So many Soho bars, so little time. Here's our roundup of the best Soho bars for you to get your drink on – you can buy us one later!
Alex Landon - Editor•
Arguably the beating heart of Central London, Soho boasts a legendary reputation, some fantastic restaurants and a whole host of celebrity admirers. It’s also full to the brim (whoa there – careful with that glass) with drinking dens and glamorous co*cktail spots. As such, we’ve rounded up the very best Soho bars for the best places to drink in style.
For definition’s sake, all these Soho bars fall within the area bounded by Oxford Street, Regent’s Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, and Charing Cross Road. We have to draw the line somewhere… Cheers!
1. Three Sheets Soho
The Soho branch of East London’s internationally renowned co*cktail bar Three Sheets burst onto the scene earlier this year and has cemented a quick reputation for delicious drinks. Which, to be honest, we knew we’d get given the track record of the founders – who also operate North London’s Little Mercies. Unlike the Dalston site, Three Sheets Soho also serves lunch and dinner courtesy of ex-Lyle’s chef and butcher William Blank. Pair your Dirty Martini with some oysters and a salt beef bun and you’ll be in bliss.
📍 13 Manette Street, W1D 4AP.
2. Disrepute
Once the site of the notorious celebrity watering hole, The Pinstripe Club, this bar is a stunning and intimate spot for co*cktails. Their ever-changing drinks menu weaves storytelling with co*cktail making – with their current Oxymorons menu drawing inspiration from science fiction. Disrepute’s sumptuous velvet seating, unique co*cktails, and attractive prices (for Soho…) coalesce into what is easily one of Soho’s best bars.
📍 4 Kingly Street, W1B 5PW.
3. Bar Lina
Tucked away beneath the much-loved Lina Stores in Soho, this aperitivo bar contrasts the above deli with suave, seductive vibes. Guests enter Bar Lina through the deli and walk past past shelves of pasta, biscotti, and Italian foodstuffs, before entering the basem*nt venue. It’s all moody lighting, velvet seating, dark-hued decor, and lovely, lovely aperitifs. Come for one before a meal elsewhere, and you’re sure to return.
📍 18 Brewer Street, W1F 0SG.
4. Atelier Coupette
The first thing you’ll notice at Atelier Coupette, beyond just how charming the venue is, is the size of the drinks – they’re smaller than usual. But fret not – this isn’t some see-through scam-y attempt to take your money and serve you less. Instead, it’s a conscious decision that arises from the ‘Sunday Development Sessions’ at sister venue Coupette in Bethnal Green – smaller drinks allow you to try a wider variety of drinks, discover more, and learn more. And, yes, they’re well aware that there’s also the added benefit that “the teeny, tiny glassware is of course very cute…” There’s also some properly impressive food – so be sure to come hungry and thirsty!
📍 Ground Floor, 9 Moor Street, W1D 5ND.
5. The Blind Pig
Tucked away above the esteemed Social Eating House is the cosy, low-lit Blind Pig. Named for a Prohibition-era term for illegal drinking dens, this secretive hideaway is found behind a nondescript door underneath a sign purporting to lead to an Opticians. Their regularly rotating co*cktail menu currently draws inspiration from Greek mythology and gods and goddesses. The creative drinks come disguised as a seemingly simple cup of tea or could require your participation as you mix them at the table.
📍 58 Poland Street, W1F 7NR.
6. The Pink Chihuahua
A delightfully kitschy Mexican dive bar, The Pink Chihuahua is tucked away inside Mexican restaurant El Camion and does pretty much everything except take itself seriously. Tucked away inside cosy booths that seem to have been dug straight out of the walls (and wallpapered with retro pin-ups and punk zines) you can sip on everything from margaritas to mezcal negronis, espresso martinis, and more. There’s also a historically impressive collection of tequila for agave-lovers. As an added plus, you can order from El Camion’s food menu while you’re sipping. Sign us up!
📍 25-27 Brewer Street, W1F 0RR.
7. The Vault
If you’re a fan of bars with secret entrances, you’re going to love this one. The Vault is hidden behind a bookcase in whisky trader Milroys, and the prize for getting in is a comfy speakeasy with a quite frankly spiffing co*cktail menu. It’s currently undergoing a full overhaul of the site, which will see them returning looking even more spiffy soon! (*Please note that the image is a planned render of Milroy’s Of Soho, and is subject to change.)
📍 3 Greek Street, W1D 4NX.
