Nightlife Tips for London

Swift on old compton street has a decent downstairs speakeasy. Dark. Moody. Artesian at The Langham lost the world's best bar title but cocktails are still solid at £16-18.

Real spots: Satan's Whiskers at 343 cambridge heath road in bethnal green does perfect martinis for £12-14. Discount Suit Company on wentworth street has zero signage but incredible drinks. Both beat the £18+ tourist traps in covent garden.

Mr Fogg's near piccadilly circus is theatre not cocktails. Skip it completely.

Hidden down steps near Embankment... Gordon's feels like drinking in medieval dungeons. Candlelit vaulted ceilings, wine by glass from £6 (house wine starts around £4.20), cheese platters that actually fill you up.

Gets packed after 7pm so arrive around 5:30 for table. Outdoor courtyard is lovely when it's not raining — Which in London means three days per year.

Satan's Whiskers. 343 cambridge heath road, bethnal green. Tiny place with proper cocktails and zero pretension. Bartenders actually know their craft.

Happiness Forgets on hoxton square. Small menu but everything's executed perfectly. Gets busy after 10pm when old street empties out.

Coupette on bethnal green road. French-style cocktails. Bit wanky but the drinks are genuinely incredible. Book ahead or wait ages.

Skip anything on brick lane with neon signs. Those places are for people who think expensive automatically means good.

Brick lane beigel bake never closes. Salt beef sandwich at 3am hits completely different. Queue moves fast even when it wraps around hanbury street.

Vq restaurants stay open 24/7 - proper sit-down meals not just late night snacks. Locations at 9 great russell street bloomsbury and 325 king's road chelsea. Duck & waffle on the 40th floor of 110 bishopsgate serves until 2am most nights with proper city views.

Note: beigel bake basic salt beef is £4, loaded versions with extras run £7-8. Much better value than £15 room service at premier inn aldgate.

All Bar One does 2-for-1 cocktails Monday-Thursday until 8pm. Locations all over central London. Not groundbreaking cocktails but decent for the price.

Gordon's Wine Bar near Embankment. House wine £4.20. Feels like drinking in a wine cellar because you literally are. Cash only obviously.

Skip the happy hour apps. Most are scams or the participating pubs are terrible.

Artesian at langham hotel portland place. Expensive but world-class. £16-18 per drink. Book ahead or wait til 10pm.

Connaught bar on carlos place mayfair. Classic cocktails done perfectly. Martini trolley is theatre but genuinely good. £18-22 cocktails worth it.

69 colebrooke row legacy continues at nearby venues. Molecular cocktails that actually taste good. £14-18 range near angel tube.

Skip anything in shoreditch with 'craft' in the name.

Brick lane beigel bake - hot salt beef bagels 24/7. Basic ones £4, loaded versions £7-8. Queue even at 4am but worth it when you're walking back from fabric nightclub.

VQ bloomsbury/aldgate - sit-down meals all night on great russell street. Tinseltown farringdon - american food til 6am weekends on charterhouse street. Piano works farrington - live music til 3am fri/sat near cowcross street.