The 18 best bars in Soho for a tipple
Soho has been at the epicentre of London's entertainment and nightlife scene for centuries – so it's no surprise that these days, the best bars in Soho are among some of the finest drinking dens in London. Originally established as a district for the aristocracy, by the 19th century, this corner of the West End was known for its theatres, public houses and sex workers.
Fast forward 200 years – these days, Soho is a popular neighbourhood with remnants of that edgy spirit (although it's largely been cleaned up). Here, you're as likely to find buzzy pubs where smokers spill onto the streets for post-work pints as cosy wine bars or cutting-edge cocktail menus for date nights. Some of the best bars here are attached to the best restaurants in Soho – making them great for pre- or post-supper drinks. Others are indie drinking spots where you can find award-winning concoctions. Many are set on Soho's best-known streets – strolling Greek Street or Old Compton Street with a keen eye will reveal great little places to dive into. These are our favourites among all the bars in Soho.
How we choose the best bars in Soho
Every bar on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has eaten at that restaurant. When choosing new bars, our editors consider both high-end and affordable eateries that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination. We’re always looking for stand-out drinks, a great location, warm service, and serious sustainability credentials. We update this list regularly.
Bar Lina
Italian-favourite Lina Stores opened its first bar in 2024, turning the former fresh pasta kitchen beneath its much-loved Soho delicatessen into a cosy subterranean joint. Swapping the signature minty interiors for something more grown up, sneak downstairs and it's all moody deep reds, dark marble and candlelight – far more appropriate for a secret underground spot. The cocktail offerings are fabulous; a Syracuse martini with Sicilian tomato arrived completely clear, and tasted bafflingly like an actual fresh tomato, and there’s a dedicated Negroni list, too. To whet appetites before supper, a snack menu features the likes of crispy arancino, parmesan biscotti and truffle crostini. A great pre-dinner date night spot. Charley Ward
Address: Bar Lina, 18 Brewer St, London W1F 0SG
Website: barlina.co.uk
Oskar ProctorBar Crispin
All-day eatery Crispin brought their Spitalfields vibe and knowledge of interesting, fresh and funky bottles to Kingly Street a few years ago as Bar Crispin. There's a chunky silver-zinc bar, jewel-toned triangle mirrors and fun zig-zag designs, plus a chilled playlist from DJs Peaches, Eliza Rose and Flo Dill. French-born head chef Fabien Spagnolo's small plates menu is not to be missed (think fried prawn sandos with pickled cucumber and crab mayo). Crispin's head sommelier Giulia Vantoni has curated a list of 150 vintages. This is a place for natural wine, but they also make a mean Negroni and salty Vesper. Katharine Sohn
Address: Bar Crispin, 19 Kingly Street, Carnaby, London W1B 5PY
Website: barcrispin.com
The Vault
A clandestine, candle-lit scene beneath the streets of Soho – also known as Milroy’s, the oldest whisky bar in London, number 3 is also home to The Vault, a beloved underground Soho bar with a steep staircase and a neon-lit sign. There’s background jazz music, but it’s unobtrusive and doesn’t drown out a lively hum of chatter or an easy banter between staff. You leave wanting to be friends with all of them; they’re kind, easygoing and on-the-ball. The concise menu offers nine cocktails, and the least pretentious wine list I’ve ever seen – just choose between ‘red’ or ‘white’. The Vault is a warm, welcoming space you’ll want to return to again and again. Anna Prendergast
Address: The Vault (via Milroy’s), 3 Greek St, Soho, London W1D 4NX
Website: thevaultsoho.co.ukDisrepute
This underground bar can be found in Carnaby Street’s Kingly Court. Descend the dimly lit staircase to find gold-trimmed interiors, quirky wallpaper and velvet-draped chairs. Instead of listing ingredients, the menu describes each drink with a carefully thought-out tale. Stories detailing the personalities of unnamed characters aptly depict individual drinks, from classic sparkling cocktails disguised as effervescent, scandal-loving socialites to inventions imagined as enigmatic figures lingering in dark corners. If the mystery is a bit much, ask for the simplified menu to pick your poison.
