When it comes to London’s bar scene, gin is definitely in, and there are an excellent range of specialist drinking dens to choose from. This is our list of the best.
If you’re ready to hit up the London gin scene and want to travel with this information offline, download our free guide from Pearlshare straight to your phone. Click here.
Legal drinking age in the UK is 18. Remember to never drink and drive – we have included recommendations of hotels within walking distance of each bar. Or book a London taxi.
The Best Hipster Gin Bars in London
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East London Liquor Company
221 Grove Rd, London
Having taken over a former glue factory to create a little social lubricant of their own, East London Liquor Company is a distillery, restaurant and bar producing and importing a range of quality, handcrafted spirits including gin, vodka, rum and whisky.
There are 3 different gins distilled on site; sip on them up at the bar while looking onto the two large copper stills working away in the back room.
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Travelodge London Bethnal Green
A 15 minute walk from East London Liquor Company, you’ll be convenient to London Fields and Tower of London. This hotel is also close to London Bridge and Olympic Stadium.
The RE London Shoreditch
This hotel is a 17 minute walk from East London Liquor Company. It is modern, clean and very convenient if you want to explore the sights and bright lights of trendy Shoreditch.
The London Gin Club
22 Great Chapel St, Soho
A relaxed soho bar with exceptional gins, the London Gin Club has over 300 of the best premium and super premium gins available including micro-distilleries and small batch producers from around the world.
Discover independent and rare gins, and classic cocktails with recipes dating back to the 1800s. They pride themselves on their Gin & Tonic, served in a copa glass over cracked ice with garnish individually matched to your gin of choice,
They have 9 different tasting menus which are great way to explore the world of gin or to try gins you may not have come across before. When they get a new gin at the bar they normally tweet about it so be sure to follow their twitter feed to keep up with all the news.
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The Nadler Soho
Promising ‘the bill you pay at check-out is what you thought you’d pay when you checked in’, the Nadler Hotels specialise in stylish, affordable accommodation. The smart, four-star hotels appeal to the design conscious, with high-spec rooms, facilities and services.
The London EDITION
A stay at The London EDITION places you in the heart of London, minutes from London Palladium Theatre and close to King’s College London. This 5-star hotel is close to Buckingham Palace and London Eye.
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The Gibson
44 Old St, London
The Gibson cocktail was created in the first decade of the 1900s and, like all true classics, it has withstood the test of time. The Gibson bar pays homage to the cocktail’s journey through time; a 1920’s prohibition-themed cocktail bar with flappers girls on table service, and flamboyant decorations on drinks.
Drinks wise there’s something for everyone. If you’re not going for the namesake, order the ‘Electric Earl, with Tanqueray No. Ten and ‘electric bitters’ that make your tongue tingle.’
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Citadines Barbican London
With a stay at Citadines Barbican London in London (London City Centre), you’ll be minutes from Barbican Arts Centre and close to St. Paul’s Cathedral. This eco-friendly aparthotel is close to London Bridge and King’s College London.
The Zetter Hotel London
Found in the trendy neighbourhood of Clerkenwell, The Zetter Hotel provides stylish boutique accommodation within a converted Victorian warehouse. With 59 rooms, each individually designed and equipped with state-of-the-art in-room technology, you’ll never want to leave.
214 Bermondsey
214 Bermondsey St, London
A dimly lit den for gin addicts, 214 Bermondsey is a classic basement bar with over 100 gin bottles and its very own tonic water, a short walk from London Bridge. The relaxed bar is fun, friendly and intimate, and there’s no pretense – just gin.
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Bermondsey Square Hotel
Bermondsey Square Hotel offers a peaceful place to stay with its 80 bedrooms taking up one side of the traffic-free square. All rooms in this modern hotel come with a work space, 32 inch LED TV and a wet-room with drench shower.
Go Native London Bridge – Bermondsey Street
This 4-star property provides a dry cleaning service, a 24-hour reception and laundry facilities. There is off-site parking for those with a car. Go Native London Bridge – Bermondsey Street offers apartments equipped with a dishwasher, a microwave and a refrigerator, plus all the necessities to ensure a comfortable stay. They all have heating, a flat-screen TV and a seating area.
Holborn Dining Room
High Holborn, London
Relaxed and stylish, the copper-topped Gin Bar at Holborn Dining Room is London’s best stocked collection of gin, with over 400 Gins and 30 tonics.
