London Cocktail Week 2023: The Best Bars To Visit For £8 Cocktails
Cocktail aficionados rejoice – the biggest cocktail celebration in the city is back for 2023! For one week a year, London’s best bars entice us down to sample their most fabulous cocktails for bargain prices, unlocked with the flash of a wristband. And with hundreds of drinking dens taking part, it means a full eleven days of cocktails, partying, pop-ups, talks and masterclasses across the city… Welcome to London Cocktail Week.
This year’s event runs from Thursday 12th until Sunday 22nd of October, and all you need to do is grab a £15 wristband from the official website, or at any of the bars participating, to enjoy a choice of £8 cocktails across hundreds of the best bars in London. To help narrow it down, we’ve rounded up some of our current favourites…
London Cocktail Week 2023
Maroto
Cachaca, a Brazilian spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice, is the main player in these cocktails available at the brand new, late-night bar and club, Maroto. Nestled underneath Bossa, the elegant Brazilian restaurant in Mayfair, sleek art deco interiors and seductive lighting await.
Their first London Cocktail week creation, Basilao, consists of Cachaca, apple juice, home made basil syrup and egg white. Meanwhile, Marotinha is made with Cachaca, lime juice, home made berry syrup and açai.
Where: 4 Vere St, London W1G 0DH
Website: www.maroto.london
Double Standard at The Standard London
A beautiful space for enjoying a drink in one of London’s coolest hotels, Double Standard is the casual dining and drinking option on the ground floor of The Standard – think colourful interiors, pastel tiles and NYC dive bar food.
Order the ‘Grape Soda’ this London Cocktail Week, mixing vodka, cinnamon-spiced juicy grape, lime juice, and soda water.
Where: Ground Floor, The Standard, 10 Argyle St, London WC1H 8EG
Website: www.standardhotels.com
NoMad Bar & Side Hustle at NoMad Hotel
The impressive NoMad Hotel is a dream come true for interiors fans, and makes for a lovely spot away from the Covent Garden crowds to enjoy a cocktail this London Cocktail Week. Two of its agave-focused bars will be taking part in London Cocktail Week, so whether you’re after a drink in a stunning glass conservatory or a sip in a subterranean cocktail lounge, they’ve got both avenues covered.
At NoMad Bar, indulge in the Warbler, made with Del Maguey Vida mezcal, Muyu Jasmine liqueur, agave, lime juice, cantaloupe juice and soda water. Then, downstairs in Side Hustle, order the Verdita Margarita with Del Maguey Vida mezcal, agave, house Margarita mix, lemon juice, verdict, avocado syrup and Fino sherry.
Where: 28 Bow St, London WC2E 7AW
Website: www.thenomadhotel.com
The Franklin Bar
For London Cocktail Week, The Franklin will be offering you their delicious ‘The Mask’ cocktail at their chic hotel bar.
Priced at a steal of £8, the cocktail is a combination of Mezcal, Cadello 88 liqueur, mint liqueur, coconut syrup, citrus mix and house made Franklin bitters.
Where: 24 Egerton Gardens, London SW3 2DB
Website: www.collezione.starhotels.com
Nipperkin Bar at 20 Berkeley
Nipperkin Bar at 20 Berkeley is the cosy, speakeasy-style Mayfair bar serving cocktails with a focus on British spirits and ingredients.
Well worth a visit for London Cocktail Week, their offering includes the ‘Ardbeg & Stonefruits’, using Ardbeg 10 yo Scotch whisky, apricot liqueur, and plum wine, topped with a mix of ginger ale and ginger beer.
Where: 20 Berkeley St, London W1J 8EE
Website: www.20berkeley.com
The Rooftop at One Hundred Shoreditch
Rooftop lovers should head to One Hundred Shoreditch, the bar known for its pretty pink interiors and California vibes.
From the 12th you can head down to sample their London Cocktail Week special, the Shoredtich Sundowner, a mix of Patron Reposado, Cointreau, Agave, Lime Juice, and Blood Orange Soda.
Where: 100 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JQ
Website: www.onehundredshoreditch.com
The Stables Bar at The Milestone Hotel
The Stables Bar at The Milestone Hotel are getting into the swing of London Cocktail Week with their emblematic drink, Roses & Leather. Contrasting flavours are what make this drink so unique, made with homemade flower and leather cordial, egg white and Cardamom infused Broken Clock Vodka. It’s the ideal drink to savour as you take in the hotel bar’s equestrian themed interiors.
It doesn’t stop there though – the Stables Bar have collaborated with Broken Clock Vodka to create an additional three £8 cocktails for London Cocktail week too, including A Broken Brit Abroad, made with Broken Clock vodka, Eve Mediterranean liqueur and citric solution, topped with a foam of Mezcal and chocolate.
For one night only on 15th October, award-winning bartender Sean Cavanagh will join Angelo Lo Greco for a takeover at the Stables Bar with Broken Clock Vodka, bringing the flavours, flair and killer playlists of Edinburgh’s award-winning Hey Palu (Top 50 Cocktail Bars) to the Stables Bar. Book a table to guarantee your space!
