Kitty’s Cosmopolitan Club is a basement bar with the character of something several storeys higher. The new Chicago cocktail lounge from Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants and partner-beverage director Kevin Beary sits beneath Crying Tiger at 51 W Hubbard Street, reached by way of a host station at the foot of the stairs, where a backlit glass-brick wall gives the first clue that River North’s latest watering hole is not interested in understatement.

Wallpaper* drinks at Kitty’s Cosmopolitan Club, Chicago

The mood: emerald after-dark

Designed by David Collins Studio, which also worked on Crying Tiger, the basement has been arranged with the clipped symmetry of a supper club and the atmosphere of a private cabaret. Emerald green drapery falls from the ceiling and gathers behind the bar, edging the room towards something tented and theatrical. Metallic bronze crackle-finish tiles wrap the columns; dark-stained timber walkways frame an abstract animal-print rug; plush banquettes sit against softly illuminated glass brick. The effect is a lush intoxication of green velvet, smoked mirror, polished nickel and low amber light.

There are plenty of details to linger over. Pierre Paulin bar stools, upholstered in red and metallic abstract animal print, line the bar. Handwoven emerald macramé leather screens divide the room. Behind the bottles hangs Circus Romance, a 1978 painting by Robert Kushner, while sculptural tiger table lamps and waiters in green velvet dinner jackets extend the room’s ritzy after-dark mood.

The drinks: classics, sharpened

Beary’s cocktail programme is divided into four categories – From the Bar, From the Cold Room, From the Trolley, Low and No – with drinks built around classic references but made with modern techniques and sharper spirit selections. A Kitty’s Gin Martini is stirred tableside with Old Raj 55° Dry Gin and a house vermouth blend; a Japanese Whisky Old Fashioned uses Yamazaki 12 Year Old Whisky; and the bar’s dedicated -16°F walk-in freezer station, billed as a Chicago first, gives the colder drinks their own ritual. Food follows the same indulgent maximalism: caviar chips and dip, chilled shellfish, warm Cinco Jotas Ibérico ham, dim sum and chocolate truffles.

Kitty’s Cosmopolitan Club is located at 51 W Hubbard St Ste 200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

Conceived by Italian architect Fabio Fantolino, Lève Office Bar in Turin takes its cues from an unlikely source of inspiration: the workplace. Here, the visual language of the 1960s office interiors is reworked into a sophisticated bar environment that evolves throughout the day.

Fantolino reinterprets the era’s emphasis on materiality and composition through chrome-plated metal, stainless steel, reflective surfaces and bold colour accents. The result is a layered space that favours corporate precision with warmth and conviviality.

Tour Lève Office Bar, Turin

The venue unfolds across three distinct zones. Guests enter through a room anchored by a dramatic stainless-steel counter that culminates in a deep red enamel backdrop. The minimalist structure shifts function as the day progresses, operating as a casual counter by day before transforming into a cocktail station in the evening. A brick-toned herringbone floor introduces a domestic touch against the reflective finishes.

At the double-height central space, references become more prominent, combining green resin flooring, mirrors, chrome and stainless steel with wood and leather details. Upstairs, leather and bouclé seating arrangements subtly echo the open-plan layouts of midcentury American workplaces, framed by red wood and laminate panelling.

Lighting plays a central role throughout. A luminous ceiling grid animates the lower level, while retro-inspired pendant lamps establish rhythm above. Further statement lighting by Lambert & Fils and Santa & Cole completes the scheme.

Open from 7.30am until 1am daily – extending to 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays – Lève Office Bar serves breakfast through to late-night drinks. The cocktail menu features five signature twists on classics, including a cherry-and-cinchona Boulevardier and a clarified Piña Colada with coconut, pineapple and tonka bean. Alongside bocadillos, oysters, caviar, bao and gourmet focaccia, the venue also serves sushi (nigiri, gunkan and uramaki).

Lève Office Bar is located at Via Stampatori, 21, 10122 Turin, Italy

London’s swankier nightlife has often mistaken more for better. One thinks of the faux patina, acres of backlit onyx, the over-upholstered banquettes, the interiors that reek of moodboards. Dive, which has quietly opened in a basement off Chiltern Street in Marylebone, is a riposte against all of it.

Velvet underground: Dive, London

Its owner, Antoine Le Dirat-Giacometti, is a French DJ whose decades behind the decks have made him, in architect Ariel André’s words, ‘a vibe setter – someone who provides mood, rhythm and tone’. Dive is the spatial extension of that persona and was cannily designed by André’s Paris studio, Golem. On the face of it, the bar is an unlikely commission for an architect whose current projects include a building for the Diriyah Biennale Foundation in Saudi Arabia and curatorial architecture for the Bukhara Biennial in Uzbekistan, but the brief was more about atmosphere as architecture than scale.

For what the owner and architect inherited was, by carrying ‘the feeling of having been abandoned after something abrupt and bad happened’. A perfect canvas, it transpires, for creating a soigné bar from scratch.

The creative brief crystallised early – ‘a concrete block in a velvet glove’, says André – and that tension is evident in every surface, precisely because the architect kept so much of it raw: an engineered rough cocoon wrapped in a tactile interior.

The bar reveals itself in warm, buttery light, glossy and reflective, convex mirrors catching your movement, bending the room back at you as you enter. Upholstery, padded walls and floor-to-ceiling carpet, developed and made in France, add a particular softness. The glossy surfaces are designed to take scratches from glasses and jewellery; the velvety walls to retain the imprint of bodies.

The shift between bar and lounge is made physical by a bespoke acoustic threshold – a one-of-a-kind sound shower developed by Berlin-based specialist Basil Martion – that condenses the atmosphere on crossing before releasing into the bass-driven lounge. Overhead, the concrete vaulted arches are bare – water from the 2025 fire at the neighbouring Chiltern Firehouse damaged the basement mid-construction, exposing the raw shell. André kept it.

The bespoke quart-de-lune tables embed their own social logic: their quarter-circle geometry seats couples side by side rather than face to face, dissolving what André calls ‘the interviewer-interviewee dynamic’ in favour of something more complicit. Each arch in the lounge has a distinct configuration; one becomes a ‘fun room’, a velvet-saturated chamber that migrates from daybed to dancefloor across the night. The non-gendered bathroom, meanwhile, gives over its central floor space to a banquette rather than basins, with a one-way mirror looking into the fun room – its conceit, André notes, borrowed from club backstages.

Music, too, is structural in a way that goes beyond playlist curation. Le Dirat-Giacometti assembled tracks alongside the blueprints, each assigned to a specific space – a song for the staircase, another for the pillows. The hydraulic DJ booth adjusts for seated or standing performance, or reconfigures for a live band; a record collection built over 20 years by Le Dirat- Giacometti is shelved within reach of the turntable.

At the bar, the 10:58 – a lethal reworking of the Old Fashioned and named for the running time of Prince’s song Purple Music – is reason enough to start up a tab. The Dive Hydrator, built from coconut water, lemongrass, ginger and Celtic salt, was originally conceived for marathon runners, but has since found currency with those who want a long night without alcohol. The bar snacks skew simply with the croque-monsieurs, sourced entirely from producers across France, already becoming, in André’s words, ‘the most addictive substance in the room’.

The bar’s moniker, Dive, actually came last. It only became evident to Le Dirat-Giacometti as the space began to take shape – the architecture generated its own word. You descend. The surface falls away.

Dive is located at 50-54 Blandford St, London W1U 7HX, United Kingdom

Sometimes you just need a 'New York happy meal.' No, not the kind with a burger and toy from the Golden Arches, we're referring to the adult version: a perfectly chilled, proper martini – gin or vodka, your choice – paired with crispy, salty fries. In the Big Apple, you’re never far from a bar with stiff drinks and stunning design or one of the many classic New York restaurants with a bar scene that makes you want to hang out for hours. But not every well-dressed boozer gets the martini-and-fries combo just right. At Wallpaper*, we’ve done the heavy lifting – drinking and dining – for you by curating the ultimate list of spots for ’tinis and fries, with a side of impeccable vibes and visually appealing interiors.

Whether it’s a midweek pick-me-up or a Friday night celebration, these stylish and atmospheric establishments run the gamut from enduring downtown haunts like Balthazar, Raoul’s and The Odeon to new-ish darlings such as Chez Fifi, Raf’s and The Eighty Six.

Chez Fifi

Josh and David Foulquier (of Sushi Noz fame) created Chez Fifi, designed by Stockholm-based Joyn Studio, as an intimate French bistro for the chic, Uptown crowd. Occupying the second floor of the bi-level townhouse, above the dining room, Salon de Fifi pours a salty, savoury take on a classic martini, made with Truman vodka, Laurent Cazottes Green Tomato liqueur and Dolin Blanc vermouth (of course, if you prefer gin, there are plenty to choose from, including Procera, distilled in Kenya using locally sourced juniper berries). The perfect pairing? Frites maison with house aioli and an Osetra caviar add-on, for a decadent upgrade.

Chez Fifi is located at 140 E 74th St, New York, NY 10021

Balthazar

Keith McNally’s bustling brasserie in the heart of SoHo, Balthazar, an old-school anchor of Spring Street since 1997, is about as classic as it gets. With just the right amount of downtown energy, especially when the drinks start flowing, it’s an iconic spot for post-shopping buzz and bites. On any given night, loyal regulars, celebrities and clued-in out-of-towners rub elbows at the perennially packed counter, under the warm glow of globe lighting. There are a lot of ways to do Balthazar right – and one of them is a New York happy meal. Grab a bar stool or a red leather banquette, order a chilled vodka or gin martini with a trace of vermouth and a side of fries – cut fresh daily and double-fried in peanut oil – with all the sauces.

Balthazar is located at 80 Spring St, New York, NY 10012

The Eighty Six

A historic Jazz Age pub and Prohibition-era speakeasy reborn as a jewel box dining destination, with rich, vintage-inspired interiors from Rockwell Group, The Eighty Six is prime for a decadent night out. The haute West Village hangout takes martinis seriously, with renditions like the Smoked Dirty Martini – a mix of vodka, applewood-smoked olive brine, a trio of stuffed olives (bleu cheese, anchovy and cultured butter and crème fraîche topped with Osetra caviar) and Marcona almonds, finished tableside, poured over a sculpted ice column. A sign of a true scratch kitchen with a flair for the opulent, the French fries are made with house-cut potatoes, served alongside HV57 ketchup and house-made malt aioli. And the snug, low-lit space encourages lingering – at least until the next reservation needs the bar seats.

The Eighty Six is located at 86 Bedford St, New York, NY 10014

Raf’s

Raf’s, a French-meets-Italian bakery and café on Elizabeth Street, is where the downtown set goes for a New York happy meal. A modern NoHo eatery with an old-world soul, this new-ish kid on the block feels current without being try-hard, channeling a European-style dining experience that’s in lockstep with the pace and panache of the Big Apple, whether you’re in the mood for a leisurely lunch that melts into the afternoon or dinner. Grab a seat at the curved marble bar or tuck into a snug table in the mirror-lined dining room for a ‘tini (or two) and golden crisp shoestring fries (with ketchup and mayonnaise for dipping, of course).

Raf’s is located at 290 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012

Le Rock

Le Rock, the French brasserie in the heart of Rockefeller Center, designed by Workstead, dazzles the working lunch and after-work crowd, plus destination diners and drinkers, with its elegant, Art Deco-influenced flair: veined marble, brass details, warm wood and leather banquettes. Run by the James Beard Award-winning chefs behind Frenchette and Le Veau d’Or, it has a serious culinary pedigree – credentials that extend to the bar. Straight from the freezer and presented in a tall V martini glass the Maison Martinis – including the Super Sec with overproof gin, extra dry and white vermouth and Au Poivre with vodka, manzanilla olive, vin jaune and green peppercorn – and hot, crispy frites are worth contending with Midtown traffic.

Le Rock is located at 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111

Raoul’s

Raoul’s, a SoHo institution dating back to 1975, does no-fuss, retro glamour (think: dark wood, pressed tin ceilings and provocative art) better than anyone. It’s where bartenders go after their shifts end, alongside neighbourhood regulars and low-key celebs without a stitch of makeup. And all stop by for the same reason: an old-school, properly chilled martini and classic French bistro fries – crispy, salty and made for steak but more than capable of standing on their own. If you’ve managed to nab one of the coveted bar seats, don’t even think about giving it up. Get another round of drinks (be sure to ask if there are any of the famous Burger Au Poivre left) and let the night unfold.

Raoul’s is located at 180 Prince St, New York, NY 10012

Warren Street Bar & Restaurant

The Kit Kemp-designed Warren Street Hotel in Tribeca is a cheerful departure from the sleek skyscrapers around the city. Joyful and full of colour, its exuberant, maximalist interiors are alive in the salon-like Warren Street Bar & Restaurant, where bold hues, playful patterns, and punchy art create a whimsical backdrop for a New York happy meal. The martini happy hour, 'created to make an ordinary afternoon feel a little indulgent,' means $15 ‘tinis and $10 parmesan-dusted truffle fries with house-made Bloody Mary ketchup daily from 3PM to 6PM. But, of course, you can post up at the pewter-topped bar, crowned by a large-scale sculpture by Gareth Devonald Smith, for a frosty olive martini – pre-batched and served in a frozen coupe – and fries any time.

Warren Street Bar & Restaurant is located at 86 Warren St, New York, NY 10007

The Lobby Bar

The Lobby Bar at Hotel Chelsea is a Gilded Age refuge from gritty 23rd Street, a place for ‘tinis, a touch of opulence and, of course, people watching in a series of rooms adorned with original marble mosaic floors, inlaid ceilings and plush velvet seating. Go for the vibes, libations – the booze program is led by Sunday Hospitality’s Beverage Director Brian Evans – and the beautiful setting. Signature drinks include the 1884 Martini, with gin, cedro lemon, vetiver and Spanish olive oil, as well as the Dukes Martini, an homage to the London staple poured tableside with freezer-cold vodka or gin and a vermouth rinse and finished with Meyer lemon peel. What could be a better companion than the salty, crispy fries?

The Lobby Bar is located at 226 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011

Chateau Royale

Château Royal offers a cinematic interpretation of vintage French luxury – deep reds and gold, layered with checkered floors, velvet upholstery and ornamental mouldings. The swank scene is complemented by standout sips. The martini, the first recipe owner Cody Pruitt created for the restaurant, follows an 8:1 ratio of spirit to vermouth, using a house blend of three dry and blanc vermouths and a white apéritif, lifted with a touch of Italian lemon liqueur. The pre-batched ‘tinis are poured tableside by a server in a dapper white tux. In equally luxe fashion, the wonderfully crispy, fluffy pomme frites show up piled high on a silver platter with a side of Pommery mayonnaise.

Chateau Royale is located at 205 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012

The Odeon

Old-school is the name of the game at The Odeon, a beloved Tribeca benchmark for the past four decades. But this classic New York restaurant doesn’t trade exclusively in nostalgia. It’s as happening as when Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat were regulars. Still, it’s a temple to tradition – as evidenced by the dark wood bar and hanging globe lamps. The martini follows a classic 00.5 oz vermouth to 2.5 oz vodka or gin ratio, and gets a good stir or shake before being served in a well-chilled martini glass – the same style since 1989 – and is garnished with either three olives on a pick or a lemon twist. The fries are hand-cut in-house, double-fried and very crispy.

The Odeon is located at 145 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013

Deux Chats

Deux Chats, from the team behind Le Dive and The Nines, feels as if a Parisian Art Nouveau-inspired cocktail lounge landed in New York’s Jazz Age and then flashed forward to the present. Its curved green bars, antique mirrors, vaulted ceilings and hand-painted tiles created a sense of Belle Époque nostalgia and modern romance. Both cozy and social, it’s established itself as a good-time Brooklyn go-to for martini-and-fries obsessives, with a walk-in-heavy scene. Patrons can choose from a selection of expertly crafted martinis (classic, dirty, vesper, kinky, etc.) and a side of golden fries with garlic aioli. Going with a group? Opt for the martini fountain.

Deux Chats is located at 27 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11249

Sloane’s

Tucked away on the second floor of SoHo’s chicest hotel, The Manner, Sloane’s is a jewel box draped in rich red, emerald and gold. The intimate atmosphere, with just enough scene-iness and dimly lit corners for canoodling, makes it a date destination – especially for pairs who prefer the classic combination of a martini and fries to a heavy sit-down meal. With the launch of Martini Mondays, the lounge is leaning further into its status as a New York happy meal spot. On the menu? An indulgent pairing of an ice-cold martini, seasoned fries and a caviar bump, or a trio of signature mini martinis like the Cold Plunge (gin, Cocchi Americano, lemon, mint oil and Creole bitters).

Sloane’s is located at 58 Thompson St, Second Floor, New York, NY 10012

Corner Bar

Corner Bar at Nine Orchard, the fashionable Dimes Square hotel favored by editors, stylists, designers and off-duty models, is a favorite for its relaxed feel and gastronomic chops. The setting leans toward a casual tavern with tin ceilings, white subway tile walls, plaid café curtains and dark wood. Yet the chef-driven approach, which extends to the beverage program, means you’re guaranteed a gloriously glacial martini with either Reyka vodka or Ford’s Gin and crispy fries with rosemary and Dijon aioli, whether for pre-dinner drinks or a nightcap with a nibble. If you have a hankering for something a bit heartier, the menu includes classics like steak tartare and the 9O burger.

Corner Bar is located at 60 Canal St, New York, NY 10002

The British pub is one of the few institutions that has somehow got better with age. Where once the choice was between a bag of crisps and a basket of scampi, London’s best boozers now offer cooking that would hold its own in any restaurant in the city.

Yet what distinguishes the pubs on this list from mere restaurants-with-beer is that they remain, at heart, proper pubs: places where a single pint and a packet of cheese and onion is as valid a reason to visit as a three-course dinner. The trick, as the following selection proves, is finding places where the beer is as carefully curated as the wine list, and where the welcome is as warm at the bar as it is in the dining room.