Gin lovers can savour more than 14,000 possible Gin and tonic pairings from well-known international brands to small-batch and local distillers to choose from. The bar menu includes new Gin cocktails and much-loved classics, as well as a selection of spirits, fine wines and craft beers.
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Club Quarters Lincolns Inn Fields
Lincoln’s Inn Fields is the 4th Club Quarters hotel in London. The hotel is an ideal accommodation choice for business and leisure travellers with close links to the centre of the city and ideal surroundings.
Kingsway Hall Hotel London
Well-equipped, comfortable rooms await guests to this elegantly modern hotel in the heart of Theatreland. Set yourself up for the day with a hearty breakfast or enjoy a pre-theatre dinner in the restaurant. All rooms are air conditioned and equipped with cable/satellite channels, a flat-screen TV and free WiFi.
City of London Distillery
22-24 Bride Ln, London
Often referred to as a hidden treasure, the bar at the City of London Distillery, called the COLD bar, is a retro, speakeasy-style cocktail bar that overlooks the striking copper stills of the distillery
The flickering candles and faint aroma of gin vapour that hangs in the air all add to the bar’s unique and cosy atmosphere. Table booking recommended.
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Crowne Plaza London – The City
Crowne Plaza London – The City is located in Central London. It provides 4-star accommodation with air-conditioned rooms and has recently been refurbished and offers an executive floor, a sauna and valet parking.
London’s popular attractions and landmarks are within close proximity to the hotel, with London Stock Exchange and Saint Paul’s Cathedral only a 10-minute stroll away.
Grange St Paul’s Hotel London
Recently refurbished, Grange St Paul’s Hotel provides chic 5-star accommodation in London. It has a fitness centre, as well as an indoor pool, free Wi-Fi and a sauna and a wide range of state-of-the-art features, including a Turkish steam bath, a Jacuzzi and a rooftop terrace.
Mr. Fogg’s Gin Parlour
1 New Row, London
A trip to Mr Fogg’s Gin Parlour is a journey – a parlour decorated with trinkets and treasures from the 1800s which will make you feel like you’ve traveled 150 years into the past.
More of a plush Victorian living room than a Covent Garden bar, you can work your way through 300 different types of gin and have your juniper drink paired with a whole host of tonics and botanicals. Cocktails come in teapots served with Victorian sweet and savoury delicacies. It’s nothing if not unique!
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St Martins Lane – A Morgans Original
St Martins Lane A Morgans Original houses the largest gym in Europe and is close to everything Westminster has to offer. Those looking to sightsee during their visit can begin at the hotel, as it showcases impressive views of London. This 5-star hotel provides free Wi-Fi, valet parking and 24-hour room service.
Radisson Blu Edwardian Hampshire
This hotel offers stylish, 5-star accommodation close to the National Gallery. It is located a brief stroll from Piccadilly Circus, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Charing Cross.
Dukes Bar
35 St James’s Pl, St. James’s
Dukes is the hotel bar which some say concocts one of the world’s best Martinis. This legendary bar is internationally renowned for its famous martinis and personalised cocktails, and while not a specialty gin bar, the martini’s here inspired James Bond’s “shaken not stirred”.
The dress code is smart, casual, and a gin martini will put you back around £20. This is a great place for a drink before dinner if in St James.
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Dukes Hotel
Dukes bar is part of the hotel, so you won’t have to stumble far at all. Dukes Hotel London offers modern accommodation in London and is within walking distance of Leicester Square Tube Station. It provides 5-star accommodation with air-conditioned rooms, free Wi-Fi and an express check-in and check-out feature.
The Stafford London
This 5-star hotel is within a short walk of Jermyn Street. It is surrounded by a variety of popular eateries and is within a five-minute walk of Green Park Tube Station. There are a range of amenities including free Wi-Fi, wine tasting and an express check-in and check-out feature.
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The Merchant House
184-186 Sutherland Ave, Maida Vale
A luxurious cocktail bar with a mercantile history theme, Merchant House is home to one of the largest collections of Gin and Rum in the world.
With an array of fine and rare examples available, offered in comfortable and relaxed surroundings, their basement cocktail bar is the City’s worst kept secret. The theme focusses on the history of the Empire, and drinks list reflects the belligerent and tumultuous history in which Gin and Rum overlap.