Where: 1-3 Kensington Ct, London W8 5DL
Website: www.milestonehotel.com
The Perception
Sink in a few cocktails and mocktails at The Perception, the buzzy cocktail lounge at the W hotel.
The perfect spot for a nightcap under a gigantic disco ball and neon lighting, the bar has two drinks up for grabs with your wristband – the Little Miss Sunshine, with Belvedere vodka, melonade, plum sake, lime juice, winter melon bitters and mandarin bergamot soda for £8; and the Pineapple Express made with Atopia hedgerow berry, lime juice, pineapple and red Thai chilli syrup, and pineapple soda for just £6.
Where: W, Leicester Square, 10 Wardour St, London W1D 6QF
Website: www.theperceptionbar.com
Manzi’s
For a glamorous night in Soho, head to Manzi’s, the all-day seafood and fish restaurant nestled between Greek and Frith Streets. For just £8, they’re inviting guests down to check out the new restaurant and bar (and it’s incredible interiors – there’s mermaids lining the bar) and sample their two London Cocktail Week drinks. ‘Old Man And The Sea’ is made with Mezcal, Dulse seaweed, vermouth, sherry, Cynar and bitter apéritif; while Bateman’s Aperitif with sweet wine, Amontillado sherry, Frangelico and slim line tonic makes the perfect pre-dinner refreshment.
Looking for a non-alcoholic option? The Soho Square Iced Tea is available for £6, made with Everleaf Forest, Verjus, maple syrup, and black and lemon tea.
Where: 1-8 Bateman’s Buildings, London W1D 3EN
Website: www.manzis.co.uk
The SOAK
A wonderful spot for enjoying a drink in Victoria, The SOAK is The Clermont Hotel’s plush drinking and dining option in a grade II listed building with a magnificent oval bar and an Asian-inspired food menu.
Pop in over London Cocktail Week and order the ‘Sauvignon
Cooler’, marrying Bacardi Rum, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, and
passionfruit purée, topped with Sauvignon Blanc and grapefruit soda. It’s a tropical paradise in a glass, served with dry ice for a dramatic presentation.
Where: Terminus Pl, London SW1W 0RP
Website: www.thesoak.co.uk
Viajante87
This stunning, low-lit bar in Notting Hill mixes up creative drinks that pay homage to Latin America, and boasts a collection of over three hundred bottles of tequilas and mezcals.
This week, you’ll be able to try the Negroni Morada, a twist on the classic made with London dry gin, Luxardo Bianco, Vermut and purple potato.
Where: 87 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JZ
Website: www.viajantebar.com
A stunning, low-lit bar in Notting Hill.
Smith & Whistle
Leading Mayfair cocktail bar Smith & Whistle, with its elegant retro and copper interiors, has created the Slow Sipper for London Cocktail Week – a mix of Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva rum, Tio Pepe fino sherry, homemade avocado pit syrup, amaro and Angostura bitters.
It certainly sounds like a winner to us.
Where: Sheraton Grand London Park Lane, Piccadilly, London W1J 7BX
Website: www.smithandwhistle.com
TT Liquor
Two £8 cocktails are available at this enormous East London venue, which has a roof terrace, liquor store, intimate cellar bar, cinema and cocktail making classes.
Head to the cellar bar to try the ‘M.A.A.D City’ with Hennessy VS Cognac, Orgeat, peach syrup, lemon juice, peach bitters, Angostura bitters and Ms. Better’s Bitters Miraculous Foamer; before heading upstairs to the roof for the ‘Drink To Forget-Me-Not’, a mix of Patrón Silver tequila, blue curacao, lime juice and pink grapefruit soda.
Where: 17B Kingsland Rd, London E2 8AA
Website: www.ttliquor.co.uk
Bar 190 at The Gore Hotel
Right in the heart of Kensington lies one of London’s most fabulous bars, Bar 190 at The Gore Hotel. This year for London Cocktail Week, they’ll be offering their ‘One Night In Marrakesh’ cocktail to guests who flash their wristbands. It’s a combo of Broken Clock vodka, fig liqueur, elderflower liqueur, violet liqueur, lemon juice and mint bitters.
The interiors combine authentic Victorian elements with a splash of rock ‘n’ roll, with photographs from a Rolling Stone’s album launch hosted there in 1968 hanging from the walls. Sounds like a hit to us.
Where: 190 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, London SW7 5EX
Website: www.collezione.starhotels.com
Rockwell & Rooftop at Trafalgar St James
From botanical interiors to killer rooftop views, Trafalgar St James is one of the most exciting places to head to during London Cocktail Week – especially because they’ve got four affordable cocktails to try across their two bars.
At Rockwell, surrounded by indoor trees and maximalist interiors, try ‘Clock Work’, a sensational blend of Broken Clock vodka, peach liquer, Karminia sweet vermouth, grapefruit juice, grapefruit and raspberry shrub, and angostura bitters. Then, head up to the roof to try ‘Broken Records’, a zesty mix of Broken Clock vodka, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, pineapple, lemon juice and mint, as you take in views over Central London.