Central London pubs

The Audley Public House, Mayfair

When Artfarm, the hospitality arm of Hauser & Wirth, bought the building on the corner of Mount Street and South Audley Street, Iwan and Manuela Wirth kept the ground floor as the pub it had always been. The only clue as to the new ownership is some site-specific contemporary art setting off the original Victorian features, including a kaleidoscopic paper ceiling hand-painted by Phyllida Barlow, and a Martin Creed neon sign above the restored mahogany bar. The food is classic pub grub made from superior ingredients: ham, egg and chips; beef and ale pie; fish finger sandwiches and Sunday roasts. Upstairs dining room Mount St Restaurant is rather fancier.

41-43 Mount Street, London, W1K 2RX, theaudleypublichouse.com

The Devonshire, Soho

A contender for the most famous pub in London, The Devonshire is testament to the fact that the best boozers are down to the people behind them, in this case, its trio of owners: landlord Oisin Rogers, chef Ashley Palmer-Watts and meat supremo Charlie Carroll. The ground-floor bar sees drinkers in quarter-zip tops spilling onto the street clutching what is widely believed to be London’s finest pint of Guinness; snacky food is served down here too (sausage rolls, cheese toasties), but the real action takes place in the two floors of dining rooms upstairs, where simple St John-esque British cooking includes the likes of potted shrimps and lamb hotpot.

17 Denman Street, London, W1D 7HW, devonshiresoho.co.uk

The French House, Soho

Like the Coach & Horses over on Greek Street, The French is a bona-fide slice of old Soho history, in this case the location for Charles de Gaulle’s morale-boosting wartime broadcasts. The French connection lives on in the Breton cider served by the bottle in the tiny ground-floor bar, which is pretty much standing room only. A seat at one of the seven tables upstairs in the equally bijou dining room is almost as hard to come by, but the reward for booking well ahead is cooking as Anglo-French as the Tricolore and Union Jack billowing outside. Think: brawn on toast followed by sole à la meunière.

49 Dean Street, London, W1D 5BG, frenchhousesoho.com

The Shaston Arms, Soho

The team responsible for The Waterman’s Arms in Barnes are also behind this central London pub that is the holy grail of West End drinking: somewhere in Soho that is just as suited to a pint and snack at the bar or a proper meal when something marginally more formal is required. To drink, there are beers from London breweries; to eat, scallops with curry leaf and mashed potato; and the whole experience is wrapped up in dimly lit, velvet- and leather-lined interiors.

4-6 Ganton Street, London, W1F 7QN, theshastonarms.co.uk

North London pubs

The Baring, Islington

The perfect end to a walk along the Regent’s Canal at the bottom of the road, The Baring has everything behind the bar anyone could want to drink: locally brewed beers, organic European wines and cracking cocktails. The presentation of the food is as restrained as the stripped-back decor, but there’s nothing muted about the flavour of dishes such as quail shish with garlic yoghurt and pul biber chilli. South Londoners should investigate sister pub The Kerfield Arms in Camberwell.

55 Baring Street, London, N1 3DS, thebaring.co.uk

The Parakeet, Kentish Town

This used to be a grotty Victorian pub called the Oxford; now it’s gone from dodgy to desirable thanks to new owners who drafted in former Brat chefs Ben Allen and Ed Jennings to run the kitchen. At the front is a bar for drinkers – not just draught beer but wines by the carafe and classic cocktails. Anyone hungrier should head to the dining room behind where seasonal British dishes such as pheasant with mustard sauce and chicory are cooked on the wood-fired grill.

256 Kentish Town Road, London, NW5 2AA, theparakeetpub.com

East London pubs

The Knave of Clubs, Shoreditch

The names behind The Knave know what they’re doing: James Dye is the owner of London Fields listening bar Bambi, while his Knave co-owner Benjy Leibowitz has the New York NoMad on his CV. Chermoula-marinated rotisserie chicken is the star turn, supplemented by prawn Scotch eggs and venison sausage rolls, with beers from independent breweries and Negronis courtesy of whatever the bartenders can think of. Stop in for a drink if you’re dining upstairs at One Club Row.

25 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6HT, theknaveofclubs.co.uk

The Marksman, Hackney

A pub of two halves, The Marksman is a dog-friendly East End boozer of the old school at street level, with a smartly cosmopolitan dining room up above (courtesy of designer Martino Gamper) – a London-wide destination for the likes of a chicken and preserved cep pie, a legendary Sunday roast and wines that are cellared as carefully as the draught beers. Best of all, there’s a roof terrace for when the sun shines.

254 Hackney Road, London, E2 7SJ, marksmanpublichouse.com

South London pubs

The Camberwell Arms, Camberwell

Owned by the same crew behind Frank’s rooftop bar in Peckham, the Camberwell Arms wears its cool credentials lightly – bare brick walls, scrubbed wood floors and a kitchen that takes sourcing as seriously as any white-tablecloth restaurant. The seasonal menu draws on long-standing supplier relationships and a serious in-house operation that runs to homemade charcuterie and whole-animal butchery. Sunday lunch here is a south London institution – half a Sladesdown Farm chicken with curly kale and Pecorino crème fraîche is a feast you won’t want to share.

65 Camberwell Church Street, London, SE5 8TR, thecamberwellarms.co.uk

Canton Arms, Stockwell

Part of a small group that also includes the equally excellent Anchor & Hope in Waterloo and The Clarence Tavern in Stoke Newington, the Canton Arms is the kind of pub that makes you wish it were your local. Brown and woody and lined with books, bottles and leaded windows, it divides neatly between a bar where toasties filled with Westcombe Cheddar or haggis serve as snacks, and a dining room where a daily-changing menu of Euro-Brit cooking has earned it a devoted following on both sides of the river.

177 South Lambeth Road, London, SW8 1XP, cantonarms.com

West London pubs

The Cow, Notting Hill

Do bar snacks come any more sublime than a platter of oysters, prawns and crab washed down with a pint of Guinness at this west London watering hole that is the Rolls-Royce of Irish pubs? Pull up a stool in the ground-floor bar or head upstairs for a seat on a lipstick-red banquette in the more formal dining room; wherever you sit, the food can be as sophisticated (Roscoff onion tarte Tatin) or simple (smoked mackerel pâté) as you wish.

89 Westbourne Park Road, London, W2 5QH, thecowlondon.com

The Pelican, Notting Hill

Public House Group is redefining what smart Londoners expect from their local pub, with Maida Vale’s The Hero, Marylebone’s The Hart and Golborne Road’s The Fat Badger (with more to come). The Pelican is where it all started and the template for what followed: spot-on retro stylings such as scrubbed wood tables and caramel-coloured sofas, and rib-sticking British comfort food a world away from stale crisps and pickled eggs. Try the signature mince on toast, a rich beef ragù spread on sourdough beneath an avalanche of Parmesan.

45 All Saints Road, London, W11 1HE, thepelicanw11.com

It took Gilbert Yeung fourteen years to find the right designers to reimagine Dragon-i. When it opened in 2002, the nightclub became an iconic reference point for Hong Kong’s nightlife, a venue that defined a whole era. Now, with a complete redesign by London-based studio Pirajean Lees, working with Hong Kong-based studio JJA for execution, it returns as a bold statement about where the city’s after-dark scene is heading.

Tour Dragon-i 2.0, Hong Kong

The catalyst for its transformation was a visit to The House of KOKO, a private members’ live music club in London that stopped Yeung in his tracks. ‘It was such a complex, incredible concept,’ he says. ‘It is not just the design: it has a real spirit and vision.’ He went looking for the creative minds behind it, and found Pirajean Lees.

The studio founders, Clémence Pirajean and James Lees, begin every project with a period of intensive research and narrative building in order to prepare a script of feelings and intentions long before any images are developed. ‘We didn’t show Gilbert a mood board,’ says Pirajean. ‘We told him the story about the character of the space, the feeling and the emotion of it.’ For Dragon-i, that narrative drew on the cinematic world of Wong Kar-Wai, sidestepping nostalgia and focusing on its powerful atmosphere, tension, and emotional nuances.

The studio had not previously worked in Hong Kong, but says that distance was an advantage. ‘It is quite positive, because you are looking at a place with fresh eyes,’ says Lees. ‘Spend time with Gilbert, who gave us a completely different viewpoint. It was a sense of pure discovery.’ By collaborating with JJA, they gained access to regional craftspeople whose skill shows in all the details throughout the finished space.

The result is a complete reworking of the original, moving away from the established codes of nightlife to where acoustics and aesthetics carry equal weight, and a setting in which a high-spec sound and lighting system by Isometrix Lighting Design enhances a carefully considered material palette.

The stained glass ceiling, handcrafted by a 3rd generation atelier in Manila, features detailing in collage form. Each colour is precisely textured, and the sequencing carefully calculated. ‘From the very beginning, we talked about cinematography,’ says Lees, ‘how you create those snippets of memory that someone carries with them the next day. So, when you first walk into the club, you squeeze through a corridor - one tone, one colour - and that sets your mood to what is then revealed when you walk through the curtain. Everything is choreographed in a frame format.’

The redesign transforms Dragon-i into two interconnected but distinct experiences. The first, anchored by a bar, a central DJ console, mirrored ceiling installations, and silver leather banquettes, is a lounge on weeknights and a full-energy club at weekends. The materials are layered and tactile: coloured glass bricks, timber flooring, pendant lighting, and bespoke textiles, and the mobile mirrored screens mean the whole space can be reconfigured for live sets. Adjacent is the new members club, built around Yeung’s own vinyl collection and named 115, his preferred tempo - the disco groove between house music and hip hop. Turquoise velvet lines the walls, offset by stained glass and warm wooden panels.

An acoustic box within a box houses the games room and karaoke space, designed around how groups actually use them: sitting around a table, moving between games, and with someone singing alongside rather than in another room. Plans for live jazz, intimate performances, and informal talks will introduce another cultural dimension.

Dragon-i is located at LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong

For an evening of casual drinks, vinyl listening and perhaps a little dancing, Upstairs at Hausu is a new destination near London's Peckham Rye station for those seeking hi-fidelity sound and a full bar open until midnight.

Named after the 1977 Japanese cult horror film Hausu, the listening bar sits above Hausu restaurant, which co-founders Holly Middleton-Joseph, her brother Tom Middleton-Joseph and business partner Christian Williams opened in October 2024.

Upstairs at Hausu, London

The new bar was designed in-house by artist Eva Gold. As the project was self-funded, everything was crafted collaboratively by the team in a DIY spirit. The palette is rich and decadent, layered in chocolate-cherry hues with light timber accents. The dimly-lit bar offers a warm ambience, with movable curtains that allow the space to shift between intimate and open. After climbing the stairs and encountering the soft drapery and low lighting, you are greeted by an intriguing sense of the unknown.

READ: Why are so many rooms covered in curtains?

‘My starting point was the Velvet and Silk Café by Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich, particularly their use of layered textiles to create temporary, movable room dividers,’ explains Gold. ‘As my research developed, I kept returning to the image of David Lynch’s Red Room in Twin Peaks. Curtains became a central motif – suggesting concealment, something obscured and possibly revealed. For me, that tension feels inherently tied to desire.’

The design draws on elements of Gold’s own sculptural practice, which explores how materiality is intertwined with the body: ‘Working on a space like this was very different from creating an installation or sculpture in a gallery context, but I used many of the same processes. I always work in a very hands-on way, so this was a continuation of that approach – both functional and tactile.’

While listening to a collection of jazz and post-punk records, or catching one of the rotating DJ programmes, tuck into a selection of bar snacks that echo Italian influences: oysters with house Tabasco, Toad Bakery bread with smoked butter, olives, marinated peppers and boquerones. The drinks menu is equally abundant, offering playful takes on classics, including a salted Iberiko tomato Martini, a blood orange Sidecar with fig foam, a gin, kiwi and coriander soda and a mezcal sesame Old Fashioned.

When grabbing a table, Gold recommends sitting on the right-hand side, tucked behind a translucent red curtain. ‘It feels like a private corner, yet you’re actually in the middle of the room; visible, but obscured. There’s a tension in that which, for me, is undeniably sexy.’

Upstairs at Hausu is located at 11a Station Wy, London SE15 4RX, United Kingdom

Named after Cato Alexander, widely considered to be the world’s first celebrity bartender, Cato is a Covent Garden cocktail bar that combines cutting-edge mixology with a deep respect for the innovations of the past.

Alexander was a freed slave in 19th-century New York who ran his own Harlem bar for 30 years and won a reputation for mint-heavy drinks. His 21st-century London equivalent might be award-winning bartender Angelos Bafas (formerly of the excellent Nipperkin), who has opened Cato with hospitality group Bart & Taylor, founded by Aistė Bart and Andy Taylor. Bafas’ stripped-back approach melds a slick Stateside attitude with London creativity, with every spirit and ingredient sourced exclusively from the UK.

Wallpaper* reviews Cato, London

The mood: A tale of two bars

The two floors offer distinct moods. Upstairs, The House of Julep channels the warmth of a classic New York tavern: ridged dark-walnut panelling, a custom-aged zinc bar top, and soft residential lighting from Pooky. Irish-inspired bar stools sit alongside oversized American-style black leather seats from Colt Furniture, creating a room designed for drop-ins and long stays alike. ‘The intention was to create a space that feels timeless rather than trend-led,’ says Taylor, who designed the interiors. ‘Somewhere guests instinctively relax into.’

Downstairs is more intimate. Custom sapele-veneered panelling wraps the walls, industrial lighting from Industville provides contrast, and velvet booth sofas – custom-made in Bart’s home country of Lithuania – add a personal touch. British artist Noj Barker’s dot paintings line both floors, his synesthesia-like approach to colour mirroring the concept behind the drinks menu.

The menu: drink the rainbow

The headline is Bafas’ basement cocktail menu, Colour Has Flavour, in which 14 drinks are arranged across seven hues, each named after two defining ingredients. ‘Brown’ pairs medlar with mushroom via Scotch whiskies and smoked Cornish tea; ‘Green’ layers pea-pod vodka and south Devon jalapeño liqueur. The approach is minimal on the surface but complex beneath, with every ingredient a celebration of UK terroir from coastal seaweed to hedgerow foraging.

Upstairs, The House of Julep centres on the drink that made Cato Alexander famous, served in frosted metal cups with mint grown on site through an in-house growing system – part of the bar’s ambition to become fully self-sufficient for herbs and fruits, sourcing only when needed from urban allotments and family-run farms.

The food follows the same ethos. Cobble Lane cured meats come from under four miles away in north London, while cheeses from Neal’s Yard Dairy – a few minutes’ walk from the bar – tie the menu to its neighbourhood. Elsewhere, fried oysters with mint and chilli mignonette nod to the original Cato’s Tavern. But the most welcome idea imported from New York? Last orders at 1am.

Cato is located at 17 Mercer St, London WC2H 9QJ, United Kingdom

The art of a good party will be on display during Los Angeles Art Week. Silencio, the subterranean private Parisian club designed by the late David Lynch, is popping up at the West Hollywood EDITION for a three-night residency of curated club nights from 24-26 February.

Just in time for Frieze LA 2026, the residency marks Silencio’s first time in LA – the city that inspired Lynch’s vision for the club as seen onscreen in Mulholland Drive (2001). Invited guests will dance under a ceiling glittered with 400 disco balls to the sounds of iconic English party-starter DJ Harvey, multi-hyphenate DJ-producer VTSS and an unnamed special guest, hosted by LACMA Avant-Garde, Tom of Finland Foundation and BFF-slash-cultural critic podcast How Long Gone (co-host Jason Stewart, who DJs as Them Jeans, will also perform).

'Silencio’s distinct cinematic quality has always felt reminiscent of Hollywood,' says Frank Roberts, vice president of brand experience for W and EDITION Hotels. 'To welcome it to Los Angeles, the city where David Lynch imagined Silencio in the first place, feels like closing a circle. The West Hollywood EDITION was built for moments like this.'

Each of the mid-week festivities will have a distinct energy and atmosphere, ranging from euphoric disco to hard-hitting techno, with an audience made up of members of the contemporary art and creative communities. Like Silencio in Paris, the pop-up at EDITION asks guests to abandon their expectations at the door and head down a conspicuous entrance into a subterranean space that blends the worlds of dream and reality.

Uno Jang, the creative force behind Singapore’s cocktail-bar specialist the Jigger & Pony Group, has turned a fin de siècle Tras Street shophouse in the city’s Chinatown into a new bar, BOP – Bartenders of Pony. On every metric, it is the Korean-born bartender’s most personal venture yet. The name works three ways: Bartenders of Pony is a nod to the team behind it; the acronym is close to ‘bap’, the Korean word for rice; and it’s also a wink at Jang's obsession with K-pop.

Jang’s buddy, the consultant chef Jason Oh (who has featured in Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars), has shaped a pint-sized yet muscular menu that powers through the evening at speed, while Jang’s cocktails prove far stronger than their bright, approachable flavours suggest. Tables occupy every possible nook, including tight corners between columns, the preppy varsity-jacketed staff stepping nimbly through the crowds that pack in at the weekends to snack and groove to 1980s and 1990s vinyls.

Wallpaper* dines at Bartenders of Pony, Singapore

The mood: youthful energy

Gabriel Tan (shortlisted for a Wallpaper* Design Award 2026) of local design studio Antimatter worked Korea’s traditional obangsaek colour palette – white, black, blue, red, yellow, representing the five elements and cardinal directions that run through Korean culture – into three distinct zones without falling into literal reproduction.

At the front of the Kki Bar, where Jang often holds court, dark timber meets a red ceiling. Further in, the Skylight Green section opens up with verdant floor tiles and ochre accents. The rear lounge wraps diners in crimson sofas framed by modern interpretations of jogakbo – traditional patchwork wrapping cloths – now reimagined as a door curtain. Mood lighting keeps everything intimate, and the obangsaek palette, when layered across surfaces, shifts into unexpected secondary tones that lend the spaces a luxe, sexy mood.

The food: generous, fast, inventive and delicious

Jason Oh’s influence delivers hefty portion sizes and flavour in equal measure. Perilla oil noodles arrive blanketed in crisp seaweed shards and sesame, hitting pure umami. The muchim salad balances tender squid, shatteringly crunchy cucumber and radish beneath basil leaves, with real chilli bite and satisfying more-ishness. Tuna gimbap presents as neat discs of California rolls stuffed with crab and daikon, and topped with thick, sweet tuna slabs.

