The Best Bars in Soho: A Local’s Guide to a Night Out
No corner of London does bars quite like Soho. A few compact streets pack in everything from century-old pubs to hidden cocktail dens, and it is still the first place many Londoners head for a proper night out. Here is how to drink your way around it.
The cocktail dens
Soho is cocktail country. Tucked behind unmarked doors and down basement stairs you will find some of the most inventive drinks in the city, mixed by bartenders who take their craft seriously. Half the fun is the hunt, so do not be afraid to duck into a place you have never heard of. Many of the best are small, so go early or be ready to wait.
The old-school institutions
Soho also holds on to its history. A handful of long-running pubs and bars have been serving artists, writers and night owls for generations, and they still have more character than anywhere newer. These are the spots for an unhurried pint and a taste of the neighbourhood’s bohemian past.
Where the night can go
The beauty of Soho is that everything is a short walk apart. Start with a cocktail, move to a wine bar, catch some live jazz, and you have barely covered two streets. From there it is easy to roll into the area’s late-night scene, whether that is a cabaret night, the notorious Box, or the wider pick of the best bars in London.
For the full lay of the land, our guide to London after dark and our roundup of things to do in London at night will keep the evening going. And if you are making a proper night of it, here is where to stay in London for the best nightlife.