Address: Disrepute, 4 Kingly Court, Soho, London W1F 9RR
Website: disrepute.co.uk
OSKAR PROCTORBelow Stone Nest
My favourite kind of bar is the kind you have to be in the know about – tucked away, unassuming, almost secret. The kind you don’t just stumble across on a casual night out. Below Stone Nest is exactly that, despite being perched right at the chaotic crossroads of Shaftesbury Avenue. Slip through the discreet entrance and descend into the basement of a Grade II-listed former Welsh chapel, and you’ll find Below Stone Nest – hauntingly beautiful: an atmospheric mix of decaying grandeur and contemporary cool. The building is mid-restoration, but that’s precisely what gives it its soul. Cracked walls and exposed brick are left untouched, softened by pools of warm uplighting that flicker across the room like candlelight. It’s a surprisingly cavernous space, with soaring ceilings, striking art pieces, and an eclectic crowd huddled around the few tables, which are snapped up as quickly as they’re vacated. The highball cocktail menu is short, sharp, and seriously good value. There’s even a small stage tucked into the corner, where live musicians spin moody jazz and low-key sets on weekends. Chelsea Hughes
Address: 136 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 5EZ
Website: stonenest.orgTrisha's
A far cry from some of the capital’s more sophisticated, modest establishments, Trisha's wears its gaudy aesthetic with pride. Enter through an unassuming front door and descend a dishevelled, sticky staircase to arrive at what could easily just be someone’s garishly decorated living room. Work your way towards the bar, passing dangling disco balls, multi-coloured Christmas lights, giant boomboxes and walls plastered with posters and black-and-white frames of patrons of the past. Membership here costs £20 per year, or pay for entry on the night (fees depend on the day but typically range from £10-£20). Loved by the likes of Amy Winehouse, Anthony Bourdain, Led Zeppelin and, more recently, Charli XCX, you’re guaranteed a memorable night out at this deeply alluring underground bar. Olivia Morelli
Address: 57 Greek St, London W1D 3DX
Instagram: @trishas.soho
OSKAR PROCTORFlute
Londoners love a rooftop bar, but there’s not many to choose from in Soho – that was until Flute, on the seventh floor of maximalist bijou hotel Broadwick Soho opened a couple of years ago. It’s a drag queen’s fever dream: leopard print chairs, pink bar stools, a gold shimmering ceiling, a disco-flavoured DJ booth, all dreamt up by interiors whizz Martin Brudinzki. The signature cocktail menu is inspired by movies shot in the neighbourhood: Ronnie’s combines gin, sherry, Campari and melon liqueur; The Act mixes mezcal and tequila with watermelon, chilli and amaro. On sunny days, head to the terrace and order plates of tuna tostadas or salmon tartare and watch the buzz of Soho’s frenetic streets below. Sarah James
Address: 7th floor, 20 Broadwick St, London W1F 8TH
Website: broadwicksoho.com/flute
Bar Termini
Step off the bustle of Old Compton Street and into another era at Bar Termini, a pocket-sized gem with all the charm of 1950s Rome. Hidden behind a modest façade, this coffee and aperitivo bar pays homage to Rome’s grand Termini railway station, but on a far more intimate scale. Inside, it’s all polished wood, sage-green banquettes, and a black-and-white tiled floor that whispers of Italian glamour and dolce vita. By morning, the space hums softly as meticulously trained baristas craft what might just be the finest cappuccino in London – strong, silky, and served with the sort of quiet confidence that needs no embellishment. Come evening, the tempo shifts. Negronis become the house religion. Just four options, each perfected and poured with ceremony. The Robusto is our go-to: rich, smoky, and served in a bespoke coupe by a waiter in a crisp white jacket who looks like he stepped straight out of a Fellini film. Bellissima. Chelsea Hughes
Address: 7 Old Compton St, London W1D 5JE
Website: bar-termini-soho.com
FELIX SPELLERSoma
Indian-spiced Soma, from the team behind Kricket, next door, somehow manages to tap into both the area’s seedy past and its smart-as-a-button present. Kricket’s MO has always been taking British ingredients to cook creative Indian dishes, from its inception as a Brixton shipping container pop-up to its Soho bricks-and-mortar restaurant. Soma continues this theme. Drinks are Mumbai-meets-London: a Negroni is made with cardamom, a Margarita-esque drink uses Chaat Masala and kumquat. Bar snacks take a low-waste approach, using leftovers from the restaurant. Plus it’s open until 3am on weekends – making it a clever late-night hangout for anyone in Soho. Sarah James
Address: Soma, 14 Denman Street, London W1D 7HJ
Website: somasoho.com