Fried chicken pieces snuggle in a dainty basket, their golden crust adding an addictive, unctuous crunch. Pair it all with Iced Somaek – draft beer crowned with shaved soju ice that is dangerously easy to drink despite its potency. The Perilla Smash, built on Korean mint sharpened with gin, lemon, perilla oil and vinegar, shows Jang’s touch for brightness tempered by complexity. A single dessert closes things, and it’s a triumph: banana milk tiramisu, thick and fragrant, delivering creamy comfort with just enough cheek for the road.

Bartenders of Pony is located at located at 76 Tras Street, Singapore 079015

The defining Soho fixture, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, has reopened following a rebuild that changes how the club operates spatially and acoustically. Long used as an informal performance space, the room now functions as a 140-capacity listening venue designed for higher performance velocity, inclusive of reduced ensembles.

Upstairs at Ronnie’s, London

The renovation, completed after a year-long closure, reworks the floor plate around proximity and sightlines. Tiered cabaret seating brings the audience forward, tightening the relationship between performer and listener. The stage is compact and shallow, suited to small groups and voice-led performances, with circulation organised to keep entry and exit unobtrusive during set changes.

The interior has been designed by Archer Humphryes, with attention given to how the room performs acoustically over long evenings. Upholstered banquettes absorb excess reverberation; reflective surfaces return presence and definition. Overhead panels admit daylight during rehearsals and daytime use, then recede after dark as lighting concentrates attention toward the stage. Materials and finishes are comfortably restrained, chosen for durability and consistency.

Sound sits at the centre of the project, with a Yamaha grand anchoring the stage and a d&b sound system tuned for even coverage across the room. The emphasis is on intelligibility at low to moderate volume, allowing vocals and instrumental detail to remain clear from front row to back. This calibration supports a programme structure built around multiple sets per night, including late performances running through to 3 am, without escalation in volume.

‘There was a challengingly short window between the building being finished and welcoming our first guests,’ says Fred Nash, managing director of Ronnie Scott’s. ‘Just days before opening, we weren’t entirely sure the piano was going to make it up the staircase – despite months of careful measuring – so getting it in place without scuffing the deep red walls felt like a small victory.

Since the relaunch, the most rewarding moment has been watching guests’ reactions as they enter the room for the first time. That sense of warmth and intimacy is exactly what we hoped for. The soft orange and yellow tones, combined with familiar Ronnie Scott’s details like the table lamps, create an atmosphere that feels inviting without distraction. In the first week alone, we’ve hosted everything from R&B and gospel to classical and Cuban salsa, and it’s been satisfying to hear each style presented exactly as intended, with clear sound and a real sense of closeness.’

Programming follows the room’s scale and technical setup, upstairs now hosts two performances nightly alongside late shows, with ticket prices set below those of the main club. The 2026 schedule includes contemporary soul, gospel, vocal jazz, global music and chamber-scale classical formats, with projects shaped for smaller ensembles and shorter sets. Early highlights include the debut of the Ronnie Scott’s Gospel Choir under Daniel Thomas, a piano trio series featuring Joe Webb, Ashley Henry, Bill Laurance and Charlie Stacey, Tomorrow’s Warriors–curated late shows for emerging artists, and a classical series designed for reduced arrangements.

Later this year, the club will open The Greene Rooms, occupying the building’s upper floors. Conceived as a members’ and artists’ space, it includes a bar, fireplaces, a piano and direct access from the stage. With its own street-level entrance and controlled access, the rooms formalise the backstage and post-performance activity that accompanies the club’s nightly programme, providing a dedicated zone for musicians, guests and members without expanding audience capacity.

Upstairs at Ronnie’s reinforces what has long kept the club relevant: a capacity to adjust without losing its bearings. The spaces are set up to carry on, supporting the kind of long-running, late-night culture that has made the club a constant in Soho’s musical life. The club is positioned to carry that musical life forward without interruption.

Ronnie Scott’s is located at 47 Frith St, London W1D 4HT, UK

The East Williamsburg neighbourhood of Brooklyn is awash in flashy nightclubs – massive, converted warehouses with headache-inducing light shows and kitschy chrome-laden decor. Large crowds pack in every weekend to see their favourite celebrity DJs perform, but only get a glimpse of them playing in isolated booths high above the dance floor. It’s hard to truly engage.

With Green Room, noted nightlife entrepreneur Nick Spector set out to imagine something entirely different – an intimate environment for a more discerning audience seeking a higher quality of programming, not just a wild night out.

Green Room, New York

The club’s name references the type of backstage spaces where performing artists prep for shows or take breaks. Similarly, the new club ‘is supposed to be a haven for the creative class,’ Spector says.

Designed in close collaboration with Brooklyn-based British designer Jack Simonds, the compact boîte embodies the back-of-house space in more ways than one: It isn’t just a green room but also a green house. Guests dance under a drop ceiling of suspended house plants much closer to the DJ, who is directly in front of them, not in a soaring pulpit.

Blackened plywood elements like booths and seats seamlessly blend into the main travertine-topped bar, which is finished with hand-chiseled detailing. Red neon lights, made by glass fabricator Esteban Salazar, contained in extruded metal diffusers but also exhibited as standalone artworks – reflect off of dark surfaces. A few handblown glass-and-lambskin sconces diffuse the light even further. The bathrooms are clad in hand-cast tiles that reflect dim light with a mesmerising ‘slightly trippy’ effect, per Simonds, allowing guests to recalibrate before returning to the dance floor.

’We deliberately limited anything man-made or overly-refined,” Simonds says. ‘Everything feels connected to the plant and natural world in some capacity.’

The suspended forest canopy isn’t just a randomly-arranged green wall, but a careful orchestration that elevates house plants to individual sculptures. The metal bar stools resemble a lot of Simonds’s other work – designs that stem from his desire to emulate, and even freeze frame, the structural idiosyncrasies of plant forms.

‘Ultimately, we wanted Green Room to feel different from a traditional club, more like you’ve stepping into a design-driven friend’s living room for a house party,’ says the designer, himself a seasoned raver.

‘Globally, clubs have lost touch with what a great visual experience is, often opting for the over-the-top,’ he adds. ‘What people actually want is something real and tactile, especially when their senses are heightened and they need to feel grounded and present.’

Though the design was the main focus, sound quality wasn’t an afterthought. As a long-time electronic music fan, Simonds spent years analysing the best spatial features and configurations to achieve acoustic optimization by observing what works and what doesn’t. Hidden and embedded solutions include a floating dance floor helping transfer low frequencies and bass through dancer’s bodies as they move.

Spector, the club founder, hopes Green Room will particularly resonate with more mature electronic music fans. ‘The audience is getting older,’ he explains. ‘A lot of people don’t feel comfortable in the current landscape. We wanted to create something for that veteran community.’ Refreshingly, there is a strict no-photo policy.

‘Green Room feels very much of this moment,’ Spector continues. ‘What I hear from guests is that our space has become exactly what they hoped for – a real green room for New York’s underground electronic music scene.’

Green Room is located at 195 Morgan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237, United States

For cynical Londoners, organised romance rarely aligns with the city’s nonchalant dating scene, where showing interest is often seen as uncool. Valentine’s Day can feel like a special sphere of hell for anyone with an avoidant attachment style or a deep dislike of forced commercial romance. Still, there’s something worth salvaging in the idea of setting aside time to reflect on the love in your life, whether that’s a partner, friends, or simply a good drink in the right place. While there are the classic haunts that never disappoint, from the Savoy’s American Bar to Claridge’s, The Connaught Bar, and Dukes, we’ve curated a selection of intimate London bars to enjoy on 14 February or save for a date night later in the year.

Five of London’s most romantic bars

Bauhaus Warehaus

If you are a cocktail connoisseur, you will likely have been following the work of mixologist Rémy Savage. After establishing himself on the London scene in 2017, he became head bartender at The Langham hotel’s Artesian, before going on to open his own conceptual, art-movement-inspired bars. These include Nouveau in Paris, Abstract in Lyon, and arguably his most groundbreaking project so far, London’s A Bar with Shapes for a Name, symbolised by a yellow triangle, a red square, and a blue circle. The bar is a cult favourite and is currently ranked 35 on The World’s 50 Best Bars list, celebrated for its precise cocktails, colour-coordinated staff uniforms, and utilitarian furniture and fittings that together create a Bauhaus-inspired experience.

With its popularity, Savage notes that they make at least 1,000 cocktails on a busy day. To avoid queues and make use of leftover production from Shapes, he opened Bauhaus Warehaus, which offers the same liquid concepts delivered in a more accessible format. Despite being a production facility, Warehaus is an inspiring place to drink and unwind, nestled among shelves of bottles, colour-coordinated crates, and stainless steel surfaces, offering a distinctive space to sit back and enjoy.

Bauhaus Warehaus is located at 538 Kingsland Rd, E8 4AH

La Camionera

Named after Spanish slang for butch lesbians, translating to ‘female truck driver’, La Camionera in east London is reviving the city’s legacy of lesbian spaces. It began as a one-night pop-up on Broadway Market in 2024. After receiving an abundance of support, the bar has since laid down roots in the backstreets of Homerton. The design was executed by Studio Popelo and Wet Studio, who created a space that echoes Mediterranean minimalism and is built around the idea of fostering conversation rather than offering a pub or club atmosphere. In the evening, the space becomes moody and romantic, providing the perfect backdrop for first dates, speed-dating events, reading nights, and life-drawing sessions.

La Camionera is located at 243 Well St, E9 6RG

Side Hustle

Nestled within the former Bow Street Police Station, said to have housed Oscar Wilde, the Kray twins, suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, and Dame Vivienne Westwood, Side Hustle at the NoMad London offers casual dining in a sophisticated setting. The interior is centred around a striking marble-topped bar, complemented by comfortable booths. Inspired by Southern California and Mexico, the bar has a deeply rooted Latin American spirit. Its specialities are tequila-based cocktails, seasonal margaritas, and mezcal Old Fashioneds. A concise menu includes house guacamole and salsa, padrón peppers, seabass ceviche, and quesadillas, among other dishes.

Side Hustle is located inside NoMad London, 28 Bow St, WC2E 7AW

Soma 2.0

Following the opening of its Soho location, Soma 2.0 is now a must-visit when in Canary Wharf. With a menu inspired by Indian flavours, the London bar is playfully sophisticated, with every design decision carefully considered. Cake Architecture has created a sultry atmosphere throughout, featuring an industrial aesthetic of exposed concrete, brightened by bespoke yellow and red geometric light fixtures. There are multiple seating areas, and guests can sit at the bar, which boasts delicate pinstripe patterns and creates a perfect vantage point from which to enjoy the art of cocktail-making. The drinks take a ‘less is more’ approach, ranging from the sweet and savoury ‘Mango’, which combines Japanese Toki whisky, lacto green mango, Ancho Reyes Verde liqueur, and honey, to the coastal-inspired ‘Samphire’, a non-alcoholic blend of samphire tea, Himalayan salt, ginger, and green chilli.

Soma 2.0 is located at 6 Frobisher Psge, Canary Wharf Estate, E14 5HA

Space Talk

Space Talk is a venue that offers more than a well-made drink. Designed by Charlotte Taylor, the bar’s interior is sleek and sophisticated, moody and sensual. Warm tones provide a grounding element, while soft, plush seating adds to the sense of comfort. The overall atmosphere is laid-back and inviting, creating an environment where one can linger for extended periods with ease. The haunt is first and foremost a hi-fi listening bar, and the design reflects this, ensuring sound remains clear and immersive. It is divided into distinct areas to suit different moods, whether for intimate moments, focused listening, or enjoying the music and dancing. There is a fine balance between creating a fully enveloping audio experience and allowing pockets of space for conversation, and here it is mastered.

Space Talk is located at 18-20 St John St, EC1M 4AY

Stable Wines

Located just off Essex Road, Stable Wines is a new intimate wine bar and shop from Alex Young and George de Vos, the pair behind cult favourites Goodbye Horses and the ice cream and wine bar The Dreamery. Upon entering, visitors step into a classic wine shop with a counter displaying a selection of natural, progressive bottles. Downstairs, however, lies the bar’s most magnetic space. Winding down the staircase, guests are welcomed into a subterranean bar and dining room defined by cosy corners, arches, and a warming, low-lit atmosphere that invites hushed conversation. Complementing the wine menu is a selection of artisanal cured meats, cheeses, and an assortment of small plates.

Stable Wines is located at 344a Essex Rd, N1 3PD

Giacco's

Just a hop away from Arsenal station, is Giacco’s a cosy and quaint wine bar which offers a variety of sharing plates with hearty portions. This is a spot you would want to gatekeep. On a rainy weekday find a seat at the bar surrounded by waxed candles, while a curated playlist of Diana Ross and other neo soul tunes which set the perfect backdrop. It is the kind of spot that I thought didn’t exist anymore, a place to walk in with friends and gossip after work, in an atmosphere which is sexy without trying too hard. The wine is expertly selected, with staff happy to chat about each bottle's distinct flavours. The fun part about Giacco’s is that they host a chef residency, which changes every month. For February, Japanese chef Akira Sugiura, presents a nomadic neo-izakaya which translates to a “stay-drink-place”, making the bar a spot to grab a drink, settle in, and get comfortable. Enjoy the warm focaccia with whipped date butter, or if you’re feeling hungry, share the cod confit in a seaweed miso beurre blanc with gnocchi, and finish with the hojicha tiramisu with soy caramel. Could an evening be any more divine?

Giaccos.bar is located at 176 Black Stock Road N5 1H4

Fancy a dinner date instead? Here is where to dine on Valentine’s Day in London

On the west bank of the Tiber River in Rome, the independent art project Villa Lontana introduces a secondary exhibition space designed by local architecture practice Studio Strato. Inaugurating the site and continuing the project’s ethos of marrying ancient and contemporary creative practices is an eldritch installation that doubles as a working bar, by British artists Clementine Keith-Roach and Christopher Page.

Bar Far at Villa Lontana, Rome

Bar Far – which nods to Villa Lontana’s name, meaning ‘Faraway Villa’ in Italian – resembles a whimsical cloister of sorts, inspired by bygone art bars that provided refuge for creativity and connection during times of political upheaval, such as Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich (the birthplace of the Dada movement) and Caffè Greco in Rome (a favourite of Italian metaphysical artist Giorgio de Chirico).

Keith-Roach, a sculptor of ‘new ruins’, and Page, a painter of light, shadow and reflection, sought the feel of a hallucinatory Gesamtkunstwerk, layered with visual cues referencing the lavishness of the Baroque. It is the result of an ongoing collaboration on a series of artworks and installations that ponder the possibility of new life emerging from the ruins of a previous one. Both artists use trompe l’œil trickery to deceive and delight, creating a dreamlike atmosphere in which guests become part of the installation itself.

Infrastructural caryatids and plaster-cast body parts emerge from chalky walls and combine with utilitarian, industrial materials such as brick, pipe and timber: legs hold wall-mounted tables, arms extend benches, hands cradle candles. Meanwhile, a sequence of tall, softly rounded arches is cut into pale walls, each niche glowing from within in gradations of ember, rust and molten red – as if the architecture has been hollowed out to reveal a living core.

‘Bar Far offers a playful space to talk and drink amidst paradoxes and contradictions, a metaphysical space in which, who knows, we might find answers at the bottom of a glass,’ says curator Vittoria Bonifati.

Bar Far is on view until 14 March 2026. A programme of live performance will take place throughout the exhibition; further details and updates can be found on Villa Lontana’s website. It is located at Via Garibaldi 68-69, 00153 Rome, Italy

Hidden away two levels beneath the Royal Albert Hall, a decommissioned steam boiler house has been converted into an intimate new bar for performers and their guests (perhaps it’s time to work your connections). Opened in December 2025 and designed by architectural practice BDP, Artists’ Bar is an homage to the 150-year history of this once-forgotten industrial space.

The Royal Albert Hall introduces Artists’ Bar

Steeped amid bronze and brass, a nod to the mechanical heritage of the boiler house, a blue quartzite bar top introduces a shock of colour and a crystalline texture, recalling water vapour and weathered metal. A bespoke, inset rug outlines the positions of the four boilers once housed within the brick-walled room, and an illuminated feature wall displays a collection of preserved industrial components, now recast in resin.

While taking care to conserve and celebrate the character and history of the space, the team have also artfully reimagined and painstakingly modernised it. In what is now a contemporary environment for artists and their teams and friends to gather and rehearse at one of the world’s best-known performance venues, timber floors bring warmth to an otherwise industrial palette, and flexible furnishings allow for quick and easy room reconfigurations.

Then there is the lighting. Bespoke throughout, it has been designed to shift over the course of the day in lieu of any natural light. Bright, cool tones in the morning automatically drop to lower, warmer levels in the evening: a welcome break for performers in search of a retreat from the stage and spotlight. The accent lighting here has been saved for the architectural curiosities peppering the space. From the brick arches to the cast components, even the subtle imperfections of a historic structure, this is a space where the building itself – along with centuries of change and craftsmanship – takes centre stage.

‘This project gave us a rare opportunity to work with a piece of the Royal Albert Hall’s unseen history and shape it into a place that feels special, grounded and genuinely connected to its heritage,’ says Katharine Blankley, interior design director at BDP. ‘Every design decision was about creating an experience that respects the industrial past while welcoming people into a comfortable and characterful environment. It’s been a privilege to help reveal a part of the Hall that has never been experienced in this way before.’

The Royal Albert Hall is located at Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London SW7 2AP

These days, a stellar cocktail alone no longer seems enough to lure a crowd. The more retro the bar, the better – and if it doesn’t come with a curated vinyl library and a high-fidelity sound system, it barely warrants the detour. Record bars, inspired by Japanese kissa culture, continue their global ascent, placing the audio experience at the centre of hospitality (recent openings include Jaç Hi-Fi Café in Barcelona and Side A in San Francisco). The latest to join the movement is LB’s Record Bar in Melbourne, owned by the Sydney-based hospitality group Merivale.

LB’s Record Bar, Melbourne

Tucked into Meyers Place laneway, between Bourke and Little Collins Streets, LB’s is conceived as a portal. ‘LB’s is designed to feel like the kind of bar you stumble into and instantly want to stay,’ says Nasim Koerting, Merivale’s design director. ‘We wanted warmth, nostalgia and a sense of discovery, as if the design had always been there, except you’ve just discovered a gem in the heart of the city.’

