Scarfes Bar at The Rosewood Hotel, Holborn

Why it’s excellent…

In Scarfes’ library-themed bar, you’re instantly enveloped in the cosy romance of a place that feels as if it was plucked directly from a Scott Fitzgerald novel - think plush velvet chairs, dark oak shelves crammed ceiling-to-floor with vintage-bound books, a fire crackling close by.

To add to its novelesque charm, Scarfes is launching a new cocktail menu for its 17 May re-opening, based on the Enneagram personality test (the ‘Enneagram’ is a model of the human psyche which proposes there nine personality types. Although it hasn’t been scientifically validated, it’s often used in various iterations for personal and professional development). The menu will consist of 18 drinks – two contrasting tipples to represent the extremes of each persona – with each personality type represented by a notable figure in cultural history. Confused? Just imagine how you’ll feel after two drinks.

Go there when…

You’re on a first Hinge date and want to get to know your prospective suitor’s personality type fast. Time is money.

What to wear…

This leopard print silk maxi dress. Lockdown has been long, you want to feel hot.

What to order…

The Princess Diana ‘Dynasty’, which represents the “Loyalist” personality type. It’s a citrusy Champagne cocktail that says, “I am sophisticated, what more could you want?”. If what you’re looking for in your Hinge match is a future billionaire-innovator, see if he goes for the Mac Daddy, which represents the “Reformer” and is a perfectly balanced blend of tomato and pepper. Maybe skip a second round if he opts for a Donald Trump Combover (the “Challenger”), which has bold notes of mushroom and mint... thank you. Next!

You should know that…

Scarfes Bar is named after British caricaturist, Gerald Scarfe. The walls are littered with his paintings, including satirical representations of politicians, musician*s, and Disney cartoons, including well-known depictions from Disney’s Hercules and Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Scarfe refers to the bar as “my personal art gallery, where you can see my life on the walls”. If conversation is running thin with your date, stare at the walls for entertainment instead, while you sip your Princess Di. Win-win.

2. Dukes Bar at Dukes London, Mayfair

Why it’s excellent…

Dukes Hotel has been around for over a century (since 1908, to be precise), its bar is an old haunt of the author, Ian Fleming. It was here the creator of James Bond famously sipped Martinis and, as legend would have it, first coined the line “shaken not stirred”.

Home to the ultimate classic Martini, Dukes boasts a recipe perfected by its former head barman – and cocktail legend – Salvatore Calabrese, who invented the “direct Martini” process sometime in the mid-’80s. His trick? Use vodka or gin stored in a freezer (the alcohol must be -22℃) and chilled glasses – it eradicates the need for ice and any dilution of the drink. Today, the hotel’s current head bartender, Alessandro Palazzi, continues Calabrese’s tradition of serving his Martinis from a rosewood trolley.

Go there when…

You’re treating dad. While he thinks back nostalgically to the days of Pierce Brosnan as 007, let your mind wander to Daniel Craig wading out of the sea.

What to wear…

Keep it as simple as a classic Martini in this silk slip dress and an oversized blazer.

What to order…

A classic Martini, obviously.

You should know that…

Each Martini is rumoured to contain a dizzying five shots of alcohol. So, to keep you on your feet, there’s a two drink maximum. As American poet Dorothy Parker famously wrote: “I like to have a Martini, two at the very most. After three, I'm under the table, after four I'm under my host.” Trust us, you’ll be grateful for the limit.

***The Coral Room at The Bloomsbury Hotel, Fitzrovia

Why it’s excellent…

With its bright coral walls, marble-topped, Art Deco bar and general Jazz Age ambience, The Coral Room makes you feel instantly chic as you take a velvety seat next to a sprawling palm tree with gentle jazz humming in the background.

Set in the Bloomsbury Hotel – a Grade-II listed, Neo-Georgian building, which pays homage to the group who first made the area famous, the Bloomsbury set – this vibrant, salon bar is the perfect place to get creatively re-inspired post-lockdown. As you wander through the hotel in pursuit of your first cocktail, take a second to stop by the living room where the walls are lined with portraits of writer Virginia Woolf, and painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant.

Go there when…

You’re looking to get re-acquainted (read: drunk), with that colleague-friend who lived too far away to make a socially-distanced walk work.

What to wear…

This orange power suit from Warehouse – Virginia Wolf would be into it.

What to order…

A Bloomsbury Blush – it’s fresh, it’s floral, it’s topped with Ridgeview Bloomsbury Sparkling Wine, made in Sussex.