The Blind Pig
Inspired by children’s stories, the drinks at this creative bar combine nostalgia with flamboyant fun. Behind a nondescript door above Jason Atherton’s Michelin-starred London restaurant Social Eating House, bartenders create cocktails that fizz and smoke in a low-lit room of reclaimed wooden furniture, antique mirrored ceilings and a copper-trimmed bar. Order Pooh’s Hunny Pot for a sentimental throwback with dark rum, mead, cider brandy, honey, orange blossom and honeycomb, or Harry Potter’s Best Bottled Butter Bitter for whisky, beer, thyme, butterscotch, citrus and bitters, and soak it all up with snacks from Atherton’s bar menu. Olivia Morelli
Address: The Blind Pig, 58 Poland Street, Soho, London, W1F 7NR
Website: socialeatinghouse.com
Charlie McKayThree Sheets
Max and Noel Venning – the Manchester-born brothers behind Three Sheets – may have started this cocktail venture out east in Haggerston, but now there's a Soho counterpart that's just as brilliant. The cocktail menu is considered – no pages upon pages of drinks to choose from here – and changes regularly. It might include classics such as Palomas, Pisco Sours or Dirty Martinis or more unusual creations such as the festive-sounding Scottish Coffee (buttered Glenmorangie X, salted coffee liqueur and shortbread cream). There's also Champagne by the glass and a small selection of bar snacks from salted almonds to croquettes.
Address: Three Sheets, 13 Manette St, London W1D 4AP
Website: threesheets-bar.com
Swift
Organisation principles are at the core of Swift, the slick Soho cocktail joint that's been a firm favourite since opening a few years ago. Show up at 6pm on a Wednesday and a gentleman at the door may politely tell you the bar is already full; glancing over his shoulder to see happy customers spread across the bar stools and high tops, plenty of space between them, you may be politely inclined to disagree. Swift fundamentally gets that anyone's enjoyment of a bar goes far beyond a good cocktail (and they pour a very good cocktail). This means there is little standing room in the upstairs bar, which is open to walk-ins only, and absolutely none downstairs, which requires reservations. Eyeball the downstairs cocktail menu to realise that the thinner crowd benefits the bartender as much as the guests. Several pages long and divided into four categories – Delicate, Bright, Stiff and Rich (‘to help customers make the right choice,’ says enthusiastic barman Gianluca Pavanello) – it's heavy on the multi-ingredient, nuanced concoctions that demand a lot of attention to pull off properly. Food is not Swift's forte but it does offer a short small-bites menu that changes seasonally. This place knocks what a cocktail bar should be out of the park. And the bartenders clearly know and love their craft. Erin Florio
Address: Swift, 12 Old Compton Street, London W1D 4TQ
Website: barswift.com
Hovarda
Here's a Soho bar that's intent on reclaiming these souvenir spirits and putting them centre-stage, mixing retsina, raki and ouzo with a barrow-load of fresh ingredients. Downstairs is the main event – a restaurant with a big appetite for fresh seafood, along with classics such as slow-roasted lamb – but upstairs is this tucked-away bar, decorated with bubbling installations of Breaking Bad-style tubes and siphons and with more mirrors than a disco glitterball. Pernot fans are in for a treat: that herby anise taste rolls around the menu like Liquorice Allsorts. Raki, Turkey's national drink, mixes well with fruit, but also with more savoury/sweet ingredients, hence the signature Hovarda cocktail which stirs up an almost-puddingy mix of yogurt, brown sugar, honey and cardamom. And compare and contrast the Turkish and Greek Martinis: the first with chilli-infused raki (the barman will ask how spicy you can go), lime juice and honey, the latter with mastiha, grapefruit and olive brine. For sheer escapism from the hustle of Shaftesbury Avenue, this is a great bar for a central rendezvous. Rick Jordan
Address: Hovarda, 36-40 Rupert Street, London W1D 6DR
Website: hovarda.london
Rebecca HopeNessa
Nessa only opened in 2023, but this is one of those hangouts that feels like it has been part of the neighbourhood's fabric for decades. The blue-striped awning gives away its location on Brewer Street, and while suppers of artichoke ravioli or Cornish cod are covetable, don't ignore the punchy horseshoe bar. The menu spotlights British ingredients and might include signature drinks like a Boho Negroni (East London gin and saffron, among other, more classic ingredients) or the classics done well (they do a very good Dirty Martini here). There's also a long wine list, including some by the glass – order a couple of drinks and sequester a velvet banquette for the evening.