A façade of small mosaic tiles sets the tone, punctuated by wall-mounted tables and mushroom-style lamps that extend the ambience outdoors. Toy-like orange stools bring playfulness to the streetscape, while two generous windows offer a glimpse inside: a neon-washed interior where colour, texture and sound converge. Inside, music shaped the brief. ‘Everything radiates from the idea of a bar built around the ritual of playing records. There are acoustic treatments on all surfaces,’ Koerting adds.

An original horseshoe bar grounds the room, restored and wrapped in a timber terrazzo top. Carpet underfoot and velvet upholstery heighten the sense of warmth, amplified by ceiling-mounted strip lights that bathe the space in a saturated red glow. Oversized speakers and walls lined with vintage records sourced from local independent stores become architectural features – almost altarpieces. Multi-level bench seating wraps the perimeter in an amphitheatre-like arrangement, while a disco ball and graphic ceiling grid nod to a 1970s-80s lineage, reinterpreted with contemporary restraint.

The drinks offering carries the same intent. Husband-and-wife duo Michale and Zara Madrusan, also behind Melbourne’s acclaimed The Everleigh, Heartbreaker and Bar Margaux, have devised an agave-forward menu. Do not miss the LB’s House Margarita, made with Altos Plata tequila, mezcal, mandarin, lime and a grasshopper salt rim. Clever riffs on classics follow: an aerated Dancefloor Martini, a suite of Daiquiris, thoughtful wine selections and compelling spirit-free options.

LB’s Record Bar is located at 12 Meyers Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia.

High above Hong Kong’s skyline, where The Henderson tower rises with its fluted glass façade, Toronto- and Milan-based Studio Paolo Ferrari unveils a new bar on level 38. Named for the green gemstone, Peridot is both abstract and strangely familiar, a space that feels as if you’ve stumbled into a room from a film you can’t quite place. Even more remarkable is that the design easily holds its own against Zaha Hadid’s otherworldly sculptural design.

The eponymous gem’s hue runs throughout. A soft green plastered surface wraps walls and ceilings in one seamless gesture, punctuated by a matrix of frosted acrylic cylinders capped in steel. The effect is enveloping – plush mohair seating tucked into carved alcoves, high-gloss lacquered furnishings catching the light, all of it orbiting the green marble bar with its swirling, veined mass. Behind it, a private room reveals a bespoke stainless steel and marble bottle display, each cantilevered holder engineered as much as sculpted.

The design draws on the intimacy of old-world smoking rooms without leaning on nostalgia. ‘In all of us, there’s a yearning for the past, which brings us comfort, and the excitement, energy, and awe sparked by the new,’ Ferrari explains.

The clients, Cathy Chui Lee and her husband Lee Ka Shing – chairman and managing director of Henderson Land Development, the tower’s developer – shared Ferrari’s vision from the start. ‘Working with Paolo was nothing short of revelatory,’ Chui Lee notes. ‘At Peridot, there isn’t a single straight line; every curve honours the building’s fluid form. We began by deconstructing a disco ball – not for glamour, but to capture its essence: light, refraction, intimacy.’

Joining the drinks is an equally imaginative snacks menu. Chef Lisandro Illa, whose background spans Noma and his own Madrid-based culinary art gallery Morfo, concocts an entirely plant-based menu that includes nut-based cheeses and charcuterie, watermelon ‘tuna’, and fermented creations using koji and natto. The quarterly rotations transform the madly creative nibbles into something more akin to collectable gastro-journeys than simple drinking.

There’s live music most evenings – saxophonist, pianist, and DJ for the musically indecisive – and at 38 floors up, getting high has never felt more literal.

Peridot is located at Summit 38, 38/F, The Henderson, 2 Murray Road, Central, Hong Kong.

It has been more than three decades since Ministry of Sound first opened with its pioneering sound system, and was quickly anointed as ‘sacred turf’ by devotees. Today, the south London institution continues to build on its legacy, drawing on its heritage as a superclub while opening itself to a new generation equally loyal to its electronic and house-powered dancefloor. Its carvenous interiors are also being reimagined, most recently with a dramatic members-only enclave conceived by local design studio A-nrd (recently behind Mason & Fifth Westbourne Park’s Canal restaurant).

Ministry of Sound introduces No Velvet Rope Society bar

Founder Alessio Nardi and creative partner Lukas Persakovas are lifelong clubbers themselves, making it essential, in their words, that ‘this new space feel authentic to that culture’. Positioned on the reworked mezzanine above The Box (the club’s main room), the new No Velvet Rope Society nods to Ministry of Sound’s brutalist Elephant and Castle setting, while embracing a sense of theatre and glamour.

‘The mood is deliberately layered and tactile, with contrasts between concrete, terrazzo, velvet and steel heightened by the play of light,’ says Nardi. ‘The palette is dark, moody and architectural, punctuated by saturated colour and flashes of reflection.’ At its centre stands a monolithic concrete bar, topped with grey-black terrazzo and softly backlit in amber, its strict linear bottle display lending a sense of rhythm and ritual.

Bespoke furnishings designed by A-nrd soften the raw architecture, their forms curved and inviting. Two distinct booth zones bring tonal variation: to the rear are enveloping banquettes in Panaz Allure Ink velvet; to the front, it's all textured chenille in Gancedo Chromatic Wine, adding a more expressive flourish. Spiral-formed tables continue the theme, each with a Verde Alpi resin terrazzo top and raw steel frame, tiered for bottles and glasses. Tom Dixon wall lights punctuate the concrete, their concentric ripples amplifying the play of shadow and sound.

Avoiding the trap of exclusivity clichés, Nardi and Persakovas instead sought openness and drama. Floor-to-ceiling fuchsia velvet curtains frame the view onto The Box, and can be drawn closed to heighten intimacy, or flung open to intensify spectacle, letting the pulse of the dancefloor flood in.

Ministry of Sound is located at 103 Gaunt St, London SE1 6DP, United Kingdom. For more information on No Velvet Rope Society, visit ministryofsound.com

Canadian architect Arthur Erickson left behind a legacy of celebrated modernist buildings across his homeland – and beyond. One of his iconic works, the Waterfall Building, is now experiencing a new chapter. Originally designed in 1996 with Nick Milkovich Architects, the triangular concrete structure has been thoughtfully restored and reimagined by Vancouver- and London-based Sml Studio. Today, it’s home to Ellipsis, a café and cocktail bar that brings new life to the architectural landmark.

Ellipsis, Vancouver

Working collaboratively with Tetherstone Construction, Sml Studio sought to return the structure to its intended character by restoring the original interiors when possible and avoiding making any modifications. To echo Erickson’s architectural language, Sml studio also incorporated geometric elements through the furnishings, lighting and millwork. The structure’s new function as a café and cocktail bar also pays homage to the building’s original intent as a community-focused space.

Guests enter through a triangular concrete entrance within the building’s courtyard, demarcated by a curtain of water. The interiors are anchored by twin metallic bars, which were positioned to avoid touching the walls to preserve the integrity of the design. To balance the palette of concrete, steel, and glass, velvet amber seating adds a deep warmth and texture.

‘The material palette plays with transparency and light refraction,’ explain the Sml team, ‘inspired by James Turrell’s use of light as a material and Larry Bell’s explorations of layering and transparency.’ During the day, bright light streams through the glass. In the evening, a collaboration with Halo light maker Mandalaki projects a sunset glow onto the wall, adding warmth. ‘Since the location is tucked away from the main street, the Halo light is designed to draw people in from the courtyard,’ say the designers. Above the bar, pendant lights from Vancouver-based A-N-D provide soft illumination.

The all-day menu includes espresso-based coffees, as well as a playful selection of original cocktails named after questions intended to start conversations. Take the nostalgia-inspired Are We There Yet, which pairs Scotch with peanut butter cream and a strawberry jam cordial, or the What Keeps You Up at Night that features vodka alongside cocoa, espresso and a toasted rice pillow.

A range of small plates and larger dishes is on offer, from brunch in the morning to snacks to shared plates as the day progresses. In the evening ,as the light dims, guests dine on plates like crispy toasts topped with liver moose and boozy cherries, or marinated tomatoes with shiso leaf. Large plates are a perfect pairing to Ellipsis’ inventive cocktails, from a tender pappardelle with chanterelles and corn to a standout smoked duck breast served alongside plum sauce.

Ellipsis is located at 1540 W 2nd Ave #205, Vancouver, BC V6J 1H2, Canada.

From the team that struck the city of angels with Thunderbolt and Night on Earth comes another neighbourhood bar that is as accessible as it is design-centred and community-driven. This time, it’s Denver that welcomes the latest venture (and the first outside Los Angeles) from award-winning hospitality veterans Mike Capoferri and Rahul Marwa. Almost as a matter of habit, they enlisted Denver-based design company Wunder Werkz to conceive the interiors and branding; in the process, the local studio became co-owners of the space.

Semiprecious, Denver

Too often, a social hub forgets its ties to the area it inhabits, but for Semiprecious, that would be unthinkable. Inspired by the aperitivo culture of western Europe, the bar celebrates a convivial spirit, grounded in its surrounding culture. Once a midcentury furniture showroom, the site retains many of its distinctive architectural quirks: large canted windows and a stacked-stone façade. The mood here is playful yet restrained, nodding to the mid-century stylings of the Stork Club and other mainstays of 1950s New York drinking culture.

Despite its design-forward attitude, both the founders and the studio sought humility in construction and detailing. They took cues (and hues) from Cabanon de vacances – the tiny holiday cabin Le Corbusier designed for himself in the early 1950s in the south of France. Shades of oxblood (jasper) and cobalt (lapis lazuli) wash over furnishings and walls, while warm wooden accents temper the ebullience.

‘While the space feels incredibly design-forward and thoughtful, it is really all humble materials,’ says Jon Hartman, partner at Wunder Werkz. ‘We used a pegboard bar face, white oak, tile, paint and industrial fixtures, all readily accessible but elevated through their thoughtful application.’ The one notable exception, Hartman notes, is the bar top: a faux marble surface made entirely from post-consumer appliances, reinvented by the Good Plastic Company.

Cocktail cultures of France, Italy, Spain and Portugal inform the pared-back drinks menu, which is divided into categories such as ‘carbonated,’ ‘martini express,’ ‘sours et cetera,’ and ‘spirited,’ alongside wines, beers and ciders. There’s no theatre here; the team has stripped away the pretentiousness often associated with cocktail bars, streamlining and customising the process with tech-forward tools to deliver consistent, finely tuned drinks at speed.

‘As a neighbourhood bar, we want our bartenders to have every opportunity to provide hospitality to the guests. We’ve employed technology to remove some of the roadblocks that can take the team’s focus off the guest experience,’ explains Capoferri.

Take the Guava Sour: inspired by a classic Pisco Sour, it swaps egg white for a modified plant fibre, creating a plant-based cocktail with exceptional texture and depth of flavour. Snacks, meanwhile, are proudly unfussy and eminently pairable – from olives and almonds to a rotating cheese selection or a jamón platter. Close your eyes, and you could be in the Med.

Semiprecious is located at 2839 W 44th Ave Ste 101, Denver, CO 80211, United States.

Oslo tastemakers craving an intriguing cocktail often settle onto one of the leather stools at pioneering Himkok, the sprawling city-centre bar and distillery that Erk Potur opened in 2015. Resulting from the transformation of a 19th-century pharmacy-appliance warehouse, the bar is known for its cocktails showcasing Nordic produce, served up in dark-wood interiors that are dotted with apothecary-style bottles containing spirits made on-site.

Already beloved by the hospitality industry, Himkok’s memorable menus fuelled by art, photography, fashion and music have also thrust the bar into the cultural spotlight in recent years. The newest menu, launching on 11 September 2025, is a bold homage to Scandinavia’s rich design heritage that reinforces the site’s flair for visual storytelling.

Himkok introduces its new ‘Design by Sipping’ menu, in collaboration with Studio Sløyd

Hatched alongside two local collaborators (the creative agency 2.edition and design practice Studio Sløyd), Himkok’s ‘Design by Sipping’ menu follows a quartet of similarly experimental examples celebrating Norwegian talents. In 2021, a menu revolved around NFT artworks by illustrator Esra Røise; in 2022, imagery from multimedia artist and photographer Olav Stubberud enlivened another. Fashion designer Eline Dragesund (in 2023) and Sony Music Norway artists (in 2024) translated Himkok cocktails into garments and songs for their respective menus.

For the 2025 menu, local design practice Studio Sløyd is building on that buzz by reimagining Himkok’s 13-serve menu into a series of furniture and objects that will be displayed in a gallery setting at Oslo’s Berlin Studio (11-13 September), in tandem with Designers’ Saturday – the city’s popular design and interior architecture event (12-14 September). From 5pm on 11 September, the collectables, some of which may be reproduced in the future, will be sold via an online auction, running through 18 September.

Mikkel Jøraandstad and Herman Ødegaard, Studio Sløyd’s founders, jumped at the opportunity. They’ve crafted products for Norwegian furniture companies such as Northern and LK Hjelle, but partnering with a bar was thrilling new territory. ‘Himkok focuses on local and sustainable production, and that’s important to us too, but we thought we could explore it even more,’ says Ødegaard. ‘Taking some parts of the drinks and making them come to life was an interesting process.’

Himkok menus, which stay in play for about a year, are taken seriously. The team spends six to seven months fine-tuning them, each cocktail – ‘Scandinavia in a glass’, as head of R&D Paul Aguilar describes it – named for its dominant flavour profile. Studio Sløyd also embraced this conscientious mindset, carefully conceiving prototypes for the corresponding designs with the help of local artisans. ‘Himkok let us have total creative freedom, and we appreciated that. After tasting the cocktails, we had initial ideas and then we developed them further, considering materials and shapes,’ explains Ødegaard.

The objects run from small to large, ‘from the obvious to the symbolic’, says Ødegaard. For the Carrot cocktail (Himkok gin, Martini aperitifs, fresh carrot, Mandarine Napoléon, Fireball), a cherry- and walnut-wood candleholder takes cues from the vegetable’s slender silhouette.

Equally stunning in their simplicity are the aluminium bottle opener that nods to the purity of the Cardamom (Patrón Reposado tequila, aquavit, cardamom distillate, fino sherry and Palo Santo cordial); and the epoxy and steel hook that expresses the hushed complexity of Plum (Himkok aquavit, Noilly Prat, Skott Gård plum juice, brewed ginger, chocolate bitters, vanilla bourbon).

For this project, Studio Sløyd delved into ceramics for the first time. Clay spawned the sculptural diffuser that nods to the fresh notes in the effervescent Cucumber (Himkok vodka, cucumber and mint kefir, pandan liqueur, brewed ginger, apple, grape), and also the elegant cafetière that honours rejuvenating coffee break rituals for the Fika (Grind espresso liqueur, Teeling whiskey, Aga Sideri’s non-alcoholic Humlesus cider, Lagavulin 16 whisky).

Glass was another new medium for Studio Sløyd, and it manifested in a duo of sleek vessels that evoke the Cloudberry, a Gimlet riff (Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal Cognac, cloudberry liqueur, cloudberry vanilla whey cordial, fino sherry, De Kuyper Dutch Cacao), as well as curving spoons that invite you to plunge into the frothy crown of the Elderflower, a twist on the Ramos Gin Fizz (Bacardi 10 rum, Saint-Germain, Noilly Prat, elderflower liqueur, cream, Greek yogurt). ‘We worked with wood that was familiar to us, but it was also important to try something different,’ points out Ødegaard.

Lighting designs forge a dialogue with three of the drinks, including the Peanut (Himkok Vodka, fino sherry, Noilly Prat, brewed ginger, peanut distillate) and the Raspberry (Himkok aquavit, red wine, raspberry, rhubarb liqueur, Galliano vanilla), a spin on the Clover Club. The standout is the cherry-wood and steel floor lamp that is inspired by the soft, velvety notes of the Manhattan-like Cherry (Buffalo Trace bourbon, Merlet cherry liqueur, Carpano Dry, dark chocolate, butter-washed finish).

A pine wood chair, sparked by Studio Sløyd’s observations of a decomposing tomato, accompanies the savoury Cherry Tomato (Himkok x Linie Aquavit, mezcal, green paprika distillate, cherry pepper, Skott Gård plum wine, vinegar). ‘When we saw the fibres inside, it inspired the frame,’ says Ødegaard.

Other pieces draw on nostalgia. A whimsical clock, fashioned out of glass, Douglas fir and steel, is teamed with the Softis, the Norwegian term for soft-serve ice cream (Linie aquavit and Diplom-Is ice cream, Disaronno, white Dutch cacao, fino sherry), hinting at the short-lived joy of ice cream before it melts. The Fruktnøtt (Jameson Black Barrel whisky, De Kuyper Dutch cacao, Himkok almond distillate, PX sherry, Krokan wine reduction) calls to mind its namesake raisin- and hazelnut-studded milk chocolate bar, and Studio Sløyd responded with a fold-out pine and steel seat that suggests carefree bygone days.

‘We build on memories,’ says Aguilar of the connections prompted by Himkok's cocktails. ‘This is the first softis you eat every summer. This is the chocolate your grandparents always gave you when you visited.’

Himkok is located at Storgata 27, 0184 Oslo, Norway.

If you want to try the new restaurant and bar from the team behind award-winning Mírate in Los Feliz, you’ll need to head to a buzzy stretch of Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. Restaurateur Matt Egan and director of operations Randy Evans are reuniting with beverage director Max Reis and executive chef Alan Sanz for this exciting sister concept in the heart of the Valley.

Wallpaper* dines at Daisy Margarita Bar, Los Angeles

The mood: a rustic yet elevated Mexican tavern

The ground-floor space evokes a rustic, south-of-the-border saloon, complete with a long bar running the length of the room, backed by large jars of mezcal – an homage to Mexico’s traditional Norteño cantinas. Egan worked with California-based interior designer Alexa Nafisi-Movaghar of Adean Studios (who also designed Mírate) to transform Daisy (which translates in Spanish to Margarita) into a vaquero (cowboy)-style tavern, complete with fringe accents on the leather bar stools and corduroy booths.

