Martinis may not be the top-ordered cocktail around the world (though espresso martinis are quite popular) but they’re certainly some of the best-known. Though the martini’s roots likely trace back to California, some of the best iterations are found across the pond – specifically, in London, where craft cocktail culture has thrived for over a century.
Photo: The Connaught Bar
The 7 Best London Martini Bars, Curated by a Professional Gin Maker
Thanks to a slew of talented mixologists and equally as many classy establishments around the city, seeking out a solid martini in The Big Smoke is hardly a daunting feat. But as is always the case when searching for the best, knowing where to go is key. And who better to ask than a local gin expert? I enlisted the help of Simon Ford, founder of Fords Gin, to offer guidance on the best martinis in London. Get your glasses (and Google Maps pins) ready.
Dukes Bar at the Dukes Hotel
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For one of the best martinis in all of London, look no further than Dukes Bar, a personal and sentimental favorite of Ford’s. “The Dukes Bar is the first place I ever visited that had tableside martini service,” he reveals. The sultry bar in London’s St. James neighborhood offers a solid dose of reprieve from the city’s bustling streets in one of its busiest neighborhoods. Ford says he was first introduced to the bar’s signature martini by the joint’s head bartender, Alessandro Palazzi, back in the late 1990s. Decades later, Palazzi is still shaking up classic cocktails behind the bar today.
Ford gives the disclaimer that the martinis at Dukes Bar are strong — and he means strong. “The gin or vodka is served straight from the freezer, and therefore requires no dilution from ice,” he reveals. At Dukes Bar, a spritz of vermouth, rather than a standard part, is sprayed into the cocktail glass to accompany the gin. “My favorite part of the service is the garnish. The oils from a large, thin slice of Sicilian lemon are expressed over the martini in front of you and olives are served on the side,” says Ford, who describes the drink as “pure perfection.”
Fun fact: Dukes Bar is also credited as the birthplace of the original Vesper Martini, famously ordered by James Bond in Casino Royale.
Dukes Bar: 35 St James’s Pl, London SW1A 1NY, United Kingdom
Satan’s Whiskers
Photo: Satan’s Whiskers / StevenJoycePhoto
In the Bethnal Green neighborhood of London, Satan’s Whiskers has more of a casual, local vibe than the upscale service at Dukes. But rest assured, the martinis are just as excellent. “Because of the relaxed nature of the bar and its well-executed classic drinks, Satan’s Whiskers is a bartenders’ favorite,” says Ford. He says the bartenders are experts at executing classic cocktails, and you can always count on extremely friendly service. Among London martini bars, it’s known for finding the balance between a classic speakeasy and a cozy British pub.
“The bar team has mastered most of the classic cocktails, especially the martini,” says Ford. And he describes the bar’s owner, Kevin Armstrong, as one of the nicest people in the industry. “After opening some of the world’s best bars for other people, he opened his own place. And after over a decade in business, it just keeps getting more and more popular,” he adds.
Satan’s Whiskers: 343 Cambridge Heath Rd, London E2 9RA, United Kingdom
The American Bar at the Savoy
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With a history going back to 1893, it’s no surprise that The American Bar at the Savoy has long been one of the most highly regarded cocktail bars in the world. The Savoy is where Ada Coleman created the famous “Hanky Panky” cocktail and where Harry Craddock penned his world-famous Savoy Cocktail Book, solidifying it as a must-stop locale not just for fans of London martini bars, but for any lover of classic cocktails. Oh, and it also happens to be the oldest cocktail bar in London.
“The American Bar does an incredible job of honoring the vibe and atmosphere of the golden age of cocktails, making it an iconic place to sample the martini, which is one of the oldest classic cocktails,” says Ford.
Ford shared that he used to run a wine and spirits shop across the street from the Savoy, and that the hotel’s bar team would regularly come in for specialty products. “One day, their head bartender at the time, Peter Dorelli, invited me across to try the cocktail menu. This would be my first introduction into cocktail culture. I started at the top,” he happily remembered.
The American Bar is one of the many cocktail bars in London this writer has visited, and like Ford, I have happy memories. I appreciated not just the unmatched hospitality offered by the bar team, but also the bar’s unforgettable ambiance. Ford explains why that is, with numerous thoughtful restorations over the years, but always with a focus on keeping the bar’s interior feeling like “jumping into a time machine to an age long gone, where the soundtrack is the clinking of martini glasses and live piano.”
