, head to Donovan, and try out the Happily Ever After cocktail menu. One of our favourites from the menu is the summery Jack and the Beanstalk inspired cocktail called Head in the Clouds, that’s made with Patron silver, green chartreuse, Benedictine DOM, kiwi and peas.
where: 33 ALBEMARLE ST, LONDON W1S 4BP
Website: www.roccofortehotels.com
Archive & Myth
Nestled in a discreet location under The Hippodrome Casino, is the speakeasy Archive & Myth, that serves some gorgeous summer cocktails that make the perfect late night serve. Our favourite on the menu is the savoury, Soixante-Quinze that’s made with gin, elderflower, torrontes, white chocolate, lemon, and is served with a caviar bump.
The Soixante-Quinze is made with gin, elderflower, torrontes, white chocolate, lemon, and is served with a caviar bump.
where: HIPPODROME CASINO, Cranbourn Street, Leicester Square,WC2H 7JH
Website: www.archiveandmyth.com
Sanderson London
Sanderson London’s breeze terrace has partnered with Monkey47 Gin to create a lovely summery retreat, offering a blend of fruity and refreshing cocktails. The Mandarin 47 is a stunning pick from the menu. The drink is a blend of a mandarin sorbet and Monkey 47 gin, muddled with lemon juice, sugar syrup and generously topped with meringue.
The drink is a blend of a mandarin sorbet and Monkey 47 gin, muddled with lemon juice, sugar syrup and generously topped with meringue.
Where: Sanderson London, 50 Berners Street, Fitzrovia,
Website: morgansoriginals.com/sanderson/
Scarfes Bar
With a place on the Top 50 list of the world’s best bars, Scarfes never disappoints when it comes to the vibe or the menu. It’s summer cocktail menu features an iconic looking Garden Smash cocktails that’s a blend of Hendrick’s gin, basil, elderflower and peach wine, that’s savoury and herbaceous with lovely sweet notes.
Ablend of Hendrick’s gin, basil, elderflower and peach wine, that’s savoury and herbaceous with lovely sweet notes.
where: 252 High Holborn, London, United Kingdom WC1V 7EN
website: scarfesbar.com
Bellanger
This summer, Bellanger in Islington is channelling Côte d’Azur as the brasserie’s terrace has been transformed by sunny yellow and green florals. Conjuring the holiday feel of the French Riviera, the restaurant’s outdoor oasis is serving limited-edition cocktails created in collaboration with Fever-Tree. The refreshing Floradora is one of our top picks, featuring Tanqueray gin, lime juice, sugar, and Fever-Tree raspberry and orange blossom
soda.
The refreshing Floradora is one of our top picks, featuring Tanqueray gin, lime juice, sugar, and Fever-Tree raspberry and orange blossom soda.
where: 9 Islington Grn, London N1 2XH
website: bellanger.co.uk
Roka
For a taste of a Japanese summer, head to Roka. The restaurant has installed a Casamigos Yatai counter, complete with its own Kakigori machine, that will serve a Casamigos Tequila kakigori serve – a take on the traditional Japanese shaved ice dessert. The iced drink will be offered on its Charlotte Street terrace for the summer, and is part of the restaurant’s year-long 20th anniversary celebrations.
The iced drink.will be served on its Charlotte Street terrace for the summer.
Where: 37 Charlotte St, London W1T 1RR
Website: www.rokarestaurant.com
Swan London
Located at the iconic Shakespeare’s Globe by the Thames, Swan London is a lovely spot to visit in the summer. If you’re looking for something Shakespearean and summery, try the spiced rum with chilli syrup, lime juice, and mango purée, a beautifully balanced cocktail that’s deliciously refreshing.
Try the spiced rum with chilli syrup, lime juice, and mango purée, a beautifully balanced cocktail that’s deliciously refreshing.
Where: 21 New Globe Walk,
Bankside, SE1 9DT
Website: swanlondon.co.uk/bar
Home House
It’s spritz season at Home House this summer with their new collection of summer spritz cocktails. Our favourite has to be the Garden Spritz, made from Per Se Aperitivo, Cocchi Americano, and Franklin & Sons Mallorcan tonic, or go for the Berry Shrub Spritz that’s got Cocchi Rosa Americano, berry shrub, prosecco and Franklin & Sons ginger ale.