8. Thin White Duke
A Bowie-inspired co*cktail bar with a recording studio downstairs, delicious coffee, and award-wining dim sum? Need we say anymore? Rest assured, though, far from spreading themselves too thin across multiple areas, the Thin White Duke team excels in every aspect of the bar with delicious food and stunning co*cktails. The place simply oooooozes cool. Come for the drinks, stay for the dim sum, and then a few more rounds of each…
📍 22B Great Windmill Street, W1D 7LD.
9. Bar Swift
Another upstairs-downstairs affair amongst our cadre of Soho bars. The upstairs bar at Swift is light and airy, and is the perfect spot for the more socially-inclined – rinks are swift by name and by nature, with a focus on speedy aperitifs and post-dinner drinks. If you’re here to lounge back and spend a few hours, though, head to the downstairs bar with a low-lit and wood panelled decor that matches the more complex drinks selection. They also boast a mind-blowing whiskey collection, with over 300 whiskeys and a menu that runs to 68 pages. Head along, Swiftly. Swift also has sites in Shoreditch and Borough, spreading their impeccable libations across the city.
📍 12 Old Compton Street, W1D 4TQ.
10. Bar Américain
Not to be confused with The Savoy’s American Bar, this one can be found inside Brasserie Zedel, the haven of Francophiles. Despite the French influence, this bar lives up to its name, with Art Deco interiors and Yankee inspiration in the co*cktails. They’ve currently got a limited-time menu that celebrates the Golden Age of Hollywood and cinema, with drinks named after and inspired by Hollywood icons. Cheers!
📍 20 Sherwood Street, W1F 7ED.
11. Bar Termini
Inspired by Rome’s Termini rail station, this bar will get you living la dolce vita, particularly if you dive into their exceptional negronis. And at £8, Bar Termini’s negronis are not just delicious – they’re also huge bang for your buck! Their negronis are so popular you can even buy them in bottles to drink at home. (Can you tell we like their negronis?)
📍 7 Old Compton Street, W1D 5JE.
12. SOMA
Another of our favourite transportative Soho bars is SOMA – a basem*nt speakeasy that bills itself as being ‘in search of the divine’. Open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, this seductive little gem of a bar is brought to you by the team behind the Indian restaurant Kricket. Their menu features re-imagined classics that draw from their playful experimentations with flavour and ingredients. Anyone for a cashew negroni or a curry leaf gimlet?
📍 14 Denman Street, W1D 7H.
13. Opium
Next up on this roundup of Soho bars is Opium – a 1920’s Shanghai-inspired bar/dim sum parlour smack-bang in the middle of Chinatown. The celebrated bar is divided across two floors into three separate bars with their own identities. We particularly love the secret and intimate bar ‘Peony’, which serves up an unforgettable co*cktail-drinking experience.
📍 15-16 Gerrard Street, W1D 6JE.
14. Basem*nt Sate
Choosing between co*cktails and desserts is a thing of the past at the sweetest of Soho bars, where you can pair your drinks with decadent desserts. Basem*nt Sate is a place where a banoffee pie might come with a bourbon and honey concoction. It’s co*cktails and cake – what more could you want?
📍 8 Broadwick Street, W1F 8HN.
15. Garlic & Shots
There’s one unique, and potentially offputting, selling point at Garlic & Shots. Everything on the food menu at this co*cktail bar in Soho has garlic in it – and we do mean everything. In their own words: “no dishes are served without garlic, you can always order extra garlic, but never less“. There’s also a hefty selection of shots to choose from – 101 in total – some of which even feature our allicin-y friend garlic. Don’t bring your vampire pals to this dive bar, and maybe avoid it for that first date too…
📍 14 Frith Street, W1D 4RD
16. Cahoots
Forget all that stiff upper-lip piffle and head to Cahoots for a jolly old knees-up! A Blitz-themed bar where the clocks stopped in 1946, you can sip on delightful co*cktails inside their vintage Bakerloo carriage. Their whimsical drinks list draws inspiration from “1940s black market liquor, alongside spiffing rations, afternoon teas and much more”. Make sure to go for a wander, there’s plenty to discover in this themed Soho bar.
📍 Kingly Court, 13 Kingly Street, W1B 5PG.