The American Bar: 16-18 St James’s Pl, London SW1A 1NJ, United Kingdom
The Spy Bar at Raffles Hotel
Photo: The Spy Bar
As the name implies, “The Spy Bar” is known as one of the best London martini bars, as well as one of the best-kept secrets among cocktail aficionados. And for history buffs, a visit is simply unmissable. “There is something alluring about being able to sip a martini in a room [in which] it’s highly likely that the likes of Winston Churchill and Ian Fleming would have spent time concocting some of their most covert operations for World War II,” Ford says, highlighting the mysterious nature behind this covert hotel bar.
The Spy Bar is inside one of the oldest war offices in London, housed in a small, private room at the newly renovated Raffles Hotel. The formerly secret room was once used for storing classified military intelligence. Now, it’s drinks that promise to leave a lasting impression, not information. “Many notable martini drinkers’ presence would have graced this room, and now you can actually go in and order a great cocktail from their menu, Ford says. “Or you can opt for sipping an ice-cold martini, like I usually do.”
In the spirit of keeping the bar’s reputation for secrecy going, the bar enforces a strict no-photos policy.
The Spy Bar: 57 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BX, United Kingdom
Three Sheets
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Soho is undoubtedly one of London’s busiest neighborhoods, but Three Sheets manages to offer a quiet escape. Owned by brothers Noel and Max Venning, this quaint cocktail bar has indoor space plus a relaxing outdoor seating area to enjoy classic cocktails in the sun. In the bar’s interpretation of a dirty martini, Three Sheets uses Belvedere vodka, Koseret tea, olive oil, Picpoul (a French white wine), and sea salt. Three Sheets is the duo’s second bar in London; the first is in East London’s Dalston neighborhood.
“Both of their places are cracking little cocktail bars where classic cocktails and innovative drinks cohabitate perfectly on the menu,” explains Ford, “and it’s also a place where if you ask for a martini, you will get one that is perfectly made.”
Three Sheets: 510b Kingsland Rd, London E8 4AB, United Kingdom
The Connaught Bar at the Connaught Hotel
Photo: The Connaught Bar
It’s impossible to talk about London martini bars without mentioning The Connaught Bar: It garnered the coveted top spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars list from the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” in both 2020 and 2021. Ford states that the bar has been at the forefront of cocktail culture and hospitality for the past 15 years, elevated mostly in part to the spot’s two resident bartenders, Ago Peronne and Giorgio Bargiani. Both have, perhaps unsurprisingly, won coveted awards (including “World’s Best Bartender”) in annual awards from the “Tales of the Cocktail Foundation.”
“Peronne and Bargiani are known for their theatrical martini service, as well as their ability to bring contemporary cocktails to a classic five-star hotel audience,” Ford says. The bar’s martinis include the customer’s choice from a selection of curated bitters, as well as a show-stopping presentation.
For those looking to take a break from martini sipping, Ford recommends indulging in the bar’s Bloody Mary. It’s been a constant on the bar’s list since it opened in 2008.
Thee Connaught Bar: The Connaught, Connaught, 16 Carlos Pl, London W1K 2AL, United Kingdom
Fords Experimental Cocktail Bar
Photo: Fords Distillers
Bartenders and mixologists, you’re in luck. As of early September 2024, Fords’ new cocktail bar is open, designed with the global cocktail community in mind. The bar is inside the Thames Distillers location in Bermondsey, and was created, Ford says, to be a place that celebrates cocktail culture and hospitality. According to the brand, it “was purpose-built to host bar trade from near and far.”
The space was designed by renowned bar designer Leo Robitschek and local architect Zoe Masterson-Smith, and inspired by the many great London martini bars beloved by cocktail fans. The decor is described in the bar’s press release as “contemporary apothecary meets mid-century,” with a vintage and warm interior. Expect oak-hued wood accents, metallic details, and rich green accents. The small space has a central bar, plus a few plush sofas for lounging.
“To finally have an interactive home for Fords Gin is an enormous milestone,” he says, “and is something I dreamed of from the very beginning,” says Ford.
Thames Distillers: 12 Ossory Rd, London SE1 5AN, United Kingdom 