The Best Cocktail Bars In London To Channel Your Inner Carrie Bradshaw

Nothing welcomes the festive season better than a glass of Moët & Chandon, particularly not when sipped while at Harrods, which is great news then given that the beverage brand has reimagined its Christmas menu at its champagne bar on the ground floor of Harrods.

To accompany its five new champagne cocktails, Moët & Chandon has also introduced two new savoury bite options: the Winter Oysters and the Faux Gras, both of which are perfect for being washed down with a glass of champagne. Whatever you're doing, run, don't walk for London's most fabulously festive cocktail bar.

Find the Moët & Chandon Champagne Bar at Harrods, London, SW1X 7XL.

Reopened on April 12 with an outside venue - though, we will say, thoroughly heated through to combat the unpredictable British weather - is the Mediterranean Garden Lounge bar and restaurant at the iconic Corinthia hotel. Head to the venue to dine or drink (or both) but booking is advised. As for cocktails, the Ladies and Gentian pleased us greatly for its Aperol Spritz meets Margarita concoction of tequila, Aperol, watermelon,
lime and soda water. We also enjoyed the Cuban Rose (white rum, mint, raspberry lime and Rosé champagne) and for whiskey lovers, the Sterling Cup (pictured) is for you.

Find The Garden Lounge at the Corinthia at Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2BD.

The Alchemist is the place to go for experimental cocktails. Think a ton of dry ice producing a smoky illusion, the bartender boiling your drink in front of you before you can drink it and some colour changes unfolding in front of your very eyes.

We loved The Mad Hatters to share and the Lightbulb Moment but the huge variety of food options are not to be sniffed at either (we can confirm the Mac & Cheese bites suitably accompany any cocktail).

Top tip: Make sure you do have the bartender guide you through the menu as it'll be a struggle to comprehend for anyone without a trained eye.

Find The Alchemist in Aldgate, Canary Wharf, Covent Garden and Old Street, with a Nine Elms venue opening this month.

The reputation of this intimate London-favourite haunt precedes itself, of course, but the Russian and English restaurant also has a delightful cocktail menu.

The classics like Cosmopolitans and Old Fashioned's are on offer as at the original Soho site while newcomer Bob Bob Cité - which specialises in French country cooking - has Passionfruit Martinis and their signature Pink Rhubarb gin and tonic too.

To round off drinks there's also that 'Press for Champagne' button at every table which we're guessing you've come across on various Instagram Stories.

Find Bob Bob Ricard at 1 Upper James Street, Soho and Bob Bob Cite at 122 Leadenhall Street in the City of London.

Located in the heart of Soho via a red door – with a sign that specifies it is not, in fact, a brothel – is late night bar Basement Sate.

Open from 6pm, you can find an extensive cocktail menu and dedicated gin and tonic list with gins, mixers and garnishes paired by the experts. As well as the bar snacks menu featuring mushroom arancini and baked camembert, Basement Sate are also known for their desserts like smores, cheesecake and more. Our tip is to head there after an evening meal at a great London restaurant - where you've specifically saved just enough room - for a post-dinner cocktail and dessert.

Find Basement Sate at 8 Broadwick Street, London

It's one of the most Instagrammable venues in London with their iconic egg toilets, plush pink sofas and green 'The Glade' forest-themed room. But the extensive cocktail menu is another reason to head to the must-visit spot.

Find Sketch at 9 Conduit St, Mayfair, London W1S 2XG.

This fit-for-Instagram venue, Pergola, is found in an unlikely spot at the top of a car park next to Kensington Olympia. Book a table in advance, grab a bunch of friends, sample cocktails from an extensive menu and pair it with some food from one of the many pop-ups on offer and enjoy.

Find Pergola at Kensington Olympia and Paddington Central.

This post-wartime themed venue is set in a makeshift underground tube station - complete with train carriages - and has cocktails to match the interiors. From cocktails named after stars of the time, Vera Lynn (pictured) or Judy Garland, to a clever play on words ('Keep Marm And Carry On') there are cocktails for everyone.

Cahoots has three varieties all within a few years of each other. There's the Underground at 13 Kingly Court, and the Ticket Hall and Control Room at number 5.

Find Cahoots at Kingly Court, Soho.

Located on the 12th floor of the DoubleTree Hilton hotel next to the Tower of London is Savage Garden which offers panoramic views looking out over the city, with unique close-up views of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.

Cocktail wise, the modern venue puts a modern twists on the classics. For instance, with the 'Savage Spritz' which is Plymouth sloe gin, bitters and champagne.

Food wise, there's a vast offering of meat, pescatarian, veggie and vegan sharing platters and individual mains on offer. There's only one dessert on the menu but we highly recommend it. Two words: 'Injectable doughnuts'.

Find Savage Garden at 7 Pepys Street.

What’s better than a good cocktail? A cocktail with a view, that’s what. Promising a clear look over Tower Bridge, Oblix East sits on the 32nd floor of The Shard. With culinary cocktails that each have their own ‘thing’, everything about this place is Instagram-friendly, from the view over East London to their aesthetic drinks.