You should know that…

Right outside the entrance to the hotel is an ode to the bohemian joie de vivre embodied by the Bloomsbury set, and a reminder of their complicated romances. The inscription reads: “They lived in squares... they loved in triangles.” A good thing, perhaps, you’re not here on a date.

*The Leopard Bar at The Montague, Fitzrovia *

Why it’s excellent…

If what you’re searching for post-lockdown is decadence, this is your watering-hole. The Leopard Bar takes its name very seriously – from floor to ceiling to cushion to menu, everything is leopard print. It is deliciously lavish and yes, a little tacky, but the cocktails are strong, the lighting low, the ambience made for some post-lockdown indulgence.

Go there when…

You and your best friend have rewatched all six seasons of Sex and the City; it’s time to debrief somewhere suitably fabulous as you plan that post-pandemic glow-up.

What to wear…

In a nod to the libidinous style-icon that is Samantha Jones (who sadly won’t be returning for the upcoming new season) don this House of Sunny two-piece top and bottom. Tonight, more is more.

What to order…

Lean into the theme of the evening and go for their signature Leopard cocktail, complete with a dusted paw-print topping.

You should know that…

The Alfresco space outside the Leopard is transformed seasonally from an Alpine Ski Lodge in the winter to a Beach Bar in the summer. Should you need to take a breather from the leopard print, slink outside for a sand-strewn mini-break.

5. The Rooftop at The Standard Hotel, King’s Cross

Why it’s excellent…

With the days growing longer, and warmer, a visit to a rooftop bar is a must. London has a plentiful selection of places to sip cocktails while you watch the sun set, but The Standard is a good place to start. Stretching across the hotel’s 11th floor, The Rooftop is The Standard Hotel’s brand new bar (opened 1 May), offering panoramic views of the city and Margaritas so spicy they’ll make your head spin.

When to go…

Your first outing with the #gals to an actual bar. Head here to toast your much-anticipated freedom and catch up on all the ways you'’ll “do life better” following a year of imprisonment. Plus, the backdrop looks great on Insta stories.

What to wear…

This De La Vali satin mini dress for full-frontal sass.

What to order…

A Spicy Tommy’s Margarita. Or two.

You should know that…

There is a not-so-secret Banksy drawing on the northern side of The Standard building. It depicts a rat holding up a placard. Head out to the restaurant garden, look up and see if you can catch a glimpse of what’s on his sign.

6. Seabird at The Hoxton, Southwark

Why it’s excellent…

Transport yourself to a coastal paradise at The Hoxton hotel’s rooftop bar, Seabird. Filled with palm trees, lined with Mediterranean tiles and strung with fairy-lights, Seabird boasts London’s longest oyster list, alongside an extensive menu of sea-to-table delicacies that will make your mouth water. With its sprawling 14th-floor view of the City, Seabird’s alfresco terrace is the perfect place to while away a balmy spring evening.

When to go…

Make summer Fridays a thing and head there early, say 4pm, with your sister. Nothing says familial bonding like a toast at sunset and a premature hangover by midnight.

What to wear…

Channel the bar’s beachy-aesthetic in Rixo’s floral-print cotton mini dress.

What to order…

Champagne and oysters – followed by The Skimmer cocktail, which includes salted grapefruit.

You should know that…

Seabird was founded by award-winning duo Joshua Boissy and Krystof Zizka, who are also the brains behind Brooklyn’s widely lauded oyster bar and absinthe café, Maison Premiere. As you slurp down your oysters, know you’re in safe hands.

7. Berners Tavern at The Edition, Fitzrovia

Why it’s excellent…

Set in a baroque ballroom with high ceilings, an opulent chandelier centrepiece and walls splattered from top to bottom with gold-framed artwork, Berners Tavern transports you to a period-drama-esq party scene as extravagant as it is damn good fun. The cocktails are delicious experiments in unpronounceable ingredients and expertly whet your appetite for their menu of seasonal dishes which you must stick around for.

When to go…

Grab one of its seated booths (they seat up to six people) and turn on the charm offensive with that client you’re trying to impress.

What to wear…

Go sophisticated in this Suzie Kondi black jumpsuit.

What to order…

For the sake of novelty, opt for The Cursed Collector, which includes “Dragon’s blood tincture” and a drop of absinthe.

You should know that…

Berners Tavern is the creation of Ian Schrager, who co-founded New York’s notorious, disco-era party-spot, Studio 54. While Berners Tavern isn’t quite as salacious, something of that New York glitz lives on here.