What & Where To Drink At London Cocktail Week

It’s one of the booziest weeks in the capital’s calendar – London Cocktail Week. But with more than 300 bars taking part, it’s hard to know where to start. Here, we’ve rounded up 21 of the best events, bars and cocktails to test-drive, where every drink is just £6 a pop with a wristband. Apologies in advance for any foggy heads…

EVENTS & MASTERCLASSES

The Grand Takeover: Le Syndicat x ECC 

Innovative Parisian bar Le Syndicat will take over Experimental Cocktail Club on 2nd and 4th October. Famous for its French-only spirits menu, urban vibe and passionate young team, the takeover at ECC will bring together the best of Parisian and London mixology, blending passion, expertise and lots of Grand Marnier, to create four perfectly crafted cocktails. The bespoke menu, created by Le Syndicat head bartender Aris Makris, will be served in ECC’s signature surroundings: a low-key urban vibe complete with retro hip-hop playlists.

 13a Gerrard Street, Soho, W1D 5PS; 2nd and 4th October

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Foragers Table

The Botanist Gin is inviting guests to reconnect with nature with an innovative three-course dining experience, inspired by urban foraging and created by some of London’s top chefs and bartenders. Curated by Craig Grozier, founder of Scottish dining experience Fallachan and in-house chef for The Botanist Gin, the experience seeks to reconnect people with nature to bring to life the ethos behind the spirit. Each dish will be expertly paired with a cocktail created by Marcis Dzelzainis, drinks curator at Sager + Wilde; Rosey Mitchell, the award-winning bartender from Three Sheets; and Robin Honhold from The Lyan Group.

The Shoreditch Treehouse, Charlotte Road, Shoreditch, EC2A 3PB; 3rd-5th October

Visit DesignMyNight

Hendrick’s Gin Tini Martini Bar

In a tale of both epic – and miniature – proportions, the unusualists over at Hendrick’s Gin are throwing a three-night celebration of the most sophisticated of drinks, the martini. The pop-up will feature takeovers and shrunken serves from some of the world's best bars, including London’s very own Dukes Bar and London EDITION, plus Employees Only (New York), Sweet Liberty (Miami), Kinly Bar (Frankfurt), Schumann's Bar am Hofgarten (Munich) and *ISM (Oslo).

Swordtail Studios, 2083 Acton Mews, Haggerston, E8 4DG; 3rd-5th October

Visit DesignMyNight

‘Drinks At Home’ by Patrón

Over in Hoxton, Patrón tequila will be taking over a secret location and transforming it into a ‘home’ and cocktail haven. The three-night event will feature a rotating line-up of bartenders from award-winning bars (including Matt Whiley, aka The Talented Mr Fox from Hackney bar Scout) who will show you how to mix the perfect Patrón cocktails at home.

Secret address, Hoxton, N1 6TA; 3rd-5th October

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The Light House

Embark on a multi-sensory experience where perception-shifting light design intersects with innovative low-calorie cocktails produced by some of the world’s most influential bartenders. The immersive pop-up promises to “extol all the benefits of a lighter life under one roof”. Guests will witness a multisensory experience through colour, scent, sight and sound, as they sample a selection of inventive light cocktails, each under 150 calories.

5-7 Grape Street, Tottenham Court Road, WC2H 8DW; 2nd-6th October

Visit Drink Up

Cub x BlackTail

Havana Club Icónica is partnering with two of the world’s best bars, London’s Cub and NYC’s BlackTail, for a multi-sensory, private dining experience featuring cocktails and experimental dishes inspired by Cuba. For one night only, Cub will be transformed into Cub-a, hosting just 30 guests for an immersive exploration of Cuban food, rum and culture. Guests will embark on a culinary journey through an adventurous ten-course set menu inspired by the island. The drinks and flavours will be expertly prepared by BlackTail, using the Havana Club Icónica collection.

