69 Colebrooke Row
£££·Hoxton
Bars
Cocktail bars, wine bars, and the best places to drink
Latin CocktailsParty Starter
Barrio East
££·Shoreditch·Shoreditch High Street
Tequila, rum, salsa, and a crowd that came to dance. It's loud, colourful, and unapologetically fun. Order a fishbowl and commit to the evening.
CocktailsLive Music
Book Club Bar
££·Old Street
Literary themed cocktail bar that transforms into one of East London's best small venues after dark. Bookshelves line the walls while DJs and live acts perform surrounded by leather armchairs and vintage typewriters.
CocktailsBrunch Spot
Merchant House
££·Bethnal Green
Georgian townhouse converted into an all-day drinking and dining destination. Morning coffee transforms into afternoon cocktails while the garden provides rare outdoor space for weekend brunch crowds.
GastropubLocal Legend
Owl and Pussycat
££·Redchurch Street
This proper East End boozer survived gentrification by doubling down on its roots. Victorian tiles meet craft beer taps while locals argue football with creative types over Sunday roasts.
Wine BarNew Opening
Pause
£££·Curtain Road
Natural wine specialist with small plates designed for sharing. The minimal interior focuses attention on an exceptional bottle selection while knowledgeable staff guide novices through orange wines and pet-nats.
Cocktail BarAustralian Inspired
Ruby's Bar
££·Brick Lane
Australian-inspired cocktail bar with a tropical feel and vibrant atmosphere. Known for creative rum-based cocktails and friendly service.
CocktailsHidden Gem
Sosho
£££·Spitalfields
Japanese inspired cocktail den hidden beneath Spitalfields Market. Whisky flights and sake cocktails get served in a minimalist space where every detail reflects Tokyo bar culture.
Cocktail BarProhibition Era
The Gibson
£££·Old Street
Prohibition-era inspired cocktail bar with no menu and bespoke drinks. Bartenders create personalized cocktails based on your preferences and mood.
Cocktail BarSecret Entrance
The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town
££·Spitalfields
Hidden speakeasy accessed through a vintage Smeg fridge in a sandwich shop. Features prohibition-era cocktails and whimsical Alice in Wonderland theming.
Historic PubLocal Legend
The Ten Bells
££·Spitalfields
Victorian London's most atmospheric survivor, complete with original tiles depicting hop pickers. Jack the Ripper connections draw tourists but exceptional gastropub food keeps locals coming back.
GastropubDog Friendly
The Three Crowns
££·Columbia Road
Flower market institution serving exceptional gastropub food alongside local ales. Sunday service synchronizes with the Columbia Road market creating perfect post-shopping pit stops for locals and their dogs.
GastropubDog Friendly
The Water Poet
££·Spitalfields
A rambling Victorian pub with multiple rooms, each with its own personality. Live music ranges from indie bands to spoken word while dogs lounge under tables loaded with elevated pub grub.
Bar & EventsCreative Hub
The Book Club
££·Shoreditch·Old Street
Part bar, part cultural space, part late-night dance floor. Life drawing, ping pong, DJs, and cocktails coexist perfectly in this Leonard Street institution.
CocktailsBethnal Green Favourite
Satan's Whiskers
££·Bethnal Green·Bethnal Green
World-class cocktails in a neighbourhood bar setting. Dark, loud, and gloriously unpretentious. The menu changes seasonally and the bartenders actually care.
Victorian CocktailsTime Warp
Worship Street Whistling Shop
£££·Shoreditch·Old Street
A Victorian gin palace reimagined for the modern age. They make their own spirits in-house, and the attention to historical detail is obsessive in the best way.
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CocktailsAfter Hours Secret
Bar Three
£££·Shoreditch·Old Street
The third bar within Callooh Callay, accessed through a hidden door. If you know, you know. Some of the most creative cocktails in East London, in a space that seats about twelve.
Molecular CocktailsAvant-Garde
Lounge Bohemia
£££·Shoreditch·Shoreditch High Street
Pre-booked cocktail sessions in an unmarked basement on Great Eastern Street. The molecular approach divides opinion but the craft is undeniable. An experience, not just a drink.
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Natural WineWine Geek Haven
Original Sin
££·Stoke Newington·Dalston Kingsland
A tiny natural wine bar where the list reads like a greatest hits of the low-intervention world. The cheese and charcuterie are excellent companions.
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CocktailsAward-Winning
Callooh Callay
£££·Rivington Street·Old Street
A Wonderland-themed cocktail bar with a secret room hidden through a wardrobe. The drinks are inventive and precisely made, the atmosphere is playful, and the wardrobe door never gets old.
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CocktailsDalston Darling
Ruby's
££·Dalston·Dalston Junction
A basement cocktail bar beneath a Dalston caff. The drinks are sharp, the prices are fair, and the late-night energy is pure East London.
CocktailsSpeakeasy
Nightjar
£££·City Road·Old Street
A Prohibition-era speakeasy with live jazz and some of the most theatrical cocktails in London. The drinks come with elaborate garnishes and backstories, and the candlelit basement feels timelessly glamorous.
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CocktailsNew Wave
Seed Library
£££·Shoreditch·Shoreditch High Street
A sustainability-focused cocktail bar that uses seeds, husks, and stems as the starting point for every drink. It sounds worthy but tastes wonderful.
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CocktailsWorld Top 50
Happiness Forgets
£££·Hoxton Square·Old Street
A tiny Hoxton basement bar that regularly features in the World's 50 Best Bars. No gimmicks, no pretension - just perfectly balanced cocktails in an intimate, low-key space.
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Irish Whiskey & CocktailsWhiskey Paradise
The Sun Tavern
££·Bethnal Green·Bethnal Green
An Irish whiskey bar that does things properly. The poitin cocktails are brilliant, the Guinness is perfectly poured, and the craic is always good.
French CocktailsWorld's 50 Best
Coupette
£££·Bethnal Green·Bethnal Green
A French-inspired cocktail bar where Calvados and Cognac get the respect they deserve. The Champagne Pigeon is legendary, and the bartending is impeccable.
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CocktailsBasement Bar
Discount Suit Company
££·Wentworth Street·Aldgate East
A former suit wholesaler basement turned cocktail bar near Petticoat Lane. The drinks are excellent, the prices are fair for the quality, and the after-work buzz on a Friday is infectious.
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CocktailsUnderstated Excellence
Three Sheets
££·Dalston·Dalston Junction
A deceptively simple-looking bar that serves some of the most considered cocktails in London. Short menu, long on quality. The kind of place bartenders drink at.
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Beer Hall & EventsHackney Gathering Place
Martello Hall
££·Hackney·London Fields
A huge former Hackney brewery space with craft beer, street food vendors, and regular live events. The courtyard in summer is one of East London's best hangouts.
Rooftop BarBest Views
Netil360
££·Hackney·London Fields
A rooftop bar and urban garden on top of Netil House with panoramic views of the London skyline. Hot tubs, cocktails, and sunsets that make the city feel infinite.
Pub & CocktailsBrick Lane Corner
Well & Bucket
££·Shoreditch·Shoreditch High Street
A beautifully restored corner pub at the top of Brick Lane. Craft beer downstairs, cocktails upstairs, and a terrace that catches the afternoon sun perfectly.