It’s spritz season at Home House this summer with their new collection of summer spritz cocktails.
where: 20 Portman Square, London, W1H 6LW
website: www.homehouse.co.uk
The Parlour at The Zetter
An intimate parlour and bar serving small plates and drinks curated by the team’s award-winning mixologists, The Parlour can take you from afternoon aperitifs to post-work cocktails. An interesting pick from the menu is the Karoot cocktail. This one’s made with Hapusa Himalayan dry gin, carrot cordial and celery bitters – an unlikely combination but an absolute must-try.
This one’s made with Hapusa Himalayan dry gin, carrot cordial and celery bitters – an unlikely combination but an absolute must-try.
Location: 28-30 SEYMOUR STREET, MARYLEBONE, W1H 7JB
Website: thezetter.com/clerkenwell
Lima
At Lima, the menu celebrates the best of Peruvian cuisine, and the cosy restaurant makes for a great summer lunch place. You can’t leave without trying the pisco sour here: Made from blending pisco, lime juice, egg white and Angostura Bitters, the pisco sour here is definitely one of London’s best.
The pisco sour here is definitely one of London’s best.
WHERE: LIMA, FITZROVIA
WEBSITE: LIMALONDON.COM
The Landmark
The newly designed terrace at The Landmark serves a delicious summer cocktail menu, that you can enjoy at The Mirror Bar this summer. All about celebrating the flavours of agave, a delicious summer cocktail on the menu is the Margoe, made with VIVIR Blanco, aloe vera reduction, lime, coriander, red capsicum and chilli-infused agave.
The newly designed terrace at The Landmark serves a delicious summer cocktail menu.
Where: 222 Marylebone Road, NW1 6JQ
Website: www.landmarklondon.co.uk/dining/mirror-bar/
Cento
100 Queens Gate signature restaurant Cento has brought the Italian summer to London with its speciality cocktails in partnership with Portofino dry gin. Try the Ava Gardner (made with Portofino dry gin, raspberry liqueur, orange liqueur, lemon juice and foam) or the classic Negroni ‘La Vela’ (Portofino dry gin, Campari, pine nut vermouth, amaro) or our favourite the Portofino Bay Martini (Portofino Dry Gin, Pine Nut Vermouth & Lavender Bitter).
where: 100 Queen’s Gate, Kensington, London, SW7 5AG
website: 100queensgate.com
Pizarro
One of London’s most popular Spanish restaurants, Pizarro has a smashing cocktail and wine menu that can take you from afternoon drinks to post-dinner nightcaps. Our choice for summer on the menu is the Silky Sour made with Angel’s Envy bourbon, JP olive oil, Angostura, lemon juice, egg white and sugar syrup.
Our choice for summer on the menu is the Silky Sour.
where: 194 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3TQ
website: josepizarro.com
St Martins Lane
The SoGood Sake Summer Terrace offers an array of fresh cocktails bursting with flavour that are a must-try for summer. Our picks for the season are the Downtown, which features clarified tomato juice topped with bruschetta, and the West Sacramento, which has an untraditional pairing of peach liqueur, red wine float, and soda topped with fresh peach.
where: 45 St Martin’s Ln, London WC2N 4HX
website: morgansoriginals.com/st-martins-lane
UBA
This pan-Asian restaurant in Shoreditch, with its plush interiors, delicious street food style dishes and inventive cocktails, make for an excellent weekend spot this summer. On the cocktail menu, our summer pick is the Hibiscus Horizon made from Ilegal Mezcal, Italicus, Sencha tea champagne cordial and hibiscus.
On the cocktail menu, our summer pick is the Hibiscus Horizon.