153 Hoxton Street, Hoxton, N1 6PJ; 2nd October

Visit Mr Lyan Dine Superb

Dandelyan

Dandelyan, the award-winning cocktail bar within Mondrian London, is hosting a one-night-only pop up with Melbourne’s Fancy Free. The free-to-enter takeover will feature a menu devised by Ryan Chetiyawardana and Alex Lawrence in conjunction with Aussies Rob Libecans (Mr Lyan alumni) and Matthew Stirling (formerly at Melbourne’s Black Pearl) to create a selection of specially created Jack Daniels cocktails. 

Mondrian Hotel, 22 Upper Ground, South Bank, SE1 9PD; 3rd October

Visit Drink Up

BARS

The Ned

LCW serve: ‘Java Fix’ – Grey Goose La Vanille, chilli liqueur, coconut cream and espresso garnished with golden coconut flakes.

27 Poultry, Bank, EC2R 8AJ

Visit The Ned

69 Colebrook Row

LCW serve: ‘Dirty Lemon Martini’ – olive leaf-infused Beefeater stirred with dry vermouth.

69 Colebrooke Row, Islington, N1 8AA

Visit 69 Colebrook Row

Kansas Smitty’s

LCW serve: ‘The Jumping Julep’ – Aviation American gin infused with star ingredients, mint and sugar.

63-65 Broadway Market, London Fields, E8 4PH

Visit Kansas Smittys

Opium

LCW serve: ‘Carroll Gardens’ – Frapin Cognac 1270 infused with rare Kyoto oolong tea, dry vermouth, mango cordial, Amer Picon and chocolate.

15-16 Gerrard Street, Leicester Square, W1D 6JE

Visit Opium

Aqua Nueva

LCW serve: ‘From Jerez To Clarendon’ – Ketel One vodka, Pedro Ximenez sherry, lemon and cherry and lemon foam.

240 Regent Street, Carnaby, W1B 3BR

Visit Aqua Nueva

Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings

LCW serve: ‘St-Germain-de-Pres’ – St Germain elderflower liqueur, fresh pressed lemon juice, Real Kombucha Dry Dragon and sparkling water.

42 Northampton Road, Clerkenwell, EC1R 0HU

Visit B&H Buildings

Benares

LCW serve: ‘Citrus Blast’ – tequila, Benares' homemade cardamom and fennel sherbet, lime juice, orange bitters and lemon tonic.

12a Berkeley Square, Mayfair, W1J 6BS

Visit Benares Restaurant

Black Rock

LCW serve: ‘Blood & Sand’ – Dewar’s 12-year-old blended scotch, Martini Rosso, Black Rock cherry liqueur and clarified orange juice.

9 Christopher Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 2BS

Visit Black Rock

The Coral Room

LCW serve: ‘Rose Blossom’ – Tanqueray No. Ten gin, Italicus Rosolio Di Bergamotto, elderflower cordial, orange bitters and English sparkling wine.

16-22 Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, WC1B 3NN

Visit The Coral Room

The Discount Suit Co

LCW serve: ‘Lion’s Rein’ – Buffalo Trace bourbon, lime, Pimento Dram, Amaro and maple syrup.

29 Wentworth Street, Spitalfields, E1 7TB

Visit Discount Suit Company

Hutong at the Shard

LCW serve: ‘Ynag Fan’ – rosemary-infused Ketel One, blood orange liqueur, pink grapefruit juice, ginger and rosemary water.

The Shard, 31 St Thomas Street, London Bridge, SE1 9RY

Visit Hutong

Sochu Lounge at Roka Charlotte Street

LCW serve: ‘The Mizunara Highball’ – Chivas Regal Mizunara whisky, peach shochu, ginger

ale and a lemongrass stirrer.

37 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 1RR

Visit Roka Restaurant

The Sun Tavern

LCW serve: ‘Lone Oak’ – Dead Rabbit Irish whiskey, Chartreuse, pistachio syrup, lemon and Angostura bitters.

441 Bethnal Green Road, Bethnal Green, E2 0AN

Visit The Sun Tavern

Swingers City & West End

LCW serve: ‘Anna Pavlova’ – Żubrówka, apple juice, lime juice, egg whites and elderflower.

15 John Prince's Street, Marylebone, W1G 0AB and 8 Brown's Buildings, Aldgate, EC3A 8AL

Visit Swingers.club

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