Looking for the best cocktail bars in Covent Garden? From secret speakeasies to party bars and glam hotels, this guide will show you exactly where to go for your night out in London.
When it comes to nights out, Covent Garden is one of my favourite areas of London. It’s a sophisticated part of the city, with its old piazza, smart restaurant scene and theatres. Yet, when it comes to bars, there’s a bit of everything!
You can go grungy at Stereo, enjoy the finer things in life at The Savoy or delve into the unknown in hidden bars like Blind Spot. On a budget, or just love a bargain? Time your visit for one of the top value happy hours at Be At One, The Escapologist or Blame Gloria.
I’ve tried to really hone in on Covent Garden for this post. No bars in Soho, Trafalgar Square or Oxford Circus. These options stretch from St Martin’s Lane to Seven Dials and the Strand. Some are better early in the evening, while others give you a flavour of Covent Garden nightlife.
Oh, and while I know plenty of pubs serve up cocktails these days, there isn’t a single pub on this list. To be honest, I could do a guide to the best pubs in Covent Garden as there are SO many I love! Same goes for wine bars…
So whether you’re planning a quick drink with friends, a romantic date night or the party to end all parties, here’s my guide to where to go for cocktails in Covent Garden, London!
25 Best Cocktail Bars In Covent Garden
Mr Fogg’s Gin Parlour & Mr Fogg’s Society of Exploration
Part of the Mr Fogg’s collection of bars, these two venues in Covent Garden focus on gin-based cocktails in a quirky Victorian-style setting.
The extensive gin selection and unique concoctions make it a popular choice. Both venues have very kitsch and cool decor, and many of the cocktails have novelty names. I really love the Mr Fogg’s venues – there are several across London and I’ve always had a great time at them! If you’re looking for a really fun place to start your night in Covent Garden, or celebrate a special occasion, definitely check out these two branches.
The Alchemist
Hurrah for fun cocktails! I love a novelty drink from time to time. Yep, they’re not always the flavours you’d choose, but they froth, or fizz or change colour, and sometimes that’s EXACTLY what you want! If you love that too, then head to The Alchemist on St Martin’s Lane.
Choose from drinks like Bubblebath (which claims to contain fairy liquid), Chai Iced Tea (which is served smoking), and the Colour Changing One (which, you’ve guessed it, changes colour using ‘magic’). There’s also a tasty food menu too, you know, incase you need to soak up any of that ‘magic’.
American Bar at The Savoy
Say hello to the oldest surviving cocktail bar in Britain, opening its doors in 1893. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time as you enter The Savoy’s smart bar, enjoying the sounds of a live jazz pianist as you sip on an expertly crafted cocktail.
The American Bar was voted the World’s Best Bar in 2018, so you can expect to taste well-balanced, delicious drinks if you take a seat here. Prices reflect its prestige, but it’s worth it! Oh and it’s the perfect spot for a romantic date in Covent Garden.
Stereo
Ready for a bit of a sensory journey through music, decor and of course, cocktails?! This cool Covent Garden cocktail bar is tucked away under Covent Garden Market. It offers innovative cocktails and immersive music experiences.
There’s a great roster of live music and DJs, which you can check in advance on the website. The website describes it as a “place to arrive for an aperitif, stay for dinner and dance into the early hours.” Sounds ideal!
Blame Gloria
Once Adventure Bar (the location of many of my birthday parties in my 20s!) Blame Gloria is the place to go for a night packed with fun. Who’s Gloria? According to the website, she’s the one who throws the wildest parties. Ohhhh, THAT Gloria!
The menu is wild here too, with flaming zombies, vodka infused with Skittles and drinks garnished with everything from edible flowers to Parma Violets.
Covent Garden Social Club
Looking for party vibes as you enjoy some cocktails in Covent Garden? This funky bar on Great Newport Street has a piano bar upstairs and a basement bar… well, err, downstairs! There’s a great happy hour everyday of the week until 8pm, and a great roster of entertainment on both floors.
Keep an eye on the website for details of live music and comedy. This is a brilliant place to kick off your night on the town!
Tequila Mockingbird
With two branches in this neighbourhood, this small chain of bars offers great drinks and fun vibes. It’s a place filled with happy, boozy memories for me, as this was often where I’d head after work on a Friday for a few cocktails with work friends.