Where: 61 – 67 Great Eastern St, London EC2A 3HU
Website: www.ubarestaurant.com
Arch Bar at the InterContinental Park
Arch Bar pays tribute to The Royal Collection – one of the largest and most widely distributed art collections in the world, through its cocktails that that bring to life some of the most famous exhibits found in the collection. Our pick from the list is the Forgotten Saint – made from Hibiscus-infused vodka, Cocchi Rosa, Moscato d’Asti,
pomegranate tea, sumac syrup, rose water and clarified
yoghurt.
where: One Hamilton Place, Park Lane, London, W1J 7QY
website: parklane.intercontinental.com
Kapara
For some laid-back Eastern Mediterranean vibes, head to Kapara and enjoy the outdoor terrace for the summer. Kapara’s has a list of summer cocktails that are hard to choose from – refreshing, fruity and fabulous, we love the High Tea, a gin-based drink that’s got Yuzushu, passion fruit, apricot gazoz, Earl Grey and ginger ale.
We love the High Tea, a gin based drink that’s got Yuzushu, passion fruit, apricot gazoz, Earl Grey and ginger ale.
where: 14 Greek St, James Court, London W1D 4AL
website: kapara.co.uk
Ginger Lily Bar & Lounge
This gorgeous bar in the Pan Pacific Hotel has launched a new menu for the summer that includes 12 masterfully crafted cocktails and mocktails. A must-try on the menu for the season is the Paloma-inspired Green Waterfall made with Enemigo Tequila, lime, cucumber, fresh mint and grapefruit soda.
A must try on the menu for the season is the Paloma-inspired Green Waterfall.
where: 80 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7AB
website: www.panpacific.com
The Portrait Restaurant
For gorgeous London views, head to The Portrait by Richard Corrigan, located on the top floor of the National Portrait Gallery. To celebrate the launch of ‘Six Lives: The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens’ at the gallery, the restaurant has created six cocktails inspired by each queen’s history. We love the Rose Without a Thorn cocktail, made from Katherine Howard English Sparkling Wine with rose and lychee liqueur.
We love the Rose Without a Thorn cocktail, made from Katherine Howard English Sparkling Wine with rose and lychee liqueur.
where: National Portrait Gallery,
St Martin’s Place
website: theportraitrestaurant.com
Twilight Terrace by Bar Antoine
The new Twilight Terrace at Michelin-starred Pavyllon, London’s Bar Antoine captures Parisian elegance with its limited-edition champagne cocktails in partnership with Moët & Chandon. To match the sunset, go for the Golden Hour cocktail that mixes Moët & Chandon Grand Brut with Belvedere, Shiso mezcal, Rinomato Bianco, sudachi and orange.
where: Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, Hamilton Place, London, W1J 7DR
website: www.pavyllonlondon.com/bar-antoine
The Refinery Bankside by Drake & Morgan
Set off to the sun-kissed shores of Italy at The Refinery Bankside by Drake & Morgan. Created in collaboration with Malfy Gin, the menu includes twists on classic Italian cocktails including the Malfy Sunset Spritz that mixes Malfy Rosa gin with prosecco, soda, strawberries, orange and thyme, making a great summer drink.
where: The Refinery Bankside by Drake & Morgan, 110 Southwark St, London, SE1 0TF
website: www.drakeandmorgan.co.uk/the-refinery-bankside/
Feels Like June
Embrace the Cali sunshine at Feels Like June, a Californian restaurant in Canary Wharf that’s launched a new terrace in partnership with Portuguese aperitive Per Se. The cocktail menu is all about enjoying. the best of summer, with a lovely Alfama Sunset taking the prize. A cocktail made from Per Se, Everleaf Mountain and Limoncello, the drink is like a Mediterranean sunset in a glass.
A cocktail made from Per Se, Everleaf Mountain and Limoncello, the drink is like a mediterranean sunset in a glass.
where: 15 Water St, London E14 5GX
website: feelslikejune.com
The Churchill Bar
The Churchill Bar has created 12 uniquely sustainable cocktails as part of its UNITY by Water menu, that’s inspired by the essence of water, keeping sustainability at its heart. A stunning pick from the menu is the Deep Sapphire, made from Whitley Neil Connoisseur’s Cut gin, London dry kritamo, Shikuwasa citrus liqueur and vinho verde.
where: 30 Portman Square
London W1H7BH
website: www.thechurchillbar.co.uk