The wooden-plank walls are crammed with Mexican artwork, taxidermy, neon, and barn finds, while the main room features a colourful custom-built jukebox. Guests are given tokens with their first drink of the night, so be ready with your favourite classic Mexican tune. The music continues upstairs at the new speakeasy, Gilbert Perez Bar, dedicated to Mexican rum. Expect a rotating tropical motif and ‘mad scientist’ devices such as an ultrasonic homogeniser, sous-vide kit and centrifuges for drinks that take several days to perfect.

The food: not your average taco bar

Perhaps skip the chips and salsa this time and begin by eating your drink: try a Salsa Verde Margarita with charred tomatillo, green chile and coriander, or a frozen Guacamole Margarita – surprisingly convincing as a cocktail.

For more substantial dishes, small plates range from yellowfin tostada with smashed avocado to scallop aguachile verde. Shareable mains include branzino asado or lamb shank with frijoles puercos (beans, chorizo and cheese), as well as the ever-popular flour tortilla tacos – filled with pork and green apple slaw, or grilled octopus with pineapple pico. Desserts continue the inventive streak: flan with courgette flower, caramel popcorn and popcorn foam, or pan de elote heirloom corn cake topped with banana ice cream.

Daisy Margarita Bar is located at 14633 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, United States.

Cocktail collabs are hot in the drinks world, but London bar Little Fires is heating things up further by partnering with Oaxaca’s acclaimed Sabina Sabe (number 22 on North America’s 50 Best Bars list) and serving a food menu overseen by Rodolfo Castellanos, winner of Top Chef Mexico and chef-owner of Origen Oaxaca. The London names behind the project are worth dropping, too: Milanese-turned-Mexican food enthusiast Christian Pecoraro, Berlin electro scenester Florian Schulze, and Oaxacan-born hotelier and restaurateur Horacio Sainz.

Wallpaper* dines at Little Fires, London

The mood: Oaxacan soul meets east London edge

A strong listening bar element reminds you this is east London, not Oaxaca. Producer and DJ Martin Luciuk oversees the vinyl soundtrack of the basement bar, focusing on ambient, jazz and electronic sounds, with regular DJ sets and listening events. Upstairs, the ground floor of the Grade II-listed building combines natural materials – timber floors, leather banquettes, ochre walls – with a marble bar.

‘The goal with the interior,’ says designer Tasmin Love, ‘was to create a space that feels genuinely Mexican – not themed or overly polished, but warm, raw and authentic. The main bar is small and intimate with textured walls, handcrafted materials and a palette inspired by the earth and agave fields. Every design choice was made to support the food and drink – bold, soulful and rooted in tradition.’

The food: fabulous finger food and mezcal margaritas

While most Mexican bars in London are fuelled by tequila, Little Fires is lubricated by the country’s other emblematic spirit: mezcal, tequila’s smokier cousin. The cocktail list leans hard into agave spirits with an approach as creatively innovative as you’d expect from a team behind one of the world’s best bars. Think mole fat-washed margaritas and a corn colada that will make you forsake the pineapple version forever.

Castellanos’s short and snappy menu of brightly flavoured Oaxacan sharing plates, meanwhile, should ensure that no one here is drinking on an empty stomach. Duck confit tacos come slicked with mole; bluefin tuna tostadas are spiked with a mixed chilli dressing and cooled by avocado and cucumber. It’s grazing food with a genuine pedigree, designed for the kind of evening that starts civilised and ends considerably less so.

Little Fires is located at 125-127 Bethnal Grn Rd, London E2 7DG, UK.

When Ben Shenassafar from LA streetwear brand The Hundreds and industry veteran Jared Meisler (The Roger Room and Bar Lubitsch), along with culinary consulting guru Kate Burr, opened The Benjamin in Hollywood last year, it immediately became one of the hardest tables to book. When they decided to expand, there was only one place to go: upstairs to the old bar space.

Wallpaper* dines at Bar Benjamin, Los Angeles

The mood: date-night speakeasy with great music

The entrance to the sibling annexe is around the corner from the main restaurant, under a red neon ‘bar’ sign, and up two flights of stairs (or via an elevator from The Benjamin). Behind a heavily cloaked curtain, a 14-seat wood-panelled bar emerges, flanked by vintage-inspired Maxville speakers for the sound system, and high-back mohair banquettes and high-top tables. Designed by Meisler, the room also features an ornate wood-panelled ceiling and Dolce & Gabbana black and white tiger-striped wallpaper in the bathroom. Other features that make this an excellent spot to start or end your evening include a wraparound balcony with views of the twinkling lights from the Hollywood Hills and Melrose Avenue below.

The food: bar bites become a full meal

Executive chef Hannah Martin-Duarte handles the menu for both venues, and what appear at first to be typical bar snacks hold surprisingly elevated twists. If you are imbibing, start with an almond trio inspired by the team’s favourite flavours of cool ranch, salt and vinegar, and sweet heat. Martini fans should love the selection, with ‘Ben’s Martini’ a stiff concoction made with Monkey 47 Gin and lemon oil – you will want to order more of the Kennebec triple-fried chips that accompany the drink, possibly with the caviar service. Steak tartare is hand-cut petite fillet with Calabrian chilli, and bagel chips made exclusively for Bar Benjamín by Mustard’s Bagels that also include a caviar option.

Other surprise bites include the fried pickle dip and crudités with prime farmers’ market vegetables, including asparagus and rainbow carrots, for dipping into whipped ranch, pickles, and crispy breadcrumbs – the most addictive dish on the menu. The shrimp roll topped with smoked salmon roe is also popular, and The Benjamin’s devilled eggs with crispy capers are a carryover hit from downstairs. For a sweet tooth, try the in-season Harry’s Berries strawberries and fluffy house-whipped cream, paired with a rare Oaxacan mango brandy or a German fig liqueur.

Bar Benjamin is located at 7174 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046, United States.

For a city known for its dizzying skyline, it’s surprisingly tricky to find a half-decent rooftop bar in New York. While you can certainly find rooftop lounges and terraces a-plenty in the City that Never sleeps, many can leave one longing for terra firma, between hordes of 20-somethings, selfie-snapping tourists and that hot-weather mutant known as frosé.

Never fear: there are indeed a handful of sky-high saloons that appeal to even the most jaded New Yorkers (or discerning out-of-towners), whether you’re looking for a lofty date night spot, or a chill afternoon perched with a crew. I found them downtown, on the west side, in Brooklyn and – yes – even in Times Square, all with atmospheres and menus as varied as their position on the horizon. Without further ado, the best rooftop bars in New York that will assuredly elevate your next happy hour.

The best rooftop bars in New York, according to Wallpaper*

Bar Blondeau

Best Brooklyn vibes

The atmosphere: Industrial cool in Williamsburg
The scene: Brooklynites and hotel guests
The view: panoramas of Manhattan’s East Side, from the Empire State building to the Chrysler Building

I’ve lived in Brooklyn long enough to bemoan how much Williamsburg has evolved over the last decade or so. Most of my favourite back-in-the-day haunts have shuttered, due to rent hikes, BMW dealerships or Vice (another relic of another time). One place that’s had staying power is the Wythe Hotel, which opened in Williamsburg in 2012. Say what you will about the Wythe’s role in transforming the neighborhood, but – nearly 15 years since it’s opened – its rooftop bar, Bar Blondeau, still slings some of the best cocktails around. Go for the Martini Blonde, which incorporates cucumber vodka and lemon oil into the gin-based original. The Upstate Spritz, meanwhile, has hints of basil and elderflower. If you’re feeling naughty, up above all the hoi polloi in the sixth floor, order the Trust Fund, a potion of vodka, lime, vanilla bitters, pandan and passion fruit, that comes with a Champagne shooter.

Not to be missed is the food, dreamed up by chef Aidan O’Neal and pastry chef Leanne Tran, which involves fancy takes on comfort staples (think: fried chicken and duck hot dogs). If you’re feeling fancy but don’t want to trek to Tribeca (see Le Vaux), you can even order Bar Blondeau’s new tea service. The hotel, located in brick 1901 factory building, was designed by the architecture firm MA – FKA Morris Adjmi Architects – in the industrial-chic style that became a Williamsburg hallmark. The interiors of Bar Blondeau are softer, with a marble bar, sage-green upholstered banquettes, all against floor-to-ceiling windows. Step outside and you'll find wrap-around planters filled with greenery and broad, off-white umbrellas. Peering out to the toy-size Chrysler building, you might just feel like you have a trust fund, whether you’re drinking the cocktail version or not.

Best Times Square Gem

St. Cloud Rooftop

The atmosphere: Above it all in Times Square
The scene: In-the-know office workers and hotel guests
The view: Times Square lights and Manhattan heights

Bars are plentiful in and around Times Square. But unless you want to head to Margaritaville’s 5 O'Clock Somewhere Bar (hey, there’s a time and a place for everything), you’ll encounter a dearth of tourist-light roof terraces. That is until I happily discovered the St. Cloud, perched atop the Knickerbocker Hotel on 42nd Street around the corner from Wallpaper*s US offices. The Beaux Arts-style hotel was originally financed by John Jacob Astor IV and completed in 1905. You’re keenly aware of this history on the roof, with its verdigris crests and urns, which surround the stylish roof terrace. But then again, you might also be distracted by the hustle and bustle of Times Square, the living wall that clads part of the building or – more likely – the three different variations on the martini, which, by some accounts, was invented at the hotel.

If you’re in the mood for food, there are elevated bar bites, but I recommend skipping in favour of Japanese nibbles, like yellowtail crudo and spicy tuna-topped crispy rice from Akoya, the indoor sushi bar on the site. From my vantage point, 16 stories up, I could gaze directly into the former headquarters of Condé Nast. There’s something devilishly satisfying about watching office workers toil away with a drink in hand.

Best rooftop in Union Square

Guardian at the W

The atmosphere: Beaux-Arts gets boozy
The scene: Weekenders and sunset-seekers
The view: Prime vistas of the Empire State Building and Union Square Park, plus glimpses of both rivers

The bustling area surrounding Union Square is known for its greenmarket and verdant park. But those in search of a rooftop bar have been fresh out of luck – until now, that is. Following a $100 million glow-up, the W New York - Union Square has opened a new rooftop bar, Guardian, just in time for the summer season.

This aerie, located 22 floors up atop the tower’s mansard roof, is named for the 1911 landmarked building’s past life - the headquarters for an insurance company. Hospitality design firm AvroKO brought the green of the park below into its scheme, via striped upholstery on cushy chairs, and the vibrancy of the area via graffiti-inspired walls and iridescent finishes. The drinks also pay homage to the neighbourhood, with a potion of vodka, cherry tomato and Italicus called the Greenmarket Siren, or an elderflower and cucumber signature. If you’re feeling peckish, the lounge offers seasonal nibbles too, including a selection of crostini, a spicy tuna poke tostada and chips piled high with prosciutto. Gazing over Manhattan on a sunny afternoon, the towering ‘W’ in the ‘W Union Square’ sign can only signal one thing: wow.

Best Manhattan view

Harriet's Rooftop

The atmosphere: Laid-back luxe or party time – choose your own adventure
The scene: hotel guests, dates and party-goers
The view: Postcard vistas of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and more

There are few things more infuriating to a New Yorker than a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, between the selfie sticks, tchotchke merchants and impromptu marriage proposals (‘I’m walkin’ here!’). But if it’s a view you crave, do yourself a favour and book a table at Harriet’s, the rooftop bar that crowns the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. From this garden-like 11th-floor deck, tucked into Hamptons-feeling outdoor timber furniture, you’re treated to what’s likely the best aerial vista in the city, a panorama that sweeps from the Brooklyn Bridge, the Financial District, Lady Liberty and – on a clear day – the Verazzano Bridge. Now, normally I am not one for photos, but even I was reaching for my iPhone on a recent afternoon.

The menu at Harriet’s is Asian-inspired, with sharable snacks and larger portions alike. I started with Kyó No Hana, a pale purple potion made from gin and lavender, and then nibbled on crispy rice and spicy tuna (I can never resist), a ‘Dumbo’ sushi roll with shrimp tempura and a bowl of crispy shoestring truffle fries. Because it was late afternoon, the atmosphere was relaxed (hotel guests can use the adjacent rooftop pool). If you’re looking to party, though, snag tickets to one of Harriet’s summer DJ events.

Best for Dinner

Laser Wolf

The atmosphere: tropical, breezy and buzzy
The scene: foodies and locals in a celebratory mood
The view: Sweeping views over the east river and Manhattan’s East Side

A fair warning: securing a reservation at Laser Wolf in Williamsburg can be tricky. But it’s so well-worthwhile that, even when a heatwave sent the mercury up to nearly 95 degrees F, the rooftop Israeli restaurant was packed with hungry diners. The design makes for a perfect hot-weather oasis, thanks to rattan furniture, '70s-inspired lighting, lemon-yellow behind the bar and loads of potted plants. The drinks offer fun takes on Israeli cooking and ingredients found throughout the Middle East. The Wolf’s Fang, for instance, features a mix of rums, arak, orange, passion fruit and, curiously, oat milk. No Big Dill is a refresher that includes olive oil vodka, cucumber, gin and herbs. There’s also a frozen cocktail to be had, the Get Shishlik’d (in reference to the restaurant’s grilled cuisine), which combines vodka, aperol, guava and lime into a heavenly brain-freezer.

Once you’re well-lubricated, it’s time for the food, which is done prix-fixe-style. You’ll start with a platter of divine dips – like house-made hummus and baba ganoush, roasted beets, and (my surprise star of the night) pineapple with celery – before diving into your selection of a grilled entree. Do yourself a favour and order the grilled cauliflower, which comes charred and crisp and piled high with pine nuts. So stuffed were my partner and I that we had to take a lap around the terrace, where we were greeted with views almost as good as the grub.

Most elegant rooftop bar

Overstory

The atmosphere: 1940s glamour meets contemporary elegance
The scene: elegant couples and small groups
The view: 360-degree views of Manhattan, Brooklyn, the harbour and beyond

Few bars in New York are as exhilarating as Overstory. The bar, which opened in 2021 above the two Michelin-starred restaurant Saga, sits on the original observatory of 70 Pine, an Art Deco stunner in Manhattan’s Financial District. The space was originally meant to be the penthouse apartment of Henry Latham Doherty, the founder of the energy conglomerate Cities Service Company, but it became a public observation deck. Back in 1932, it cost 50 cents to take the lift to the 64th floor. Today the price of admission is simply a love of craft cocktails and an elegant, intimate atmosphere.

Overstory was designed by Modellus Novus to conjure the glamour of the skyscraper’s heyday and the colours of golden hour over Manhattan. The cocktail list, too, conjures an earlier more glamorous time, like Overstory's version of the Old Fashioned, which features a whiff of Palo Santo. In the Clouds, meanwhile, conjures the 360-degree views you get when you step out onto the wraparound terrace, with soft notes of Earl Grey and vanilla and a marbled disc that’s the next best thing after the Manhattan sunset. New York or nowhere, indeed.

Most verdant escape

RH Rooftop

The atmosphere: secret garden oasis
The scene: RH shoppers and a smattering of tourists
The view: Meatpacking mid-rises

RH has built its own mini hospitality empire in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. If buying a cushy Cloud sofa wasn’t enough, you can nibble on Petrossian caviar or even spend the night at the RH Guesthouse across the street from its New York flagship. A glass elevator that silently whisked me up to the store’s uppermost level, however, took me to a new level in the company’s universe, quite literally. The RH Rooftop restaurant is an indoor/outdoor aerie that doubles as a furniture showroom and an under-the-radar spot to grab lunch or a glass of wine. If the glamorous chandeliers in the indoor portion isn’t your vibe, step out onto the roof, where neat box hedges sprouting from grooved planters and a bubbling fountain could convince you that you’ve stumbled into a French garden. In fact, each booth, furnished with RH furniture, shrouded by those verdant partitions and shaded by (but of course) plane tree saplings, feels incredibly private.

Wine is the name of the game here, with dozens of options to choose from (bonus: they offer nine-ounce pours!), but there are also plenty of morsels on offer, from classic salads to roast chicken to caviar-topped nibbles. Because the environs are so aesthetically pleasing, the rooftop had its share of impromptu photoshoots happening among the out-of-town crowd. If that proves to be too much of an annoyance, you can simply take the silent elevator downstairs, swipe your credit card and take it all home with you.

Most design cred

The Rooftop at the Manner Hotel

The atmosphere: La dolce vita in the sky
The scene: Fashionistas and hotel bellas
The view: Downtown vistas

When Italian architect Hannes Peer takes on a project, you know you’re in for bespoke details, sumptuous materials and narrative drama galore. The Manner Hotel, which opened in 2024 in Soho, is no exception with its Halston-esque red-carpeted suite, tangerine lacquered rooms and tambour-clad lounge. Lucky for non hotel guests, the roof terrace – a space so often disguised with Astroturf and humdrum furniture – also received Peer’s magic touch. Here, revellers are greeted with a little slice of the Italian Riviera, with groupings of squiggly iron lounge chairs, covered in persimmon cushions, a terrazzo-topped bar shaded by a terra cotta-hued awning, and plants galore. And that’s just the design. The menu focuses on Mediterranean-inspired snacks, like cacio e pepe-seasoned nuts, Iberico ham and beef shish kebabs, with equally sunny libations to wash it all down. You can’t go wrong with a citrus-forward Martini di Amalfi or a Calabria Margharita, with zippy hits of yellow pepper, lime, bergamot and chili.

Most fashionable rooftop bar

Le Vaux Rooftop

The atmosphere: Tea party in Tribeca
The scene: Well-heeled travellers
The view: FiDi skyscrapers and Tribeca vistas

We described Fouquet’s New York as a ‘lush, urban cocoon for the 21st century.’ And while the hotel’s amenity spaces have been historically reserved for guests and members, allow us to let you in on a little secret: the public can snag a reservation on its lush, grapevine-shaded terrace, Le Vaux Rooftop. To celebrate the occasion, Fouquet’s has teamed up with La DoubleJ for the second summer straight on a special high tea service decked out in the Italian luxury brand’s latest tableware and linens. For $95 per person, guests can perch on pink-and-white striped cushions beneath cream-coloured umbrellas and indulge in a tower of teatime classics like scones (served with heaps of strawberry jam and clotted cream, of course), Victoria sponge, lobster macarons, caramel choux buns and more tempting indulgences.