The cocktails are seriously good, and you can expect some bartender flair skills on show too. Plus, if you’re looking for a fun place for a birthday party, Tequila Mockingbird also hosts karaoke, bottomless brunches and more.
Eve Bar
Mystery and magic work hand in hand at this underground bar in Covent Garden. I visited Eve for the first time a few months ago, finding it purely by chance. The steps to the basement were covered in apples, there was no menu outside, but with a bit of dutch courage, a friend and I ventured down and found a super cool hidden bar serving creative cocktails in a candlelit setting.
Since then I’ve found out that the bar is part of top chef Adam Handling’s little empire (he also runs Frog, Restaurant Adam Handling and a few others). It’s a cool spot, and one you might never stumble upon if it weren’t for my little recommendation!
Blind Spot
Tucked inside the 5* St Martins Lane Hotel, Blind Spot is set behind the façade of a tea counter and is one of the closest places to a late-night speakeasy that you’ll find in Central London.
There’s a themed menu, with cocktails featuring flavours influenced by the British Empire and its ancient tea trade. There’s also a cool programme of live music, DJ appearances and events throughout the week.
Cellar Door
One of the most unusual venues for a cocktail bar in Covent Garden is this one! Yes, Cellar Door is actually a former public toilet! But don’t let that put you off. Once you step downstairs into this basement lair you’ll discover a tiny bar with velvet seating and a great menu of cocktails to choose from.
As an added bonus, this Covent garden cocktail bar is famed for its nightly live acts, which usually kick off from 9pm. They range from live music, to cabaret and burlesque. There’s also a nifty DJ gadget, which allows you to control the music from your phone! How cool is that?
Miracle at The Henrietta Hotel
Whether you’re looking for a romantic date night or a catch up with friends, Miracle is a great option! This upmarket Covent Garden bar is located in the 5-star Henrietta Hotel. Here, you’ll be able to enjoy all the classics, as well as some super fun concoctions too.
This bar has some amazing themed cocktails around holidays such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day, so keep your eyes peeled for those!
Mrs Riot
This colourful cocktail bar on Henrietta Street in the heart of Covent Garden offers a party vibe every day of the week. There are great happy hour offers, including 2-4-1 margaritas and mojitos at the weekends.
There’s live music, DJs, karaoke and more on offer. But one of the things this bar is also famous for is its weekly Bottomless Drag Brunch. With a name like Mrs Riot, you know you’re in for a fun night out!
Grind
But wait, isn’t Grind one of the best coffee shops in Covent Garden? Errr, well actually, after dark, Grind turns sexier and cooler, as the classic espresso is swapped for one of the best espresso martinis in the city. They serve up a tasty menu of light bites, brunches and snacks, plus plenty more cocktails that pack a punch.
While it’s not in a particularly ‘secret’ location, Grind is a great option when other Covent Garden bars are busy, as I don’t think people think to try somewhere that looks like a cafe.
Side Hustle
NoMAd is one of Covent Garden’s newest swanky hotels. Step inside and you’ll find their super cool cocktail bar, Side Hustle.
Set in the building’s former Police Station, the menu here is influenced by the flavours of Latin America. You’ll find lots of tequila and mezcal cocktails on the menu, as well as some tatsy morsels to snack on.
Be At One (2 branches: Russell Street and The Lyceum)
Known for having one of the biggest cocktail menus around, you’re guaranteed to find something you like at Be At One. They’re famed for their awesome 2 for 1 happy hours.
The drinks are well-made and strong, but you can really pick up some bargains! See you down there for 2 for 1 passionfruit mojitos?
Dirty Martini
With several bars across London, Dirty Martini have nailed the classic London cocktail bar. ID on entry, strong, well made cocktails, and a party atmosphere. They’re often tiny bars, tucked away in basements, so you don’t quite know what you’re about to enter when you go in.
This one, just off Covent Garden’s piazza has a great happy hour, and when I last went (on a Tuesday around 8.30pm) had VERY loud music. It’s not a great place for a chilled catch up with friends unless you’re happy to strain your vocal chords in the process, but you can guarantee great martinis and a party vibe.
