Places to be Seen
| MOST POPULAR | |
| Eclipse Notting Hill, Wimbledon, Parsons Green, Gloucester Road and South Kensington chain of “cosy and posy” bars, packed with “eye candy”. |
Blue Bar Knightsbridge Nestled beneath the Berkeley Hotel, this “sublimely swanky” hot spot is apparently where the “hip go to sip”. |
| Chinawhite Piccadilly If you can get in, this is the place of choice for socialites and the clubbing elite – cynics warn of “snotty” staff and “pretentious” guests. |
Zuma Knightsbridge This “exotic yet relaxed” bar and restaurant has survived the initial hype and remains “so hip it hurts”. |
| All Bar One various locations “Bright, clean and minimal”, with an over-21 age limit to “keep the kids out”. Critics say they are “boring”, the “Milton Keynes of the chain pubs”. |
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| MEAT MARKETS | |
| Chinawhite (see above) |
Player, Soho Funky and friendly secluded basement but it can become something of a “trendy-boy paradise”. |
| Eclipse (see above) |
Scala King’s Cross “Fantastic venue” apparently hosts hot bands, friendly DJs and three well-stocked bars on multiple levels, each with a different style. Its location guarantees a “colourful” crowd. |
| Prince Bonaparte Notting Hill “Happening joint”, a hit with those who want a low-key, midweek catch up. But the vibe changes at the weekend when it is taken over by “pre-clubbing power drinkers”. |
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| AFTER WORK | |
| Ling Ling @ Hakkasan Bloomsbury “Beautiful” bar oozes class. Bring some bling, as prices – which “seem to put off the hoi polloi” – are high. |
Jerusalem Tavern Clerkenwell “The “opposite of chic”, snug, rustic and popular with nearby office workers for unusual ales. Only open on weekdays and usually crowded. |
| Baltic South Bank Pricey but fashionable vodka venue, this minimalist establishment serves creative concoctions to a “moneyed” crowd. It is slightly out of the way but deemed to be “worth the trip”. |
Gordon’s, Embankment visiting this “little wine dungeon” is like stepping back in time with its “brick-lined walls” and “candles stuck in old bottles”. Ideal setting for “a smoky rendezvous”. |
| Lamb Bloomsbury Hailed as “possibly the perfect pub”, this old-fashioned watering hole boasts original decor, good ales and a “charming, chatty” atmosphere. Popular with the artistic set. |
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| LATE LICENCE | |
| Library Hyde Park Corner A “perfect backdrop for a leisurely drink”, the Lanesborough Hotel bar is favoured by “posh” patrons supping cocktails in sumptuous surroundings. Not suitable for the unrefined. |
Plan B Brixton “Awesome” den is said to be “where the party is at” for a multicultural crowd who appreciate “da best” dance venue south of the river. Located on Brixton’s main drag. |
| Ling Ling @ Hakkasan (see earlier) |
Zuma (see earlier) |
| Blue Bar (see earlier) |
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| TRENDY | |
| Plan B (see earlier) |
Ling Ling @ Hakkasan (see earlier) |
| Milk & Honey, Soho In an area known for “personality-free watering holes”, this is an “oasis” where you don’t have to shout to be heard. |
Dragon Shoreditch Hidden away down a back alley, this “grubby, vibrant, loud” bar is a “fantastic place to chill” with its battered sofas. But it can get “wild”. |
| Cargo Shoreditch Nuzzled between railway arches, this “deservedly busy” bar and restaurant attracts a mixed crowd for its eclectic music and “interesting “menu. |
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| COMMUTER | |
| Jerusalem Tavern (see earlier) |
Gordon’s (see earlier) |
| Smiths of Smithfield Smithfield Market This four-floor former warehouse offers plenty of choice, from a “plush” martini-and-champagne bar to a more basic ground level bar with loud music and fish finger sandwiches. |
Market Porter Borough Market A little “gem” of a boozer that is “always crowded” and offers “an inspiring range” of beer. With a 6am opening, it is handy for breakfast for traders and others who like to start the day with a pint. |
| Lamb Tavern Leadenhall Market This “lively” boozer is a convenient lunchtime or after-work option with its “traditional” setting and good selection of bottled beers. Closes at about 9.30pm. |
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| GASTRO-PUBS | |
| The Well Clerkenwell “Well worth the trip” for its constantly changing menu, “large international selection of beers”, and an eccentric crowd of regulars. |
Draper’s Arms Islington Offering “inventive twists on classic British fare”, this backstreet haven is for “well-heeled Islington families”. More suitable for a pint and a chat than a wild night out. |
| The Westbourne Notting Hill Despite being condemned as “so full of itself it’s almost unbearable” and “tragically hip”, this place remains popular with a mix of “rockers, artists and American bankers”. |
Bull’s Head Barnes Bridge “The best jazz at the best price in London” can be allegedly found at this riverside pub, which is commended for being big enough for punters to “hide away from the awful locals”. |
| Approach Tavern Bethnal Green An “old-style East End” pub that sports modern food and staff who appear to be “waiting for Alexander McQueen to hire them”. Attracts an arty crowd who drop in before checking out the gallery upstairs. |
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| SUITS | |
| Milk and Honey (see earlier) |
Annabel’s, Mayfair Private club for “royalty and celebs” that is “oozing old money, confidence and good manners from every pore”. But a younger, more eclectic crowd is said to be revitalising the scene. |
| Baltic (see earlier) |
Gordon’s (see earlier) |
| American Bar Savoy Hotel “Forever cool” bar that invites guests to “live the dream in the 1930s”. Grown-ups only. |
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| ROMANCE | |
| Bartok Chalk Farm “A civilised respite” in a busy area that is perhaps the only live classical music venue in London. Lots of “comfy old sofas and chairs” especially suited to a Sunday chill-out. |
Claridge’s Bar Mayfair “One of the swankiest bars in all London” where patrons often partake of vintages from the Champagne Library or cigars in the fumoir. Some find it “stuffy”. |
| Dove Hammersmith This “olde worlde” pub offers riverside views, a wide choice of Belgian beers and “tasty fare”. Named as the smallest public bar in the Guinness Book of Records, it once attracted the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Graham Greene. |
Gordon’s (see earlier) |
| Library (see earlier) |
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