Where: 2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Sq, St. James’s, London SW1A 2TS
Website: www.trafalgarstjames.com
Silverleaf
Venture to Silverleaf this week for a full sensory experience, with a Tom Dixon-designed bar inspired by nature and its elements, as well as a forward-thinking cocktail menu rooted around flavour, colour, and minimal presentation.
With your trusty London Cocktail Week wristband you’ll be able to pick up Pineapple Miso – a mix of Craigellachie 13yo Scotch whisky, brown butter-washed Angel’s Envy bourbon, pineapple miso caramel and sugar syrup.
Go for London Cocktail Week but stay for the brand new menu, Building Blocks, designed to merge the boundaries between cocktails, art, science, and design. For one week only you can try a brand new cocktail from the menu for £8, the Tomato Shiso, made with Oxley gin, La Tomato liqueur, Lustau Manzanilla sherry, tomato and shiso cordial, and vanilla extract.
Where: 3rd Floor, Devonshire House, 3 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4JX
Website: www.panpacific.com
The BoTree Bar
One of London’s newest hotel cocktail bars, The BoTree Bar boasts green accents, a colour-changing ceiling, and minimalist cocktails using responsibly sourced ingredients.
Visit during London Cocktail Week for the Autumn Daiquiri, made with Bacardi Spiced rum, strawberries, lime juice, and fennel and basil cordial.
Where: The BoTree, 30 Marylebone Ln, London W1U 2DR
Website: www.thebotree.com
Lucy Wong
Take 1950s Hong Kong, drop it in a Fitzrovia bar, et voila – you’ve got Lucy Wong, where they’re serving up signature cocktails and Cantonese small plates.
Known for their brilliant selection of cocktails, they’ll be offering up the Aperol Sour for £8 during London Cocktail Week – a tantalising blend of Aperol, Roku gin, Egg white, Lemon juice, Sugar syrup, and orange bitters – as well as the Kiwi-ing Me Softly – a tempting fusion of Plantation 3 Stars rum, Apricot liqueur, Lemon juice, Sugar syrup, and velvety egg white.
Where: 33-34 Rathbone Pl, London W1T 1JN
Website: www.lucywong.co.uk
Rake’s Cafe Bar
For the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, head to Rake’s Cafe Bar, a beautiful bar tucked away inside Andaz London. Show your wristband to treat yourself to a choice of two cocktails for just £8 each – including the Cafe Royal, made with coffee infused gin, Cadello liqueur, Mezcal Verde and chocolate bitters.
There’s also a non-alcoholic option, Forest Bliss, which incorporates Everleaf Forest, grapefruit juice, vanilla syrup and lime juice.
Where: 40 Liverpool St, London EC2M 7QN
Website: www.hyattrestaurants.com
12th Knot at Sea Containers
Take the mixology celebration to the next level this week and head to the 12th floor of Sea Containers, where innovative cocktails and iconic views of London’s skyline await.
Their London Cocktail Week drink, the Captain Gimlette, blends together Bombay Sapphire Premiere Cru, White Grapefruit Cordial, Lime, and Thai Basil.
Where: 20 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD
Website: www.seacontainerslondon.com
Terra at Eataly
We love Terra, an Italian hideaway located inside Liverpool Street’s Eataly, boasting beautiful interiors, rare Italian ingredients and wines, and of course, an irresistible shopping experience for foodies.
As if we needed another reason to head down, they’re celebrating London Cocktail Week with two cocktails and a mocktail. We’re looking forward to trying their Alta Langa – a gin-based concoction made with Fiorente elderflower liqueur, Fontanafredda Gavi, lemon juice, and homemade basil and thyme syrup.
Where: 135 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3YD
Website: www.eataly.co.uk
Refuel Bar at The Soho Hotel
Firmdale Hotels are getting into the swing of London Cocktail Week with signature cocktails not to be missed across their London bars.
Refuel Bar at The Soho Hotel will be mixing up four £8 serves, including the Burnt Orange, a blend of Diplomatico Reserva rum, Scotch whisky, grapefruit juice, lime juice, white rose and raspberry syrup, and marmalade; and Ron’s Colada, made with Diplomatico Reserva rum, lychee juice, coconut milk, double cream, lime juice and sugar syrup.
Where: 4 Richmond Mews, London W1D 3DH
Website: www.firmdalehotels.com
Cecil Beaton Bar at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
This October, the glamorous Cecil Beaton Bar at Theatre Royal Drury Lane are marking London Cocktail Week with a special menu of six cocktails, each based on a top West End show that’s currently playing across London, from Back To The Future to Frozen.
Sit back and celebrate the wonderful world of musicals while taking in the surroundings of the world’s oldest theatre still in use.
Where: Catherine St, London WC2B 5JF
Website: www.thelane.co.uk