After Dark London 1

East London’s most recent speakeasy, The Whistling Shop is a deceptively large underground space, styled on 17th century gin joints. It’s all bare brick, leather and dark wood, and comes complete with house-aged cocktails, an honesty gin-bar, an experiential chamber in the back and even a working chemistry lab.

After Dark London 2

Together with Lounge Bohemia and The Whistling Shop, The Nightjar completes Shoreditch’s triumvirate of creative cocktail destinations. Beneath a busy, erstwhile soulless stretch of Old Street, expect smoke-infused punches, elaborately garnished vintage twists, and live jazz to sup them by.

Food London 3

Caravan is one of my favourite recovery spots for the morning-after. Huge slabs of toasted sourdough slathered in rich, soya-cream sautéd mushrooms, a Flat White lovingly made from their house-roasted coffee, and a slim but finely-chosen back bar in case the hair of the dog calls out: Sunday brunch heaven.

Hotel London 4

One of the city’s oddest drinking destinations, the ZTH hotel bar is the creation of the 69 Colebrooke Row team. Almost worth it just for the overflowing ephemera (stuffed kittens in dresses and boxing kangaroos), collected by the hotel’s fictitious 18th century owner, Aunt Wilhelmina, the conceptual cocktail menu is also top dollar.

After Dark London 5

Designed by David Collins and sporting the inimitable Alex Kratena behind the stick, the Artesian is a top example of the modern hotel bar: glamourous design, kilos of style, excellent service, and finely-crafted drinks from both the classic and creative cocktail camps. Plus keep your eyes out for the rum collection.

After Dark London 6

The first UK venue from the Parisian ECC set, the London outpost boasts two astonishing bars and it’s bang in the middle of Chinatown. The design is out of this world, the classic-led menu spot on, and while the prices can be a little steep (especially if you slip and order one of their vintage numbers), ECC manages to be both a destination and a local all in one tidy bar.

After Dark London 7

69 remains my favourite London cocktail bar. What it lacks in apparent bells and whistles, it makes up for in class, style and a charming subterfuge. Presided over by the much-lauded Tony Conigliaro, the cocktail menu is concise, the vibe old school jazz – but every drink is invigorated by some of the magic that Tony and his team conjure in their enormous neighbouring laboratory.

After Dark London 8

Set in what used to be a second-hand furniture store on Brick Lane (where in, in fact, I had purchased the odd kitchen chair), Super Pizza and Danger of Death are a local drinking double-act. Upstairs, think low-slung 50s-60s styling, with pizza, good coffee and cold beer; downstairs, an intimate secret speakeasy of the Milk & Honey ilk.

Hotel London 9

For many years, Duke’s has been renowned as the destination for the classic Martini. Pull up one of the demure hotel bar’s few pews and order up a couple. From the tuxedoed bartender through to his white-gloved service, this is a truly memorable experience – and the drinks aren’t too shabby either.

After Dark London 10

Two Floors is my London guilty secret. It was one of the first bars I ever worked in – in fact, where I learned to make my first cocktail (a Sidecar, as it happens). Upstairs is still the same old NHS green, the basement has been reimagined as a sort of Tiki dive. But it still pulls in some lovely folks behind the bar: my West End regular.

After Dark London 11

A converted boozer in West London, Portobello Star is a shining reminder that great cocktails don’t need to be served in either hotel-swanky or overly-conceptual environs. Presided over by the enigmatic cheer of Jake Burger, it’s all fantastic drinks, fantastic bartenders and a fantastic crowd.