The Escapologist
One of the coolest cocktail bars in Covent Garden, The Escapologist doesn’t take itself too seriously. In fact, it claims to be the place to ‘party like its 1899, seven days a week’. I’ve always loved the Seven Dials area in Covent Garden – feels just far enough away from the touristy part around the piazza to get an authentic London experience.
There’s a daily happy hour from 5-7pm, and a fun menu of cocktails with all the classics, and a fair few twists too. The entire room is clad in a dark wood, with portraits on the wall, giving the feel of an old gentleman’s club.
Radio Rooftop Bar
This Covent Garden rooftop bar has one of the best views of London. Sip on a martini while looking out at the London skyline? Yes please!
On the 10th floor of the ME Hotel, this is one of the smartest bars in Covent Garden, and while the drinks come at a premium, they’re worth it for that view. You can also order food, enjoy afternoon tea here, or book the room for a private party. I’ve been here for casual Friday night drinks and also several events, and it’s always been a fab spot.
Lockes
Head to Lockes on Great Queen Street and you’ll be able to pick from a great menu of classic cocktails, fun twists, beers, wines, and delectable pizzas, set across two floors. The basement is the ideal party spot, with space for up to 60 people.
It’s in an ideal location, close to the theatres and nightlife too. Oh, and for non-drinkers, there’s a decent mocktail menu to entice you in too!
Circus
Roll up, roll up, and prepare for dinner with a difference. At this glam spot in Covent Garden, you’ll enjoy tasty cocktails and feast on tasty pan-Asian food while enjoying a show by talented circus performers and cabaret acts. Forget novelty acts though, it’s a sophisticated style of circus on display, with lots of the acts treating the long communal table as their catwalk.
If you’ve ever fancied your sushi or dim sum with a side of sexy fire breathers, or boozy sparkler-topped cocktails accompanied by sequin-clad hula girls, Circus Restaurant London is the place for you!
The Lost Alpaca
If you love all things latino, then this is the Covent Garden cocktail bar for you. It’s located underneath Floral by LIMA – the sister restaurant to Michelin starred Lima London.
The Latin American menu brings flavours of Peru, Mexico, Brazil and beyond, with intriguing pisco sours, tasty rums, mezcals and tequilas. There’s also an enticing menu of bar snacks, which I’m now dying to try, including Peruvian fried chicken with a lemongrass dip, yuca fries and beef empanadas. Considering this restaurant serves some of the prettiest food in Covent Garden, you just know the cocktails are going to be special too!
Cabana
Ready to be transported to the vibrant buzz of Brazil? Cabana is a small chain of Brazilian restaurants located across the city. The menu might make you crave a tasty dinner of grilled meats, with tasty meals like sirloin, fillet, flat iron and tomahawk steaks alongside guava-cue baby back ribs.
But, it’s also a great place for cocktails in Covent Garden. There’s a daily happy hour from 5pm – 7pm where you’ll score 2 for 1s on house cocktails and mocktails too. Don’t miss the house caipirinha. It’s one of the best in London.
Cache Cache
Located in the basement of Covent Garden Piazza is this late-night cocktail bar. There’s a light theme of the 1920s and gangsters running through the menu, with cocktails such as The Great Gatsby and Al Capone up for grabs.
There’s also an Asian-inspired menu of snacks and appetisers, including tasty gyozas, meat and fish skewers and ice-cold mochi.
SushiSamba
Leave Britain behind and head off on a journey through Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian flavours at SushiSamba. This chic restaurant is located in the Opera Terrace in the famous Market Building. It has a beautiful glass roof, which offers lovely views over the piazza.
If you don’t know what you fancy, the bar’s expert mixologists will happily whip you up something unique and arty. It’s the kind of place you’ll start with one cocktail, and then get enticed by the delicious menu of sushi and ceviche, and end up staying for dinner!
All Bar One
While many of the bars I’ve mentioned are independent or small chains, I couldn’t miss All Bar One. A staple on high streets throughout the country, it’s an fun place for an evening out.
This location on the corner of Henrietta Street has been there for years. I have memories of visiting in my 20s and 30s! While you won’t find the atmosphere of some of the more intimate or themed bars on this list, you’re guaranteed a delicious drink at a good price.
I hope this has helped you decide where to go for cocktails in Covent Garden!
Let me know which Covent Garden bar is your favourite… or why not set yourself a little challenge to try them all! I’ll join you if you like…?
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