17. Mr Fogg’s Hat Tavern and Gin Club
Formerly known as the London Gin Club, the bar joined the Mr Fogg’s family in 2023 and reopened as Mr Fogg’s Hat Tavern and Gin Club. And when it comes to deciding on your poison of choice, the clue’s in the name. Spanning two floors, the ‘hat tavern’ takes up the ground floor, with a secret gin club hidden downstairs. It’s all about gin, gin, and more gin, here, with the trademark atmosphere of a Mr Fogg’s venue provided by a gloriously kitschy and hat-filled interior.
📍 22 Great Chapel Street, W1F 8FR.
18. Jack Solomons Club
Named after the famed London boxer and promoter, and situated on the site of his old gym, Jack Solomons Club is quite the hit. A punchy co*cktail list is the star attraction, with drinks like On The Ropes and the Lovely Fanny – named for Solomon’s “one true love, Fanny”. Head down on a Wednesday and you can score a house Old Fashioned for just £5, and every Thursday from 6-9pm their happy hour offering sees them cut the price of their house co*cktails in half.
📍 41 Great Windmill Street, W1D 7NB.
19. Aqua Spirit Bar
At the pricier end of the Soho bars spectrum is the Aqua Spirit Bar at Aqua Kyoto. But you get what you pay for here, thanks to ultra-sumptuous interiors, a stunning rooftop perch with sweeping views of London, and truly memorable drinks. Chow down on some of their famously delicious food from the curated bar food menu, and soak up the ambience. Don’t you just feel expensive here?
📍 30 Argyll Street, W1B 3BR
20. Freedom Bar
A spiffy-looking place with a club on site, Freedom Bar is a place where the evening slips into the early hours of the morning all too easily. Careful on the dance poles downstairs if you’ve had a few drinks…
📍 66 Wardour Street, W1F 0TA.
21. Archer Street
Whilst the year-round co*cktail bar is charming, Archer Street’s trump card is a seasonal bar, which alternates between an all-singing alpine ski lodge Piste in the winter, and a Greek beach shack come summer. And while you sip, the staff will keep you entertained (and likely dancing on your feet) with live entertainment as they break into song throughout the night. The bar also has sister sites in Battersea and Notting Hill.
📍 3-4 Archer Street, W1D 7AP.
22. The Little Scarlet Door
House party vibes suffuse this raucous Soho bar, which is signposted by nothing more than its own colourful door. Head on in to, sink back into the plush seating, and enjoy a an evening of silliness and delicious co*cktails. You’ll likely genuinely forget that it isn’t actually your mate’s house! Don’t miss the charming courtyard, either – one of London’s worst-kept secrets.
📍 12-13 Greek Street, W1D 4DL
23. The Arts Theatre Club
They claim to be “Soho’s best kept secret”. We say “not anymore!” This Prohibition-style bar once hosted the Krays, amongst others. Luckily there’s no chance of running into them, but you’re advised to book in advance to enjoy their “cutting edge co*cktails… [and the] finest retro funk”.
📍 50 Frith Street, W1D 4SQ.
24. La Bodega Negra
Part-restaurant, part-tequila bar, La Bodega Negra is based in an old sex shop, and sure looks the part. There’s a long old co*cktail list with multiple margaritas, agave concoctions, and other recipes inspired by Latin America. Behind the bar, you’ll find a hefty selection of tequilas and mezcals, and there are plenty of tacos and other bites on offerto fill the stomach while you’re drinking!
📍 16 Moor Street, London, W1D 5AP.
25. Zebrano
Right in the heart of Soho lies Zebrano – one of the best bars on Greek Street – a bar that literally does it all. Food, drinks, comedy, cabaret and drag – the list really is endless. So see what all the fuss is about and make sure you head there. They’ve got banging happy hour deals every day, so your wallet won’t hurt too much in the morning either!
📍 18 Greek Street, London, W1D 4DS.
26. The Piano Bar
The Piano Bar is a place of well-sought-after sanctuary, just a tiny stroll away from the manic bustle of Oxford Street in Soho. Walk through the inconspicuous doorway into the candlelit piano bar with live music t0 sip on a tipple and listen to some live jazz. The intimate ambience of this secretive bar makes it the perfect spot for a cosy date night, or a super fancy mate night.
📍 16 Carlisle Street, W1D 3BT.
So there you have it – a roundup of the best Soho bars. So if you’re out on a date or just looking to meet up with some mates, we hope we’ve got you covered!
What about East London? Check out our roundup of the very best bars in Shoreditch.
Tags:aperol / vermu, bars, beer, champagne, co*cktails, craft beer, drinking, gin, Prosecco, social drinking, soho, tequila, Whiskey, wine
