Basement Sate
Venture below the streets of Soho where you'll uncover one of the best hidden bars in London. Basement State is specialising in sophisticated sips, with plush leather armchairs and low lighting paired with an unusual drinks menu.
Illicit sips in a hidden drinking den...what's not to like? Harking back to the Prohibition days, these gorgeous bars across the city are taking your evenings up a notch, courtesy of inventive cocktails, smooth jazz and vintage decor. Get a taste of the 1920's life with a look at the London speakeasies that are transporting you to another world.
Last edited by Lauren Cole
Last updated on 25th April 2024
Venture below the streets of Soho where you'll uncover one of the best hidden bars in London. Basement State is specialising in sophisticated sips, with plush leather armchairs and low lighting paired with an unusual drinks menu.
Found hidden away behind a secret door in Earl's Court, Evans & Peel Detective Agency is the Prohibition-style bar offering up swish surrounds for date nights and get-togethers with friends alike. Expect American bites, live music and plenty of heady cocktails.
The Lucky Pig is Fitzrovia is one of the best party palaces. Perfect for date nights and fun birthday celebrations, the venue has intimate cubby holes, dazzling drinks and a scrumptious food menu - think cheese boards and yummy pizza.
For a dreamy 1920s jazz experience in London, check out 28-50 By Night. Your evenings come complete with a menu filled with European-inspired dishes, alongside a vast wine selection. Plus, you can sway and dance until 2am.
A cutesy nook just shy of Spitalfields, The Ten Bells houses a secretive cocktail lair above its usual boozer. Entered via a back staircase, this spot is brimming with chesterfield sofas and rich woodwork, while the drinks menu features all the classics.
The Arts Theatre Club is a glamorous members-only escape mixing up punchy libations in a Prohibition-era setting. Head to the Soho hangout with a pal and share a teapot concoction or some signature cocktails in luxury.
A cool basement cranny situated underneath Casita, Found is up there with London's best speakeasies. A hidden gem on the vintage scene, this bar is serving up a limited number of cocktails, but you can be sure that they're of first-class quality.
Meet Moonshine Minnie's: a slinky bar below The Blues Kitchen. Hit up the swoon-worthy Shoreditch haunt where you can enjoy classic whiskey cocktails, delicious southern American bar snacks, and all that hidden atmosphere you've been looking for.
From luxe interiors to artfully hand-crafted cocktails, The Luggage Room is all about Prohibition chic. Not only will the Mayfair bar provide you with a charming setting to relax in, but they'll also be playing jazz tunes to really immerse you in the era.
Inspired by the sultry speakeasy, Ginger Lily is an ideal spot for those illicit-style sips in the chic space. Located in Pan Pacific London on Liverpool Street, this pretty venue has a great deal of tasty concoctions and Singaporean food, which is sure to hit the spot.
Radiant with intimacy and tiki flair, it almost seems a shame to lift the lid on this secretive basement bar on Portobello Road. Head inside to uncover a world of exotic drinks, kooky interiors and delightful Dim Sum bites. It's an ideal spot for a date or a catch up with your mate, and cocktails like the Banzai '45, Mr Yellow Belly and Dia De Los Muertos will have you back time and again.
Head to Shepherd's Bush where this unique bar takes inspiration from the iconic Sherlock Holmes stories. Hidden behind an opticians at the West 12 shopping centre, it's home to some of the city's most exciting concotctions.
Nestled underneath Swift Borough, Back Pocket is an intimate speakeasy-style bar that you seriously need to have on your hit list. Make your way over to the basement drinking den for low lighting and leather sofas, not to mention heady cocktails galore.
From the team behind the much-loved contemporary Indian eatery, Kricket, is SOMA Soho, a minimal and low-lit speakeasy. This gorgeous bar serves up refined cocktails with creative twists, like a chaat margarita, blueberry lassi and a cashew negroni.
Attached to cool live music venue Lafayette is the even slinkier Streetwater, a speakeasy-style saloon bar serving top-class beers, wines and cocktails. If that wasn't enough? Hidden spot Nola completes the trio at this stunning King's Cross destination.
Whether you're a lager lover, a craft beer connoisseur, or someone who swoons over premium wines and spirits, The Black Horse has got you covered. A classic London pub downstairs and an oh-so-sleek cocktail speakeasy upstairs, this boozer caters for anything from group bookings, special occasions, private hire, and even that random "I deserve a fancy drink" moment; definitely not your run-of-the-mill London pub.
Shoreditch and Soho's Nightjar is transporting you back in time, courtesy of its Prohibition-esque interiors and live tunes. The menu will see you working your way through the eras, starting with stunning cocktails from the 1600s all the way up until early noughties' serves. This place is renowned across the world and has jazz performances to boot, so isn't to be missed.
The aptly-named Camden Basement Cocktail Bar provides a true speakeasy experience, where you bring a bottle of your favourite spirit to be turned into five bespoke concoctions tailored to your tastes by the talented mixologists. Across several exclusive areas named after icons like Charlie Chaplin, Pablo Picasso, Louis Armstrong, and Pauline Sabin, you can enjoy these fantastic drinks and a number of tasty small plates while surrounded by opulent gold decor.
In amongst the hustle and bustle of the City, Demon, Wise & Partners offers a relaxed and refined atmosphere to help you recharge those batteries. Find this basement haven beneath The Arbitrager where exceptional cocktails await.
Sibin is a secret speakeasy at Great Scotland Yard Hotel - all you have to do is find it. Shimmy through the unassuming bookcase and you'll uncover this sexy drinking den, before getting stuck into over 170 whiskies from around the world or sipping cocktails.
Find swanky speakeasy vibes in Bromley at Cocktail Akademia. Specialising in all things boozy, the crafted drinks menu is a sight to behold for lovers of quirky serves. Expect green chilli margaritas, smoked grapefruit negronis and much more. The drinks are best enjoy in their brooding tropical-themed bar area, featuring dip lighting and vintage sofas.
It's not hard to see why Opium is widely considered as one of London's best speakeasy bars. As well as delivering a knockout array of oriental-themed cocktails, the Chinatown hotspot also houses a whopping three watering holes under the same roof.
@ The Candlelight Club on Various dates from Saturday 18th May 2024
Inspired by 1920s-style glamour, The Candlelight Club is one of Central London's best speakeasy bars. This Prohibition-themed venue is the perfect stop-off for lip-smacking cocktails and three-course immersive dining experiences, which are accompanied by live jazz entertainment.