Here’s the twist: because it’s summer in New York and absolutely scorching, the tea (choose from mint, hibiscus or black) arrives iced. If it all sounds too prim and proper for you, don’t worry–there are boozy options, too, ranging from tequila-spiked agua fresca to bottles of Perrier Jouet. Even though it was pouring with rain during my visit, all the pretty tableware and skyscraper views kept my spirits – and my pinky – lifted.

Best for groups

The Yacht Club

The atmosphere: Roof deck meets boat deck
The scene: Clusters of friends seeking sun and fun
The view: A Hudson River panorama, plus views straight down the West Side highway

‘I’m on a boat,’ the Lonely Island informed us in the Year of our Lord 2009. At The Yacht Club, a sprawling rooftop bar and restaurant that landed on the west side last summer, you may not be on a boat, but it’s the next-best thing. That’s because it was masterminded by brothers Miles and Alex Pincus, who are not only avid sailors but also the hospitality brains behind nautical-themed concepts like Holy Water and Grand Banks, an oysterbar on the deck of an actual boat moored in the Hudson River. The duo brought the vibe all the way up to the 10th-floor terrace of the Starrett-Lehigh Building, with timber decking, wicker chairs, umbrellas, locust trees and servers in Breton stripes.

To a languid Reggae soundtrack, you can order a summer-y cocktail (don’t miss one of three fun versions of a spritz), and nosh on gussied-up favourites, like ‘Yacht Tots,’ a latke-esque crispy potato cube topped with trout roe and crème fraiche; pizzettes, savoury flatbreads topped with cheese, Calabrian chilis and more; or the Grand Banks lobster roll, whose toasty potato bun comes piled high with claw meat. If you tend to travel with an entourage, great news: you can reserve your own sun-shaded cabana for groups up to 20. Though the chaos of the West Side highway is just below, up here – as you toast the sunset and watch boats pirouette around the Hudson –you’ll feel like you’ve just sailed away too.

In Shanghai’s cocktail revolution – and ensuing evolution – Nanchang Road has emerged as something as a hub, where young mixologists come to debut herbal infusions and established ones come to earn accolades. In a refurbished townhouse at the leafy far end, Penicillin is a bit of both. A ‘closed-loop sustainable bar’ by Agung and Laura Prabowo, who opened their award-winning sister bar in Hong Kong in 2020, it operates with mad-scientist energy, turning out experimental distillations with foraged and repurposed ingredients.

Penicillin Shanghai – well worth a shot

The magic happens in the upstairs lab, accessible to patrons who want in on the making process. Designed in clinical steel and concrete by Louis Chon of Hong Kong’s LC Studio, it centres on two chef’s tables flanked by vats, funnels, rotary evaporators and distillers. Guests can sit at the glass terrarium table with, say, a One Pot Pan, a ‘flower tequila’ cocktail with leftover hops, fermented rice water, charred-chive cordial and strawberry hydrosol, as the ingredients steep and ferment around them.

‘There’s been a surge here of artisanal cocktails infused with Chinese ingredients, appealing to adventurous palates,’ says co-founder Laura Prabowo. ‘And that’s led to a trend towards themed venues that offer curated experiences rather than just drinks.’

Groups of up to six people can proceed to the Green Room and sink into sofas the colour of grape leaves. Yet Chon has done his most memorable work on the main floor. In a rotunda at the entrance, he’s suspended a fallen Chinese hackberry tree trunk rescued from a village outside Shanghai. The desiccated roots, floating inches off the floor, are a reminder of Penicillin’s foundational principles: renewable resources, organic elegance and zero-waste practices.

Fully visible from the pavement, the tree has become a neighbourhood curiosity. ‘Every guest who walks past touches it,’ says Prabowo. And thanks to its popularity on Xiaohungshu, the social networking app also known as RedNote, Penicillin has swiftly become the pinnacle of every Nanchang Road cocktail crawl. ‘With younger patrons, the emphasis is on aesthetics, ambience and visual appeal.’

Circling the tree is a backdrop of reflecting panels and a ring of banquettes where guests can perch for photos and wait for friends. The main cocktail lounge is more intimate, outfitted in gunmetal greys and manned by Jamie McCleave, a founding member of the Hong Kong branch, with local veteran Chris Wu. The Penicillin ethos means branded liquor is eschewed in favour of house-infused spirits, so a feature wall behind the bar is stacked with brown recycled eco-spirit bottles.

Prabowo knows this will attract just the right kind of cocktail junkie, and raise the bar of the neighbourhood offering. ‘Contributing to the identity of Nanchang Road, being part of this transformation, excites us.’

Penicillin Shanghai is located at 62 Nanchang Rd, Putung, Shanghai, China 200025.

Los Angeles has been on the forefront of the craft cocktail movement for the past few decades using avant-garde techniques along with California's micro-seasonal produce. That innovation still shines through today with some marked shifts: While agave-based spirits are part of the region's DNA, martinis are definitely having a moment, along with Japanese whisky highballs. And, if you’re ‘California sober,' non-alcoholic options are just as inventive these days.

With its glamorous bars in Beverly Hills, old Hollywood haunts and cool downtown dives that shake up some of the most inventive concoctions, LA remains serious about its tipples and the environs in which they imbibe. After all, you need to make sure that hot new watering hole – or old classic - is worth crossing the 101 or 405 freeway during rush hour. To get you started, here is our selection of the best bars in Los Angeles spanning Eastside to Westside; from rooftops with a view to lively speakeasy basements; or mysterious hideaways with clinking artisan ice-cubes – and everything in between.

The Wallpaper* guide to the best bars in Los Angeles

Accomplice

For the best cocktails on the Westside, head to Mar Vista. There you’ll find Chef David Kuo’s trailblazing Taiwanese soul food joint Little Fatty and its award-winning partner-in-crime, Accomplice. Pull up a stool beneath the mural by Grammy-nominated illustrator Josh Cochran and take your time to explore an inventive, experimental menu overseen by Adam George Fournier, the 2021 US Bartender of the Year. The new cocktail list nods to the Asian flavours of the kitchen while drawing inspiration from LA’s historic neighbourhoods – don’t miss the Little Tokyo, their light, floral take on a martini, which pairs excellently with the signature XO Fatty noodles.

Accomplice is located at 3811 Grand View Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066, USA.

Bar Avoja

Avoja is slang for ‘hell yeah’ in Italian and this sentiment pervades this bar's Rome-inspired cocktails, fine wines, pizzas and other Italian snacks. It's a concept from Evan Funke’s Mother Wolf Group and gives you the chance to order a few of the award-winning chef’s popular nibbles without braving a tough reservation at Mother Wolf itself. The clubby space is wrapped in rich walnut woods and red velvet seating, and is a sexy date night outing with occasional live music, and the perfect upscale lounging space to begin or end your evening with one hell of a Negroni.

Bar Avoja is located at 1545 Wilcox Ave. Hollywood, CA 90028, United States

Bar Benjamin

Co-owned and designed by industry veteran Jared Meisler (The Roger Room and Bar Lubitsch), this bar's speakeasy vibe includes vintage inspired listening lounge speakers, and high-back mohair banquettes. Martinis are the move from the clarified Tzatziki version with yogurt to Girl Dinner with vodka and green tea, or the stiffer Ben’s Martini with Monkey 47 Gin and lemon oil. You will want to order more of the addictive Kennebec triple-fried chips that accompany the last drink – and possibly with caviar service on the next round.

Bar Benjamin is located at 7174 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046, United States

Bar Next Door

Helmed by Lawrence Longo (Prince Street Pizza and Irv’s Burgers), this Art Deco-inspired bar serves cocktails that are inspired by iconic locations nearby from legendary landmarks such as the Chateau Marmont to Hustler Hollywood, with signature cocktails by the same name. Bar director Brynn Smith has a following for her whimsical libations that channel the rich cultural tapestry of the area’s storied rock-n-roll past.

Bar Next Door is located at 9159 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, United States

Beaudry Room

Located in the cultural hub of Downtown LA, the Conrad Los Angeles is one of only two hotels in the world designed by legendary architect Frank Gehry. And, you can bask in a view of his iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall from any seat in the sleek Beaudry Room designed by Tara Bernerd. As if that were not enough, molecular cocktails and tapas by chef and humanitarian José Andrés are on the menu.

The Beaudry Room is located at 100 S. Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012, United States

Dante Beverly Hills

In location terms, Dante is hard to beat. Perched on top of The Maybourne luxury hotel in the heart of Beverly Hills, its rooftop views extend from the snowy peaks of the San Gabriel mountains all the way to the Hollywood Hills. Inside, the decor is just as easy on the eye thanks to creative director Nathalie Hudson’s careful curation and a colourful fresco depicting Southern Californian plants and birdlife by LA-based artist Abel Macias. Luckily, the drinks are also top tier, from the signature Garibaldi (Campari and ‘fluffy’ orange juice) to the six different types of martini, each available daily at a special rate during ‘martini hour’ from 3 to 5 pm.

Dante Beverly Hills is located at The Maybourne, 225 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, USA.

Death & Co

This New York transplant defined modern cocktail culture with its keen approach to balance and technique. But, if there was an award for darkest bar in town, this basement level hideaway behind a cloaked curtain would be winner hands down. A few things you might have over looked while stumbling out into the light: they offer a special half martini cocktail – another growing trend, which is perfect if you want to try a few other concoctions – and, they have a smaller bar they open on weekends when it gets busy, that is darker still.

Death & Co is located at 818 E. 3rd, Los Angeles, CA 90013, United States

Employees Only

Speaking of New York, Employees Only is another Big Apple imports that blends speakeasy vibes with LA glamour and some of the city’s most groundbreaking craft cocktails. Start with a smoky ‘When in Oaxaca’ mezcal creation or a ‘Cookies and Cafecito’ with Mr. Black coffee liqueur, and chai tea to keep the buzz going. Seasonal drinks with fresh ingredients are a given here, but the wagyu steak frites with Oaxacan mole is also worth a visit, and it’s a top date-night spot to boot.

Employees Only is located at 7953 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046, United States

Good Neighbor Bar

If you love highballs, tiki punches and frothy, tropical-style drinks, this is the spot, operated by the team behind longstanding staples Everson Royce Bar and Silver Lake Wine. Sleek wood banquettes line the room with carved black timber walls and other recycled materials from the area (pre Los Angeles fire) collected by owner Randy Clement and his sons, that were turned into an intriguing backdrop by artist Tony Brown – who has a margarita on the menu named after him. For fresh air, check out the patio set-up for various events and BBQ’s that almost become like a parking lot block party with throngs of locals showing up – a sign of resilience in an area still recovering from the 2025 inferno.

Good Neighbor Bar is located at 2311 Lincoln Ave, Altadena, CA 91001, United States

The Georgian Room

If these deep red walls could talk, you'd surely be stuck at the Georgian Room for a lifetime. This bar is tucked beneath one of Santa Monica’s historic landmarks – hallowed Hollywood ground in the 1930s when everyone from Judy Garland to Clark Gable to 'Bugsy' Siegel were regulars. While the Steinway from 1918 remains, a modern version has emerged, designed by Fettle, with round green leather banquettes, retaining the glamour of jazz, and an array of martinis, curated by bar director Jerom Morris.

The Georgian Room is located at 1415 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401, United States

Hotel Bel-Air Bar & Lounge

Walk by a pond full of floating swans and you'll discover a chic bar designed by David Rockwell with giant Norman Seeff images of Tina Turner and Mick Jagger. The people watching here is also some of the best in town and you never know when your favourite Hollywood A-lister might saunter in. This feels like a taste of long-lost glamour with plush décor, a roaring fireplace and a sleek grand piano providing live music.

Hotel Bel-Air is located at 701 Stone Canyon Road Los Angeles, CA 90077, United States

Mirate

This Mexican restaurant in Los Feliz is breathtakingly designed, with a 40-foot tree rising up from its central courtyard and Oaxacan-influenced decor by Adean Studios, but that isn’t why it’s been named one of North America’s 50 Best Bars for two years running. That well-earned acclaim is all to do with beverage director Max Reis and his dedication to hand-selecting an ultrarare collection of mezcals and tequilas and blending them with oft-overlooked ingredients such as tepache, a traditional Mexican drink made from fermented pineapple, and pulque, made with agave. Stand-out cocktails include El Guero, their aqua chile-inspired take on a margarita.

Mirate is located at 1712 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA.

Musso & Frank Grill

To take a seat at Musso & Frank’s dark mahogany bar is to participate in a magic trick that reawakens the golden age of the movie business. Hollywood’s oldest restaurant opened in 1919, and glancing around at the leather banquettes and red-jacketed waiters will tell you that precious little has changed since. The storied bar has a lengthy list of screen credits that would make any A-lister envious, notably playing itself in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. It’s here that Brad Pitt orders a Bloody Mary while Leonardo Di Caprio knocks back a whisky sour, but there’s nothing on the menu finer than their perfect martini, served with an overflow carafe in its own miniature ice bucket.

Musso & Frank Grill is located at 6667 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028, USA.

Old Lightning

Looking for history in a glass? This small, mid-century style bar has an air of ‘insider secrecy’ from the hidden side entrance behind Scopa Italian Roots eatery, to the exceptionally rare bottles they pour. This might include vintage Four Roses bourbon expressions from a large format bottle, matured six years, produced by Seagram's in the 1990s and exported exclusively for the international market. Most of these disappeared from circulation decades ago but you can find such rare treasures here on the border of Venice and Marina del Rey.

Old Lightning is located at 2905 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292, United States

Or Bar

West Hollywood has no shortage of great places to party, but prior to 2023, it lacked a truly exceptional cocktail lounge. The remedy, courtesy of Rob Novinger and Stephanie Schestag-Muriano, is the chic, French disco-inspired Or Bar. The space is exquisitely designed, from the exterior hand-painted black-and-gold mural by Londubh Studio to the stunning, custom-made 3,700-piece crystal chandelier and the walls filled with elegant art, including a Ken Price original silkscreen print. Little wonder they took home last year’s John Chase Design Award from the City of West Hollywood. By day Or Bar serves first-rate La Colombe coffee, which they also put to good use at night in their signature Espress-Or Martini.

Or Bar is located at 8228 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046, USA.

The Raymond 1886 Bar

Step back into California’s Gilded Age in this beautifully preserved example of American Craftsman architecture that dates to 1901. Once the caretaker’s cottage for Pasadena’s esteemed Raymond hotel, itself built in 1886, the bar’s more recent claim to fame is as a pioneer of craft cocktails in Southern California. So while the decor may be historic, with low ceilings and Victorian wallpaper, the drinks are cutting edge. A highlight of the new menu is the Charred Sunset, made with a delicate mezcal strawberry foam, while the attention to detail even extends to the meticulous, drink-specific ice cut using a table saw in the property’s dedicated ice room.

The Raymond 1886 is located at 1250 S Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105, USA.

Real Charmer

Located in Virgil Village, this dimly lit retro space with hidden corner banquettes for canoodling could be the scene of a plot-twist in a Raymond Chandler novel. But it’s actually one of the newer bars in LA owned by Dustin Lancaster, who gave Angelenos wildly popular Capri Club and Bar Covell. The cocktails here are just as thoughtful with an entire book dedicated to the history and origins of each creation, which include a sesame oil Japanese whisky highball.

Real Charmer is located at 864 N. Virgil Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90029, United States

The Roger Room

The Roger Room may be dark and intimate, but it’s no dive bar. Located next door to celebrated comedy institution Largo at the Coronet, this half-hidden spot in Beverly Grove was reinvented by nightlife impresarios Jared Meisler and Sean MacPherson in 2009 with circus murals and old-school decor to mimic the legendary Bemelmans Bar in New York. The speakeasy ambience is accentuated by the elevated cocktail list, which includes popular highlights like the Tijuana Brass, a twist on a Tommy’s Margarita topped with cucumber meringue, and the Old Sport, which combines gin with a black tea-infused lychee liqueur.

The Roger Room is located at 370 La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.

Thunderbolt

Located on the edge of Echo Park and historic Filipino town, this bar consistently ranks on the coveted 50 Best Bar list, and took the title for most sustainable North American bar in 2025. This is not a showy bar but a serious line-up of mixologists, including owner Mike Capoferri, and cocktails that are more reasonable than at other popular watering holes around town. Sink into a distressed leather sofa and order the Tropipop with rum, coconut and piña colada soda that first put them on the map. And, don’t overlook the ‘school night’ N/A option with Verjus, if you’re taking it easy.

Thunderbolt is located at 1263 W Temple St. Los Angeles, CA 90026, United States

Tokyo Noir

Tucked behind El Barrio Cantina in Long Beach, this 25-seat speakeasy with a side-alley entrance holds a world-class craft cocktail program. As the only certified Ice Master outside of Japan, beverage director and co-founder Kevin Lee (The Wolves), has created a destination for serious bar culture fans who want to sip refreshing highballs in a moody film noir setting. Try the mezcal version of the signature Tokyo Noir cocktail, or the Astro Boy with Haku vodka and sweet potato shochu.

Tokyo Noir is located at 1731 East 4th Street, Long Beach, CA, 90802, United States

Vandell

From the team behind local hot spot Donna’s, this bar is named after Vandell Griffith - the son of Griffith J Griffith, the benefactor of LA's famed Griffith Park and home of the Greek Theater and landmark Griffith Observatory. The space features a 12-seat central bar, a sunlit banquette lounge, cosy booths and a back room inspired by Japanese whisky bars, featuring rare single malts. Don’t overlook the smoked tomato with mezcal or the smoked olive martini.

VANDELL is located at 1966 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, United States

The Whisky Bar at The Maybourne Beverly Hills

This intimate whisky bar holds the largest collection of Macallan in North America – along with a custom-made humidor housing more than 1,000 cigars from the Caribbean and Central America. Relax in a wood-paneled den with mid-century Murano ashtrays, or step outside to the terrace overlooking Beverly Gardens Park. You’ll want to sample Highland Park Vintage 1968, from the Scottish Highlands, and the Yamazaki from the Suntory Distillery in Japan, alongside small batch bourbons from Kentucky.

