Don't you love being in on a secret? From hidden doors and secret passwords to playing a wheel of fortune or playing dress-up, get into the spirit of more than just the cocktails on your next night out and head to one of these fabulously quirky cocktail bars in London. Some of these bars have been around for a while - the late noughties was probably peak speakeasy time for London - but watching mates or dates experience them for the first time never gets old. Warning: this ENTIRE article contains spoilers. Central London Scales This is a handy one-stop shop; Scales is hidden away under boutique bottle shop Drink With Sasha, so if you find a cocktail you love, you can buy what you need to recreate it at home. Have a discreet word with staff in the shop and you will be led into a sophisticated and moodily-lit subterranean bar with expertly-crafted, stylishly minimalist and innovative cocktails. Star cocktail: Tangerine: Cazcabel tequila, lemongrass, tangerine, grapefruit Mayfair The Vault Behind a convincing fake bookcase at the back of renowned whisky emporium Milroy's of Soho is a hidden door to The Vault, an award-winning candlelit underground cocktail bar. How much do you love a fake bookcase hidden door? From Batman to Scooby-Doo, it's a classic. Channel your inner tortured billionaire or pesky kid and tick this off your bucket list. Star cocktail: Breakfast Highball: brandy, jasmine tea, peach bitters Soho Bar Lina You probably already know Lina Stores, the iconic mint-green Italian deli in Soho which stocks an incredible range of fresh, hand-made pasta and authentic meats, cheeses and generally wonderful Italian food. But did you know that there is a hidden aperitivo bar underneath? The cocktails are seriously good - plus you get free bar snacks from the deli with your first drink, with the option to order more as the night wears on. Star cocktail: A signature negroni, or the Basilico: Malfy Original gin, Rinomato Bianco vermouth, citric, salt, basil, milk Soho Cahoots Underground Located in a disused underground station - including a vintage-style tube carriage with authentic tube seats - and set in the 1940s, expect an immersive trip back in time. Cahoots are all about 'High Spirits, Scoundrels and Swing' which is reflected in the retro soundtrack, cocktail menus like old-fashioned newspapers, tiled walls and quirky drinking vessels. They've really gone all out in the detail here, so loosen up and play along. Pip pip, old chap! Star cocktail: I Say Tomato: Marmite & scotch bonnet chillies-infused Grey Goose L’Original vodka, Ancho Reyes Verde chilli liqueur, San Marzano tomato sauce, strawberry vinegar Carnaby Archive & Myth This classy bar is hidden in the depths of the Hippodrome Casino; not just that but you have to use the entrance for Magic Mike, which should provoke some interesting reactions from your friends. Once inside, find the ornamental door and enter the secret code which you can access from the bar's Instagram 'passcode' highlights. There are some nice details: exposed brickwork, squishy sofas, monogram-stamped ice cubes and a whole list of reimagined classic cocktails made using vintage spirits. Star cocktail: Absinthe Frappé: Absinthe, condensed milk, basil, mint, lime Leicester Square Peony Bar at Opium This is the inner sanctum of the speakeasy; it's a hidden bar within a series of hidden bars. Find the discreet jade door on Gerrard Street, next to Dumplings Legend. Inside, head up the red stairs for pure sensory overload; welcome to a whole parlour of 1920s Shanghai-themed speakeasy bars. The Attic Bar is has lots of cosy corners with comfy seating for you to settle in for the evening, while the Academy Bar has more of a luxe kitchen vibe, helped along by their bartenders' table - like a chef's table, but where you can take a seat and watch the mixologist at work. Most glamorous of all is the Peony Bar; make your way through winding corridors, and behind the red curtain is a classic old-school Hong Kong drinking den. Dim sum is available in all the bars for next level bar snacks. Star cocktail: Luna Rossa: Plantation Original dark rum, Dolce Vita aperitivo, Martini Rubino vermouth, lemon juice, grenadine syrup, miraculous foamer Chinatown East London The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town Queue up with all the other punters waiting patiently for a table for their Spitalfields Breakfast Club pancakes or chicken & waffles. When you get to the front, tell them 'I'm here to see the Mayor'. Your guide will open the door of a large SMEG fridge by the counter - yep, you read that right - to reveal a hidden staircase. Follow it down to a cosy underground cocktail bar; welcome to Scaredy Cat Town, the Mayor will see you now. It's a very relaxed place that doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes for a good night out. Cheapo Top Tip: If your name happens to be Garfield and you have valid photo ID, you get a free drink. To leave Scaredy Cat Town, exit through the door on the left at the top of the stairs, via the My Little Pony wallpapered toilets. The bar suggests that you maintain the illusion by leaving your fly undone or your skirt tucked in your knickers, but we leave that to your discretion. Star cocktail: Old Town Square: Black pepper infused Bulleit Bourbon, Martini Rubino, Cointreau, absinthe, lemon & sugar Spitalfields Callooh Callay Voted one of the top 50 cocktail bars of 2023, Callooh Callay is named after a celebratory quote from the wonderful Lewis Carroll nonsense poem