Address: Nessa, 86 Brewer St, London W1F 9UB
Website: nessasoho.comAntidote Wine Bar
This wine bar, with its messy chalkboard menu, cramped interiors, and tables scattered outside, brings a Parisian vibe to the West End. Just far enough off Carnaby Street to feel like a secret (and to get a table), the wine menu only features organic and biodynamic growers. There's a long list of bottles and glasses to choose from, including a hefty orange wine list, as well as charcuterie and cheese, served 12pm-11pm from Monday to Saturday. On sunshiny days, nabbing an al fresco table here feels like a coup.
Address: Antidote, 12A Newburgh Street, Carnaby, London W1F 7RR
Website: antidotewinebar.com
Bar Américain
There is something achingly cool about Bar Américain, the Art Deco basement bar beneath the equally chic Brasserie Zédel. Expect a queue, but stand safe in the knowledge that all good things come to those who wait. From the moment you’re ushered to your table, you’ll quickly understand why this is one of Soho’s worst-kept secrets. Squint your eyes and you could be on the set of a 1930s film – all dimly lit with varnished dark wood tables and gilded gold fixtures. Cocktails are classic and arrive in a flash, from well-made Martinis to properly stirred Sazeracs. Don’t overlook the snack menu either – crispy pork belly and smoked salmon blinis make the perfect pairing for the punchy drinks.
Address: 22 Sherwood St, London W1F 7ED
Website: brasseriezedel.com/bar-americain
Dram Bar
There are layers to Dram… quite literally. Set over two and a half floors, the space on Soho’s Denmark Street is home to two separate bars, an outdoor terrace, a private pool room and a whiskey shop. Which is to say, you could have a different experience every time you visit. What’s guaranteed, though, is whiskey; in the form of drams (of course) or cocktails. The Pickleback is a must-try for those with a saltier palate, while the Apricot is a seriously memorable sip. There are options for those who aren’t partial to whiskey, too, with a huge selection of rum, gin, mezcal and more. Come open-minded and be prepared to try flavours you’d never have considered. Abigail Malbon
Address: 7 Denmark St, London WC2H 8LZ
Website: drambar.co.ukThe Social
The Social is something of a Soho institution. Since opening its doors in the summer of 1999, this two-floor spot on Portland Street – from the team behind Heavenly Recordings – has been playing host to locals and in-the-know visitors, all keen to immerse themselves in the spirit of The Social that it’s become known for over the years. Don’t be deterred by its flashy neighbours; The Social is pure Soho grit; all wood panelled walls, scuffed floors, peeling posters and dim lighting. Less bar, more cultural hub, you’re just as likely to stumble into a packed out secret DJ set as you are to end up in a literary talk or poetry night. This place is bursting with Soho soul and creative spirit (plus, you can still get a pint for £6 – winning!).
Address: 5 Little Portland St, London W1W 7JD
Website: thesocial.com