Latest additions to the menu include Born a Star, Oblix’s satisfyingly sweet passion fruit and blood orange cocktail that comes served in a replica of The Shard itself. The impressive hero drink costs £20, but for the experience, view, attentive service and well balanced flavours it’s worth it.

If that’s not your cup of tea there are plenty of other options on offer, like their Bubble Gum Martini, a mild drink of rhubarb and lemongrass that features bubble smoke. Treat yourself to a side of their perfectly crisped fried chicken and caviar sour cream dip and you’re in for a good night.

Find Oblix East at 46-50 Gainsford St, London.

Opened last year, the Standard hotel's outdoor terrace bar, is a cocktail lover's dream. This summer, they have a range of 'slushy' cocktails which are divine (and last at bit longer than your average cocktail, in our experience) with flavours including Aperol Spritz and twists on Pina Coladas and Porn Star Martinis. The perfect accompaniment to sitting outside in the summer sun.

Find the Terrace at the Standard, London at 10 Argyle Street, WC1H 8EG.

Located in two uber cool venues, Peckham Levels and a roof terrace overlooking Camden Stables is Near and Far. The joint serves fun twists on the classic cocktails like their 'Benedict Cumberbatch' (Gin, Cucumber Juice, Elderflower & Citrus with Prosecco) and the 'Fashioned Forward' (Whisky, Disaronno Amaretto, Black Pepper, Sugar and Orange Bitters).

Find Near and Far at Peckham Levels, 95a Rye Lane and 48 Chalk Farm Road.

A 'treat yo' self' cocktail bar can be found at the iconic Claridge's hotel in London's Mayfair. Davies and Brook is one of the bars on offer, serving inventive, distinct and crisp cocktails in a fancy yet low key setting. The muted grey tones of the decor, adorned with portraits of rural Scotland, mean the bar feels chilled and relaxed.

We'd recommend heading to Davies and Brook for a one-on-one or small group special occasion. Try the Gin Smash (Gin, Lemon, Mint, Angostura and Peychaud’s Bitters) if that's your kind of thing and pair it with the mouthwatering black truffle flatbread with parmesan cream from the all-day snack menu. You're welcome.

Find Davies and Brook at Claridge's Hotel, W1K 4HR.

This terrace bar on the upper floors of Brixton Village market has a dreamy cocktail menu (though, anything off the menu they're likely to sort you out with too) with Latin American twists on classics - if the drinks don't hail from the region already of course. Think pineapple negronis, a cancun margaritas and chai coladas. If you need something to soak up the cocktails, food can be ordered from various restaurants within Brixton market. Booking is advised a this increasingly popular south London bar.

Find Lost In Brixton at Brixton Village, Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8PS

Above Jason Atherton's renowned Social Eating House restaurant is The Blind Pig, a dimly-lit hidden away spot with Deep South speakeazy vibes.

Ideal for a pre or post dinner in Soho tipple, the bar offers cocktails inspired by children's literature. For example, there's Pooh's Honey Pot, Paddington's Lost and Found and Harry Potter’s Best Bottled Butter Bitter.

Find The Blind Pig at 58 Poland Street, Soho.

This cocktail bar is extremely committed to its 1970s theme. The venue is decked out just like a living room from five decades ago: Think velvet chairs (and curtains), bold, patterned wallpaper and even retro television sets placed in the corner.

The cocktail menu is split into two sections, 'Bobby's Favourites' and 'Family Affair' where each drink is named after a certain 'relative'. The venue is also known for its stone-baked, Italian pizzas and now offers bottomless brunch.

Find Bobby Fitzpatrick at 273 West End Ln.

A great pit stop in between hitting the shops of Oxford Circus in one of the most central locations in London, yet it feels off the beaten track.

With outdoor seating, which is both sunshine and cold weather appropriate, Mews serves up one of best Espresso Martinis around and a whole host of delicious bar snacks.

Find Mews at 10 Lancashire Court, W1S 1EY.

A gin specialist with on-hand gin experts who are so clued up they can provide you with a brief history lesson on the origins of England synonymity with the white spirit, if you're into that sort of thing. Fusing many botanical flavours with pretty much every brand of gin there is, as well as unusual flavours you might not have thought to try, Mr Fogg's is definitely the cocktail bar for gin aficionados.

There are several Mr Fogg's spin-offs to try. Find out more here and Mr Fogg's Gin Parlour at 1 New Row, Covent Garden.

This cool north London cocktail bar has tons to keep you entertained, from its extensive cocktail list to the pool table found downstairs.

The dimly lit, long and thin venue has cosy booths making it ideal for small group gatherings. Found underground - so much that you'd also miss it - it's a great spot to finish up after a nice walk near neighbouring Victoria Park where you can stay until the early hours over the weekend thanks to its 1.30 am closing time.

Find Original Sin at 129 Stoke Newington High S.