Jabberwocky: 'O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'. They have a wide range of quirky cocktails for every taste, mostly blending sweet and savoury food and flavours with alcohol; think the Tomayto Tomahto with tomato liqueur and lime, or the Casino Royale with dark chocolate and rosewater. A great option for cocktail enthusiasts. At the back of the bar there is a wardrobe; go through and in true Narnia-style you will find yourself in the secret back bar. (Having a private party? You can hire the inner sanctum: nip behind a curtain, up some stairs and into the hallowed JubJub bar.) Star cocktail: Rack ‘em and Stack ’em: Pancake Makers Mark Whiskey, Fielden Rye Whiskey, Discarded Banana Rum, maple, bitters Shoreditch The Natural Philosopher Make your way through an Apple Mac Repair shop to this lovely, leafy hideaway which serves up a mix of classic and innovative cocktails made with locally foraged ingredients and botanicals. They have a separate menu just for their award-winning picklebacks - a shot of bourbon with a pickle brine chaser - so if that's your vibe (or you'd like to try one) this is the place for you. They also win points for their happy hour - not only is it happily affordable at 2 cocktails for but it's conveniently later than most, running from 6pm-8pm every evening, including the weekend. Star cocktail: Ancho Chilli Paloma: Tequila, Ancho Chilli, lime and grapefruit Hackney South London Lost Property Office This one is perfect if you have friends coming to London by train and arriving at Waterloo - it's actually in the station. Go into BrewDog and head upstairs. Find the orange door, then the vintage telephone; pick it up, and wait for an operator to assist you. Their Trilogy selection brings you a changing menu of three drinks based on global cuisines and flavours, or go with their twists on classic cocktails. Star cocktail: Xpresso, a 'potent espresso martini': Coffee vodka and brew, white chocolate, vermouth Waterloo Cahoots Postal Office What ho! The newest addition to the Cahoots family is on the edge of Borough Market and has a 1940s postal service theme. Expect the same quirky decor and attention to detail as the OG Carnaby original but with its own specialist cocktails added to the usual classics, served in post boxes, mailbags and busts of the Queen. Staff are mostly actors 'in between roles', who stay in character well and provide some high-level banter. Star cocktail: Ginger Rogers; 42 Below vodka, Nardini Acqua di Cedro liqueur, prickly pear & kumquat Borough Call Me Mr Lucky As before, queue up with the Breakfast Club regulars (this time in Borough) but when offered a table, tell your server, 'I'm here to get lucky.' Instead of getting slapped, you will (hopefully) be led downstairs, through the kitchen and into a dimly-lit, lantern-strewn underground dive bar with a tequila-heavy cocktail list and a wheel of fortune that - if you really are lucky - might win you some free drinks. Apparently it's a favourite of Tom Daley, so bring your knitting. Cheapo Top Tip: Happy hour here is a generous 5pm-8pm, with 2-for-1 on all cocktails - even on Saturdays. Named in honour of park ranger Roy Sullivan who, between 1942 and 1977, was struck by lightning seven times and survived, setting a world record. Just call him Mr Lucky (although perhaps not being struck at all would have been luckier). Cocktail hero: Get Lucky or Dice Trying: Ketel One Vodka, Chambord, crème de peche, orange juice & cranberry. When you order this, you get to roll three lucky dice; roll 2 sixes and the drink is on the house, roll 3 sixes and it's shots for everyone in the bar. Borough Barts If you're after a quirky cocktail bar in London then pay a visit to Uncle Barts. Uncle Barts' apartment lies behind a black door on the ground floor of the Chelsea Cloisters apartment building on Sloane Avenue. There's a shifty-looking sliding peephole and you will be asked for the password, which you will be given when you make your booking. Step over the threshold and you're in 1929 and the Prohibition era. Barts has bar food from the neighbouring Gaucho restaurant and a hidden garden, but to be honest they had us at 'dressing-up box'. Star cocktail: The Jockey Club: Kaffir lime leaf-infused Hendrick’s gin, Belle de Brillet pear & cognac liqueur, lemon curd, cloudy apple juice, fresh lime juice and miraculous foamer Chelsea West London Evans & Peel Detective Agency Set in 1930s prohibition, this has a real shadowy speakeasy vibe. Complete the online case file before your appointment with the private detective, interview for their help and maybe get shown through to the hidden bar. Have some fun with this: are you an heiress, suspicious that our husband is having an affair with a showgirl? Are you a titled gentleman, suspicious that your new wife has pawned the family jewels and replaced them with fakes? Cocktails are divided into Moonshiners, Bootleggers Bandits and Special Cases; they are well-made and punchy. Oh, and there is a radiator that dispenses beer if you're not a cocktail fan. Definitely one of the more quirky cocktail bars in London. Star cocktail: The World's Best Old Fashioned: it's off menu so you have to ask the bar staff. Yet more proof that you know ALL the secrets. Earl's Court Cheapo Top Tip for October - London Cocktail Week The world's largest cocktail festival is on in October and most of these bars are participating. Grab a ticket and join the fun!
A Cheapo's guide to London
A Cheapo's guide to London
A Cheapo's guide to London