The Whisky Bar at The Maybourne Beverly Hills is located at 225 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, United States

The Wolves

Downtown’s ornate Wolves bar looks as if it might have stood untouched for a century, but in truth, like so much of this city, it’s a product of a remarkable reinvention. Created by filmmaker Isaac Mejia and former Mad Men set designer Al Almeida in 2018, the space was just a simple internet cafe the pair reimagined using salvaged antiques and architectural pieces sourced from around the globe. The doors once opened onto an Argentinian mansion, the marble was saved from a demolished building nearby and the stained-glass ceiling came from an old train station in Paris, Illinois. The cocktails, such as the popular Tigers Milk made with mezcal and pineapple and served in a decanter for two, are equally transformative.

The Wolves is located at 519 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013, USA.

London’s hospitality scene has long adapted effortlessly to changing times, staying ahead of the creative curve and demonstrating to the rest of the world why it is so revered. It played a key role in the early 2000s revival of classic cocktails, reigniting interest in the Martini and Manhattan through the historical diligence of venues like the Savoy’s American Bar, Claridge’s, The Connaught Bar, and Dukes. At the same time, it pushed boundaries with a new generation of bartenders exploring uncharted territory – deconstructing drinks, using molecular techniques, and blending unexpected elements. From the much-missed Purl’s aromatic vapour elixirs to Mr Lyan’s culinary-style experiments, innovation thrived. Today, the city’s creativity is as rich as ever, seen in everything from theatrically served Martinis to cocktail menus as intricate and thought-provoking as Michelin-starred cookbooks.

How we choose the best bars to recommend

No matter what’s thrown at it, or how many pretenders to the throne emerge, London always delivers. In addition to the venues mentioned above, we’ve highlighted eleven bars that prove why the city remains at the top of its game. From the gleaming heights of the upmarket South West, through the heart of Soho cool, to the edgier corners of the East End, there’s enough hotel chic and buzzy neighbourhood energy to satisfy even the most curious cocktail adventurer.

11 of the best bars in London

Dram

Soho’s Denmark Street was once the epicentre of the Swinging 1960s music scene – the handful of vintage guitar shops are all that remain, sadly. Today, though, beats a different drum and Dram has firmly put whisky at the centre of the scene, by playing a blinder in bringing it to a new audience. Split into five areas (including a neat indoor/outdoor terrace), the list of whiskies from all over the world is hugely impressive, but it’s the on-tap cocktails and Highballs which have truly put the place on the curious whisky drinker’s map. Check out the Apricot, which brings together Aberfeldy 12-year-old single malt Scotch and bee pollen, whilst munching on the house pickles or burrata and basil oil.

Dram is located at 7 Denmark St, London WC2H 8LZ, United Kingdom.

The Emory Rooftop Bar

If one were looking for, quite literally, a perfect overview of the city, then the beautifully appointed rooftop bar at the Emory hotel sets a new standard in breathtaking views. Its 360-degree orientation is spellbinding, alongside the striking neo-classicism decor, courtesy of acclaimed interior architect, Rémi Tessier. In addition to the looks, the drinks are equally renowned, with the current in-residence menu coming from legendary Argentinian bartender Renato ‘Tato’ Giovannoni, serving a special coastal themed offering, including the delightful Gurua Martini: a blend of Principe de los Apostoles gin, anise, bespoke dry vermouth, local rainwater and coffee oil.

The Emory Rooftop Bar is located at Old Barrack Yard, London SW1X 7NP, United Kingdom.

Equal Parts

If there’s one London bar on everyone’s lips right now – from industry insiders to serial barflies, it’s Equal Parts, the latest venture from the team behind the renowned East London wine bar, Sager + Wild. Opened a little over two years ago, with next to no fanfare, its classy, unpretentious direction focuses on a list of a dozen cocktails, four of which are, as the name suggests, all made up from equal measures, including the sensational Trouble in Mind: a mix of apple brandy, orange wine and vermouth. There’s also a killer slushy which uses mezcal and jalapeno for a touch of gentle smoke and spice. In essence, if you’re looking for the perfect definition of the ‘bartender’s bar’, it’s this. Sometimes the best locations are all about keeping it simple... and real.

Equal Parts is located at 245 Hackney Rd, London E2 8NA, United Kingdom.

Kioku Sake Bar

Whitehall’s answer to saké perfection, this cosy bar in the OWO hotel is a treasure trove of incredible expressions. The list, or bible, as the bar calls it, curated by ‘Sake Samurai’ Natsuki Kikuya sees over 100 types to choose from, including classic brands, more modern, craft expressions (including four created in the UK,) aged sake and a distinct focus on rice varietals, including unpolished, brown rice for a more rustic experience. There’s also a fine menu of Japanese-inspired cocktails. The environment is distinctly relaxed and has been designed to mimic the almost living room feel of the famous Japanese ‘listening bars’, where a turntable takes the centre stage, and the soothing sounds of modern jazz or gentle break beats fill the gaps in conversation.

Kioku Sake Bar is located at Raffles London at The Owo, 57 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BX, United Kingdom.

Satan’s Whiskers

Continuing the East End odyssey, and to a neighbourhood institution of sorts. Bethnal Green’s Satan’s Whiskers has been putting smiles on the local’s faces since 2013 but has now become a real player on the global cocktail scene too, largely thanks to its breezy, unpretentious atmosphere and a cocktail list that changes daily, all underpinned by some of the best bartending talent and hospitality you’ll find anywhere in the world. There’s even a bottle shop featuring pre-batched house cocktails if you want to bring a devilish taste of the East End home with you.

Satan’s Whiskers is located at 343 Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9RA, United Kingdom.

Scarfes Bar

With its mantra of ‘Where paintings and potions meet’, Scarfes, located in the Rosewood Hotel, is an intriguing coming together of part old-school London Member’s bar vibes and something altogether more scrumptious, surrealist and intriguing. The decor pays a fine homage to its namesake, the iconic illustrator and caricaturist, Gerald Scarfe and its menu, ‘A Long Drawn-Out Sip’ (a playful tease on the name of Scarfe’s memoir,) brings together 24 unique cocktails based on different dream states: Fears, Desires, Revelations and Transformations. Heady stuff indeed. It’s little wonder then why last year, Scarfes placed at number 37 in the hallowed World’s 50 Best Bars list.

Scarfes Bar is located at Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN, United Kingdom.

Side Hustle

There’s a certain irony about building a hotel bar on the site of a former, very famous London police station and courtroom – especially when its lively ethos encapsulates an irreverent, Latin American spirit. Side Hustle’s speciality is very much tequila-based cocktails, and you’ll find a playful list of classics, including seasonal Margaritas, smoky mescal-infused Old Fashioneds and your next favourite drink: the Batanga, a heady mix of blanco tequila, amaro and house-made cola, traditionally stirred with a huge knife. Accompany it with the fabulous house guacamole and salsa... it would be a crime not to.

Side Hustle is located at NoMad London, 28 Bow St, London WC2E 7AW, United Kingdom.

Swift Soho

The first stop on a trio of conveniently located Soho gems, Swift (and its sister bars in Shoreditch and Borough) has become a true institution in what is a relatively breezy decade of existence. Spread over two differently themed floors, it's arguably the perfect meeting place for a pre-dinner aperitif: the ground floor is all about lighter, more refreshing cocktails, spritzes or a simple-but-to-die-for blend of fino sherry and tonic. Downstairs is a more expansive, complex menu with twists on classics, and the current Backstage Heroes menu: a collection of drinks celebrating the artistry of live theatre. Showmanship at its finest.

Swift Soho is located at 12 Old Compton St, London W1D 4TQ, United Kingdom.

Three Sheets Soho

The quiet, off-piste Manette Street is our final point on the Golden Triangle of great Soho cocktail bars, and Three Sheets has taken a wonderfully refined and elegant look at hospitality. With a beautiful marble-topped bar for a centrepiece, the decor feels slightly Parisian, and the list of simple-but-beautifully made classics gently lifts you away from the hustle and bustle of the Soho buzz. It's a more reserved world where one can sip wistfully on a White Russian infused with miso or sample the complex – and highly Instagrammable – Sazzerquack, a cheeky twist on the classic Sazerac, whilst snacking generously on lobster rolls and Malden oysters. A bar for contemplative souls.

Three Sheets Soho is located at 13 Manette St, London W1D 4AP, United Kingdom.

Trailer Happiness

Arguably West London’s most enduring neighbourhood cocktail bar... and yet, still an absolute unexpected delight to visit if you ever find yourself winding your way through the bustling corridor of Portobello Road, (which is also home to the fabulous Portobello Road Distillery, part ‘ginstitute’, part world-class cocktail bar and an actual working distillery) Trailer’s focus is very much on the distinct, vibrant flavours of the Caribbean and Polynesia, and you’ll find innovative twists on the Daiquiri, plus a host of other rum-laden delights. The one thing you won’t find here is a hint of pretence or stuffiness: just layers of fun in every sip. A true London legend in every sense of the word.

Trailer Happiness is located at 177 Portobello Rd, London W11 2DY, United Kingdom.

Waltz

A real newcomer to the London bar scene, but a bar which carries with it a lifetime of expertise and know-how. Opened in early May 2025, Waltz is a Japanese-themed bar, equally inspired by the music of Jazz and the natural world, all harmoniously brought together by Gento Torigata, who previously worked in a formidable array of bars as far flung as Tokyo, Sydney, and most notably, the award-winning Jigger & Pony in Singapore, before becoming bar manager at London’s Kwãnt. Those who elect to be seated at the beautifully carved wooden bar top will be shown a different, more engaging menu of cocktails based around the 72 micro seasons in Japan, whilst the rest of the bar is all about the thrill of highballs and other aperitifs. If there’s a contender for a bar in the ascent to greatness, it’s undoubtedly this one.

Waltz is located at 28 Scrutton St, London EC2A 4RP, United Kingdom.

As a queerspawn and a Hackney native, I’ve spent a lifetime growing up in lesbian spaces. It’s disheartening to know that over 60 per cent of London’s LGBTQ+ venues – sanctuaries essential to the FLINTA* community and vital to London’s cultural fabric – closed between 2006 and 2022, declining from 125 to a mere 50, with Lesbian spaces hit especially hard.

In Hackney, La Camionera leads with pride

Responding to a growing need, La Camionera in east London is helping to shift the tide. Named after the Spanish slang for butch lesbians, translating to ‘female truck driver’, the venue takes a resolutely gentle approach in cultivating a new take FLINTA* space, with a slice of Mediterranean charm. As co-owner Clodagh Farrelly describes it, ‘it’s a love letter to the lesbian community’.

Now nestled in the backroads of Homerton, away from the slipstream of the Highroad, La Camioneria grew from humble roots. What began as a one-night pop-up for 40 people on Broadway Market in February 2024 quickly became a small phenomenon, with hundreds spilling onto the streets in overwhelming support, affirming this is what the city needs. ‘We didn’t see it, so we had to make it ourselves, and people got behind us,’ adds Farrelly.

From the outset, the bar aimed to accommodate a transient rhythm, not overtly reliant on drinking culture but instead centred around good conversation, good company, and community. Presenting something other than the very British binaries, ‘pubbing’ or ‘clubbing’. By day, the bar is light, airy, and restful; by night, the space adopts a more sensual tone, often hosting speed dating events, reading nights and life drawing sessions. Co-owner Clara Solis notes, ‘We were inspired by traditional Spanish café culture, somewhere that wasn't essentially just “nightlife” in a one-dimensional sense.’

Maintaining a cool, understated presence on the street face, Solis remarks, ‘The metal façade is quite subtle, it opens up to you rather than confronting you head-on.’ Entering the space, flower arrangements by Croco Studio greet the eye. Organic meets clean-cut as rough plaster walls uncovered during demolition contrast with the slick, brushed aluminium bar and powder blue flooring. Meanwhile, hand-painted tiles by Solis adorn the exterior façade and interior entrance, taking inspiration from Portuguese Azulejos and the Minetor paintings of Pablo Picasso depicting mythological tales of Greek gods disguising themselves as bulls to seduce women – a humorous reference to the term ‘bulldyke’.

Working with a modest budget, bolstered by an incredible £100,000 raised after just a week of crowdfunding and following the pop-up’s success, designers and builders Studio Popelo and Wet Studio embraced an ethos of ad-hocism. ‘We tried to see what we could integrate from the history of this space,’ says Farrelly.

While most of the furniture elements, such as seating, were sourced second-hand, the scratched and scarred timber door, which served as a cutting mat during construction, has been transformed into an elegant sliding door leading into the staff room, its marks revealing the history of labour. From artwork to the tiling, the project holds the hallmarks of everyone involved in the build. Now offering up the space to the community, Daniel Pope, founder of Studio Popelo, notes, 'We want people to feel they can have ownership over this, it’s a space that's deeply personal, that tarnishes and wears beautifully. And that's been embedded in how we built and our material choices.'

As you enter, the mood transitions from light, bright, and public-facing to something more intimate. Pope comments, ‘We wanted to be intentional around the nuance in how people interact and gather.’ Continuing to riff off traditional Spanish interiors, dark woods, earthy tones, lower ceilings painted in a rich cinnamon red, and stained glass pendant lights help ground the space. A mixture of bar stools and low seating creates a variety of altitudes at which to perch, while intimate nooks, such as underneath the stairway, lean into a ‘speakeasy’ tone within a wider communal atmosphere.

Leading into the garden, large-format windows open the space up again. Sculptural whitewashed seating adjoins the walls, set back amongst a plethora of hardy foliage, such as fragrant rosemary and evergreen oleander, chosen to withstand the unpredictable British weather.

From its ad-hoc construction to its Mediterranean influences and community-driven origin, every detail of La Camioneria is a bold assertion of tenderness. Continuing the lineage of Lesbian spaces – from the late-night shebeens of Pearl Attock in 1970s Brixton to Chelsea's now-infamous Gateways club, which closed in 1985 – this new addition of Spanish café culture, coupled with an intimate take on London nightlife, serves as a testament to a confluence of community support, a sturdy grassroots attitude, and elegant design.

La Camionera is located at 243 Well St, London E9 6RG, United Kingdom.

New York City is home to nearly 2,000 bars. That means tough competition for where to spend Friday (OK, any) night. Obviously, the drinks have to be great. But a well-mixed tipple alone isn’t enough in a booming, constantly evolving metropolis like the Big Apple.

The most beloved watering holes are more than just places to swig craft cocktails, hard-to-come-by spirits and natural wine. The vibe needs to be so inviting that patrons want to stay put, even with the excitement of the next stop beckoning. And while the design may differ – some venues lean into gilded-age glamour, while others play with more contemporary motifs – the top spots to toss one back always have personality to go around.

From stalwart establishments for sipping martinis and rubbing elbows with Uptown elites to buzzy newcomers with contemporary style and an eye for innovation, these are the best bars in New York for libations and well-curated vibes.

The best bars in New York

Bar Pisellino

The line for Bar Pisellino, the all-day Italian bar from chefs Rita Sodi and Jody Williams of Via Carota and I Sodi acclaim, frequently stretches down 7th Avenue. The walnut-clad interior with its curved standing-height marble bar and the outdoor sidewalk tables are perennially packed. That’s because everyone in West Village, err, New York City, wants what it sells – and that’s an Italian holiday, or, as a close second, negronis and cacio e pepe chips in a setting that actually allows, nay encourages, lingering.

Bar Pisellino is located at 52 Grove Street, 7th Ave S at, New York, NY 10014, United States.

The Bar Room at The Beekman

Walking into the Bar Room at The Beekman, a Thompson Hotel feels a bit like stepping back in time, to an era when skyscrapers simply meant multistorey brick buildings, the Brooklyn Bridge was still under construction, and Mark Twain and his literary contemporaries sat around sipping Manhattans and debating various social issues. The show-stopping nine-storey Victorian atrium received landmark status in 2024. Patrons looking to imbibe in a space that captures the sophistication of old New York need only pull up a plush velvet seat.

The Bar Room at The Beekman is located at 123 Nassau St, New York, NY 10038, United States.

Bemelmans Bar

Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel is a staid Upper East Side institution beloved for its timeless atmosphere (Frank Sinatra and Jackie Kennedy were frequent patrons back in the day), classic drinks and hobnobbing potential. The walls are covered in hand-drawn murals by Ludwig Bemelmans, the creator of the Madeline children’s books. The bartenders shake up some of the best martinis in town as well-dressed socialites, C-suiters and neighbourhood regulars swap stories and tap their Louboutin’s to live jazz.

Bemelmans Bar is located at 35 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021, United States.

Clemente Bar

Occupying what was formerly the private dining room above three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park, Clemente Bar is a collaboration between chef Daniel Humm and his friend, artist Francesco Clemente. The space displays many of his works, including a 16ft painted wall fresco. Piloted by the knowledgeable beverage director, Sebastian Tollius, the living-room-esque lounge pours precise yet whimsical cocktails (try the Koji Café, a zhuzhed espresso martini). Because it’s an EMP project, you’d better bet there are tasty plant-based bites.

Clemente Bar is located at 1 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10010, United States.

Double Chicken Please

Double Chicken Please stands out in a sea of Lower East Side boozers for its clever concept and imaginative cocktails. What began as a pop-up inside an old Volkswagen camper van has evolved into a brick-and-mortar with two brilliant spots to sip. The wood-panelled front bar, ‘The Coop’, serves drinks that pay homage to classic dishes like Waldorf salad and Japanese cold noodles alongside chicken sandwiches. Patrons flock to the back bar, ‘Free Range’, for original, cartoon-inspired concoctions and share plates, including lobster tempura and stuffed wings.

Double Chicken Please is located at 115 Allen St, New York, NY 10002, United States.

King Cole Bar

The Big Apple has many recognisable landmarks. King Cole Bar at The St Regis New York certainly falls into that category. The classic old New York establishment recently underwent a renovation, led by Champalimaud Design, that gave it a good polish-up without losing the distinctive look and upscale charisma that’s long lured regulars, A-listers, and film scouts. The emblematic 30ft-wide mural by Maxfield Parrish, which remains unchanged, is now complemented by darkened wood panelling, an emerald paint job on the ceiling and midnight comet carpeting.

King Cole Bar is located at Two E 55th St, New York, NY 10022, United States.

Maison Premiere

When you have a hankering for bivalves and booze, it’s over the bridge to Williamsburg and straight to Maison Premiere for oysters and the largest selection of absinthe in the United States, plus a stellar wine and cocktail list. While any of the well-loved wooden tables and leather booths will do just fine, if you’re aiming to snag a seat at the bar, in front of the replica of the absinthe fountain in the Olde Absinthe House in New Orleans, best to make a reservation. There’s also a seasonal garden for alfresco swigging and slurping in the warmer months.

