Best-of list
One night in London bars, planned correctly, compresses the best of one of the world's most varied bar scenes into a single evening. Updated 2026.
One night in London bars, planned correctly, compresses the best of one of the world's most varied bar scenes into a single evening. The density of genuine quality across Soho, Shoreditch, and Dalston is extraordinary — different in character from New York, different again from Berlin, and entirely itself.
Soho at 6 pm is the correct place to start an evening in London bars. The neighbourhood is small enough to walk between venues and the cocktail quality in a two-block radius of Frith Street is unmatched anywhere in the city.