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The Colonnade
Set in Westminster, The Colonnade London is within an easy walk of Regent’s Canal. It also offers free wireless internet. This 4-star hotel provides a concierge, a 24-hour reception and meeting rooms. Honeymoon suites are available for those seeking some extra luxury.
Comfort Inn Edgware Road W2
This modern hotel is situated in Westminster, and offers luggage storage, an express check-in and check-out feature and a 24-hour reception. It provides 3-star accommodation with air-conditioned rooms.
Worship Street Whistling Shop
63 Worship St, London
A low-lit, bare-brick, cellar bar with armchairs and Victoriana serving reinvented classic cocktails, The Worship Street Whistling Shop is a Victorian inspired cocktail bar and an ancient London thoroughfare between Shoreditch and the City of London.
The bar opened in 2011 to great critical acclaim, winning Time Out London’s Best New Bar award in 2011 and featuring on the World’s 50 Best Bars list for three consecutive years. It specialises in good service, with delicious cocktails inspired by the past and executed with a proficiency in cutting-edge culinary techniques.
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Montcalm Royal London House
The hotel offers 5-star accommodation with a variety of facilities such as a 24-hour reception, a concierge and a spa and wellness centre. A gym can be readily accessed by guests wishing to keep up their exercise regimes while away.
South Place Hotel
Located within arms reach of both Moorgate and Liverpool Street stations, is South Place Hotel, a luxury London hotel featuring three swanky bars and two top-notch restaurants.
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Photo credits: The Gibson courtesy of The Gibson. Holborn Gin Wall courtesy of Holborn Dining Room.
24 Comments
Awesome post! We can’t wait to return to London to check out all these gin bars! Thank you so much for sharing these addresses! :)
Glad we could help! Have an amazing trip back!
I know someone who is a great gin connoisseur so will be showing her this! I need to try some of these out as I work in London
Enough bars to fill many nights out! Have a great time working through the list!
OMG the 214 Bermondsey bar drink looks AMAZING. I think I’d be there everynight to sample their 100 gins ;) And the fact that they have their very own tonic water is very cool.
214 Bermondsey is awesome for sure – have fun working your way through those 100 gins! :D
My husband is a huge gin fan so I will definitely check these out the next time we head to London. They look fab!
Some great places to surprise him with on your next trip!
I did the Duke’s bar and they really did have good alcohol in there. London is a very vibrant and exciting city.
Dukes is the best isn’t it! Can’t beat London’s nightlife :)
I must confess that I’m not the biggest gin fan, nor of other alcoholic drinks for that matter, but know quite a lot of people that would love a nice Gin right now! I’ll keep these spots in mind so I can take my friends who visit me in London to try some different places and have a Gin.
And I’ve actually been past a couple of these places!
Always great places to organize a social night even if you yourself aren’t a big drinker :) You’re probably their favorite friend if you’re happy to be designated driver :D!
We went to a couple of those on our last visit to London and plan to tick off the rest later this year.
Awesome Sarah! Have a great trip back :)
WOW – I love Gin and now am considering how to work in London to a trip later this year just to visit all these amazing places! Just makes you thirsty thinking about it – and oh so England right! Thanks for sharing and inspiring!
London is definitely the place to be if you’re a gin connoisseur – enjoy your trip!
Even though I’m not a gin drinker, I have to admit the drinks look amazing. I could probably become a convert :) Great detailed article and I especially love the downloadable map. Great addresses for Gin lovers!
These temples will turn anyone on the fence into a gin connoisseur for sure :D! Glad you enjoyed the post – yes, we love our Pearlshare guides – the downloadable maps are so handy to have on hand when you’re traveling :)
Me and my husband both are Gin lovers and this post is perfect for us. We would love to visit some of these places for sure once around london. Thanks for compiling and sharing this wonderful post.
Glad you enjoyed the post Suruchi! Have an amazing trip to London!
That’s an amazing round up of all the hipster bars in London. Hope to go gin bar hopping someday :D Especially to the one with flickering candles and faint aroma of gin vapour that hangs in the air! That sounds awesome :D
Hope you have the chance to plan a couple of London night outs soon!
Very nice! These seem great places! I am so excited to try these bars. Thanks a lot for the great article.
Thakns Lisa, have a great time bar hopping!