Maison Premiere is located at 298 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249, United States.

Obvio

Obvio, a swank Juan Santa Cruz-designed newcomer – and instant hotspot – from the team behind Casa Cruz, recently debuted to much fanfare. Giraffe-print walls, chevron carpeting and a glimmering central bar give conventional elegance an unexpected punch. Sure, the aesthetics are on point. But there’s plenty to do besides stare – namely tossing back tequila-based cocktails, digging into flavourful bites (ahem, caviar sliders) and dancing to the music.

Obvio is located at 3 E 28th St, New York, NY 10016, United States.

Overstory

Perched on the 64th floor of a 1932 landmark building at 70 Pine Street (one storey up a travertine stairwell from sister restaurant, SAGA), Overstory is a FiDi destination for drinks – including no-buzz options – seasonal bites, and skyline views. The oval-shaped space channels the opulence of 19th-century transatlantic ocean liners through a rich palette and symphony of marble, brass, copper, teak velvet and silk. Patrons can nab one of the Börje Johanson-designed chairs at the low-slung bar or tuck into a curved booth. It’s also well worth stepping outside to soak in the panoramic views from the wraparound terrace.

Overstory is located at 70 Pine St 64th Floor, New York, NY 10005, United States.

The Portrait Bar

Well-travelled clients will feel right at home (at least for the evening) at The Portrait Bar. Tucked inside The Fifth Avenue Hotel, the globally inspired setting leverages wood panelling, a carved stone fireplace and a diverse collection of portraits to define its intimate, cosmopolitan sensibility. The list of libations, the brainchild of industry veteran Darryl Chan, also leans into the jetsetter mentality with Cebu Island, a clarified coconut- and calamansi-infused dram that nods to the Philippines, and Kochi, a Japanese riff on a whisky sour with yuzu.

The Portrait Bar is located at 1 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001, United States.

Sip & Guzzle

Envisioned as an extension of Shingo Gokan’s The SG Club in Tokyo (the sort of drinking establishment samurai fresh from the first voyage to New York City would have opened upon returning home to the Japanese capital), Sip & Guzzle is hip, dual-concept haunt in the West Village. Swing by the casual ground-floor pub to ‘guzzle’ highballs and yuzu margaritas beneath Andy Warhol prints, or head down to the subterranean speakeasy to ‘sip’ hand-crafted cocktails and snack on tea-smoked caviar.

Sip & Guzzle is located at 29 Cornelia St, New York, NY 10014, United States.

Sunken Harbor Club

A walk-in-only, nautical-themed bar on the second floor above Downtown Brooklyn chophouse Gage & Tollner, Sunken Harbor Club is the ultimate, wood-panelled refuge after a non-stop city day that leaves your nervous system in need of a vacation (and a stiff drink). The beverages – among them the banana-kissed Donkey Conga and Joy of Almond served in a coconut – are infused with tropical flair. The décor is a mash of maritime references: mounted fish, hanging ropes, mini ships, a captain’s wheel and (of course) a mermaid.

Sunken Harbor Club is located at 372 Fulton St 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201, United States.

Swan Room

Situated in Dimes Square, the micro-neighbourhood sandwiched between the Lower East Side and Chinatown, Swan Room at Nine Orchard is a Canal Street must-visit with an enduring wow factor. The former Jarmulowsky Bank teller room turned elegant, Neo-Renaissance-tinged lounge shows off vaulted ceilings, pink Tennessee marble walls and velvet booths. It’s a sophisticated spot to wet your beak with martinis, eat some snacks and people-watch.

Swan Room is located at 54 Canal St, New York, NY 10002, United States.

Tigre

Concealed behind an original graffiti door sits a melange of polished steel, microsuede, candlelit tables and embroidered banquettes. Tigre puts a nouveau spin on Gilded Age glamour, attracting a cool crowd who have opted out of the dives in Alphabet City and instead come to the Lower East Side thirsty (and dressed up) for more elevating offerings. The menu, much like the environs, straddles the line between classic and contemporary with the seductively smoky Cigarette Martini as a must-try.

Tigre is located at 105 Rivington St, New York, NY 10002, United States.

Titsou Bar

Hidden behind a sliding door just off the lobby at Fouquet’s New York, Titsou Bar is a decadent and discreet speakeasy-esque spot that brings un peu de 1920s Parisian glamour to Tribeca. The narrow, velvet-draped jewel box gleams with a mix of chandeliers, art deco-style lamps, plush seating and gold accents. Its small size and rich fabrics create an intimacy often lost in the bustling Big Apple. Plus, the cocktails are served with an appropriately upscale snack: truffled popcorn.

Titsou Bar is located at 456 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013, United States.

In the City that Never Sleeps, there are unending possibilities for a night out. You can enjoy a quiet martini at a fancy hotel bar. You can ping your bestie Annabelle Bronstein and make a beeline for an exclusive, member’s-only establishment. Or you can dance your face off (and maybe get your jacket stolen) at one of the city’s innumerable clubs.

For Margot Hauer-King and Emmet McDermott, there had to be another kind of after-hours spot – ‘The kind of place one might sneak away to after dinner with close friends, knowing there would be even more familiar faces there,’ Hauer-King tells us.

Enter People’s, a new hybrid hospitality concept in a Greenwich Village townhouse that is equal parts late-night watering hole, speakeasy, art gallery, dance club and your rich friend-of-a-friend’s house.

Confused? Hauer-King explains: ‘We use “evening club” to try and capture the concept: yes you can drink, and yes there is a high emphasis on social, but our gallery is about bringing a broader cultural awareness and interest into the space,’ she says. ‘You can dance, but you don’t have to. You can find a cosy corner, or you can be on the stage. We’re here to set the scene, but not dictate how the show goes.’

To set that scene, Hauer-King and McDermott–both first-time hospitality entrepreneurs–tapped Ryan Mahoney of the Brooklyn-based design firm Workstead. ‘When we met the team we felt they fully shared our philosophy - that storytelling leads the way, and that details follow,’ Hauer-King says.

Fortunately, the building itself presented narrative gold. The townhouse, located at 113 West 13th Street, was the former home and gallery of Edith Gregor Halpert–New York’s first female gallery owner and one of the most influential American art dealers of her time. Born in Odessa in 1900 to a Jewish family, Halpert went on to make her fortune and eventually establish the Downtown Gallery in 1926. Halpert exhibited painters like Georgia O’Keefe, Arthur Dove, and Jacob Lawrence, and her patrons included socialite Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. ‘She was this super cool woman working at an amazing time in history, so we were really inspired by her story, the art, and the gallery,’ Mahoney says.

People’s, which is located in the building’s garden level, is neatly organized into a sequence of three primary rooms–a low-ceilinged antechamber; a middle salon; and, finally, at the apartment’s back, an airy gallery, crowned with a greenhouse-like skylight. ‘The vibe changes from space to space,’ Mahoney says. ‘The architecture lends itself to that.’

When visitors enter through a velvet curtain, they find themselves in a cozy ‘parlour’ area, complete with an original fireplace. Here, you can grab a drink at the main bar and head to a cozy booth where banquettes, upholstered in chocolate velvet, are ensconced by walls clad in a sumptuous moiré-print wallpaper and punctuated by hand-painted fabric sconces.

‘We had Edith Halpert in our mind,’ Mahoney notes. ‘She wore all these beautiful suits with different patterns and textures, so we wanted it to have a feminine kind of energy.’

Venture further into People’s and the mood gets sexier. ‘Margot kept saying in the second space, she really wanted people to be dancing,’ the designer says. In this middle lounge, Mahoney and his team covered the walls in a luxurious plum-coloured velvet while the ceiling got tricked out with softly-gleaming bronze. Cut-glass light fixtures and polished timber furnishings cast glimmers around the room. The design team intentionally selected materials with reflective qualities—materials that ‘had a little bit of mystery to them.’

‘When you see the space with all the lights turned on, it's one thing, but it’s meant to be seen in dimmed light,’ Mahoney adds.

The third and final room is People’s most impressive moment and doubtlessly social media catnip (though little bronze plaques remind visitors that People’s has a no-photo policy). A massive timber bar–repropsed from an antique French bookshelf– facilitates chilled martinis (there’s one named for Rockefeller) and morsels like tuna toasts and caviar. Once again, the building’s 20th-century proprietor was close at hand: ‘We decided to cover all of the walls with soft yellow curtains. I thought it was really fun, because it kind of spoke to these dressed up, fancier, old world apartments in New York City,’ Mahoney explains.

Though the digs are indeed something to behold, Hauer-King, the daughter of London restaurateur Jeremy King, wanted good service to be just as integral to the experience (growing up, she would get a treat if she could remember the color of a waiter’s eyes). ‘[Dad] taught me that service can never be an afterthought, and that even if your martinis are freezing, people won’t come back to a place if they aren’t made to feel valued,’ she says.

It’s clear that patrons are indeed coming back, including a celebrity or two. A DJ booth has been installed in the middle lounge and customers have been known to dance atop the tables and Halpert-inspired striped sofas. Fortunately, Workstead consulted a sound engineer, and plush carpets throughout help mitigate party beats.

But that still doesn’t fend off a few design-related accidents. One of the casualties included a jellyfish-like Venetian glass lamp designed by Sophie Lou Jacobson that retails for around $4,700. 'Not three months into operations, a client bumped his rear end into the side table where the lamp sat, and sent it tumbling to the floor, smashing it into a million pieces,' says McDermott.

'We have since replaced the lamp with flowers.'

People's is located at 13 W 13th Street, New York, NY and is open by RSVP only.

Milan has long been known as a world-class destination for fashion (Milan Fashion Week A/W 2025 kicks off today, 25 February), design, and food, but when it came to nightlife, the city never quite rivalled other creative capitals, like Paris or London. But in recent years, a bit of a renaissance after dark has hit, with a wave of new cocktail bars and aperitivo spots opening seemingly every month. The momentum was solidified when the fashion designer Massimo Giorgetti held a four-night-long event last year that he dubbed ‘I Bar di Quartiere’ (The Neighbourhood Bars), with each evening dedicated to one of his favourites.

What’s even more exciting about the city’s new crop of bars is that most aren’t run by traditional hospitality groups. Instead, the latest generation of owners come from the creative fields – film producers, models, chefs, and creative directors – all of whom are redefining nightlife and making the city a more dynamic place. From chromed-out spaces designed for DJ nights and film viewings to intimate listening bars with menus inspired by Japan, Milan’s newest bars are as stylish and boundary-pushing as the city itself.

Explore the best cocktail bars in Milan

Bar Nico

Set in a former pasta shop – whose vintage signage remains intact on the building’s façade – on a curving corner of Via Cesare Saldini overlooking the quiet Piazza Francesco Guardi, Bar Nico has become a staple for the genteel Acquabella neighbourhood. Local firm SagomaStudio designed the interior with stainless steel fixtures, concrete walls, simple wooden bistro seating and a rough cement bar softly illuminated by backlit panels overhead – which, even from a distance, can be seen glowing red through the bar’s wide picture windows. The kitchen serves a concise offering of thoughtfully prepared small plates – from smoked sardines to sliced meats and cheese – alongside mostly European natural wines and an extensive menu of nonalcoholic options.

Bar Nico is located at Via Cesare Saldini, 2, 20133 Milano, Italy; barnicomilano.com

Bene Bene

When cocktail bar Bene Bene opened overlooking Porta Venezia’s Morgagni Park at the end of 2022, it was among the first in what would become a growing crop of listening bars in Milan. Revolving around a sound system designed by co-founder Giorgio Di Salvo, Bene Bene has since become a late-night destination for the fashion and design set, who flock here for the expertly crafted drinks by legendary barman Morris Maramaldi. The interior was designed by architect Luca Toniolo, who envisioned a sleek contemporary aesthetic defined by slate grey walls, a dark-stained wooden bar, stainless steel furniture, and contemporary artwork by the likes of Dario Guccio, Emanuele Marcuccio, and Daniele Milvio.

Bene Bene is located at Via Giovanni Battista Morgagni, 31, 20129 Milano, Italy; bene-bene.it

Dexter Soundbites

A newcomer to the Isola neighbourhood, Dexter Soundbites is a 25-seat restaurant and listening bar where food and music share the spotlight. It was a month spent in Japan that planted the seed for English-Italian chef and founder Giovanni DeNardi to open his own space, where he could blend his passions for Japanese, Peruvian and Mexican cooking – the menu includes dishes like tuna tostadas, pumpkin and sage tempura and cotoletta buns – with his love of vinyl, which is played nightly from the bar’s impressive sound system. Designed by DDSarchitettura, the space was envisioned to be closer to a library than a cocktail bar, with wood-lined walls and hundreds of sleeves of records proudly on display.

Dexter Soundbites is located at Via Carmagnola, 15, 20159 Milano, Italy; dexters.superbexperience.com

Lubna

When Fondazione Prada opened in the industrial Scalo Porta Romana area of Milan in 2015, the surroundings housed little more than warehouses and the occasional corporate head office. But over the past ten years, the district has flourished, with new galleries, restaurants and, come winter 2026, the Olympic Village. Adding to the mix is Lubna, a cocktail bar, restaurant and listening lounge, which opened in early 2025. Featuring a brutalist-inspired interior by Florence’s Q-bic studio – with moody black walls, low-slung leather furniture and concrete floors – the 1,200 sq m space revolves around a central courtyard planted with several shade-giving trees. In addition to a vast cocktail list, chef Enrico Croatti curates a menu focused on both raw and fire-grilled dishes, adding to the convivial yet cutting-edge vibe.

Lubna is located at Via Vezza d’Oglio, 14, 20139 Milano, Italy; lubnamilano.com

Section80 Bar

Located in the Isola neighbourhood on the northern edge of the city’s centre, Section80 bar’s central focus is undeniably music. Several times each week, DJs from Milan and abroad take up residence in the minimal, Studio Wok-designed space overlooking the busy via Farini – with its matte metal bar, asymmetrical tables, and black risers lining the edge of the room. On quieter nights, however, there is space to relax and peruse one of the magazines or books curated by Edicola 518, indulge in a glass of natural wine and simple aperitivo snacks like kimchi toasties, or, if you’re lucky, take in a film on the LED screen that dominates the back wall.

Section80 Bar is located at Via Carlo Farini, 44, 20159 Milano, Italy; @section80.bar

Ultramarino

The intersection of Via Lambro and Via Melzo in the Porta Venezia neighbourhood was already an established nightlife destination when Ultramarino opened its doors in 2024. But the compact bar has added to the buzz with its focus on natural wines and excellent Sicilian-inspired seafood tapas menu, which includes sourdough with butter and anchovies, devilled eggs with tuna and capers from Panetelleria, and swordfish toasts with lemon and fennel. The stripped-back interior lends itself to an informal vibe, with raw concrete walls, stainless steel room dividers and wire metal shelving showcasing the bar’s over 200 bottles sourced from across the Mediterranean.

Ultramarino is located at Via Lambro, 9, 20129 Milano, Italy; @ultramarino

Also read: A guide to the best fashion stores Milan has to offer

As a life-long vinyl-lover, trapped in a world where the likes of Spotify and low attention-span streaming habits have transformed how we consume music forever, there’s no better moment for me than opening my record cabinet, taking out an album, carefully dusting it off and slowly placing it on my turntable. The anticipation as the arm moves into position followed by the gentle thud as the needle hits its groove has become a ritual for many a like-minded vinyl junkie: it’s an experience that requires patience and demands the listener to appreciate a body of work, rather than idly skipping through a few selected tracks, like an over-excited toddler.

The good news is that if the ritual, the persistence and a slower, more considered experience of vinyl is your sort of thing, then a small but growing enclave of London ‘listening bars’ is here to save the day.

The listening bar concept isn’t something particularly new. In fact, the idea of playing records, more for the purpose of actual appreciation, rather than to fill a subliminal background sound-void dates back to Japan in the 1950s, where intimate spaces – or the ‘jazz kissa’ as they were known – sometimes with only a dozen or so seats for regular patrons, would purposefully play jazz recordings of the day on high-end, audiophile sound systems to actively enhance the mood and drinking experience.

As the concept grew, so did the genres: I vividly recall my first experience of a Japanese vinyl bar back in 2009, when I discovered a tiny outlet by chance, on the 15th floor of a nondescript Shinjuku office block. A tentative knock at the door revealed its smiling, hospitable owner and an extraordinary floor-to ceiling collection of 1960s Blues, Psychedelic and Acid Rock vinyl, with an invitation to dive straight in. Each drink that followed felt more purposeful, considered and enjoyable, given that we were pairing whisky highballs to complex masterpieces from the likes of Tonto’s Expanding Head Band (check out Zero Time, their spiralling, synth-laden masterpiece from 1971) and 1960s garage psych-rockers, The Chocolate Watchband.

Back in the UK, as bar owners looked to connect more intimately with their customers, the concept of using music became a successful strategy.

Spiritland, located in the now Uber-popular Granary Square in Kings Cross, London, was arguably the first to fully embrace the listening bar concept in 2016, by designing the drinking environment around a behemoth of a sound system: huge, futuristic-looking Living Voice speakers, which are handmade in Nottinghamshire, and state-of-the-art vacuum tube amplifiers from Italian manufacturer Atelier du Triode. The mood was set for the listening experience to become equal to the drinking experience, as such a mega sound system breathed new life into the perfectly curated selection of vinyl being played: giving it more soul, purpose, air and presence. Close your eyes for a second and it was like Miles Davis had come to play an intimate gig in north London for the night.

Today, the listening bar experience has expanded across London, and here’s a selection of some of my favourite places to visit, relax, unwind and thoroughly disconnect from reality – a welcome feeling… even if it is for just a few hours.

Find your groove: the best listening bars in London

Spiritland

As mentioned, Spiritland is the daddy of them all, and the bar that helped reinforce the concept of listening bars in London nearly a decade ago. Founder Paul Noble has painstakingly curated an incredible high-end sound system, alongside bespoke record decks, reel-to-reel tape players and other vintage equipment. A café as well as a cocktail bar, Spiritland hosts sets from well-known DJs, playing everything from Balearic beats to jazz and eclectic electro. There’s even an on-site radio studio hosting podcasts and, more recently, a sister venue in Lisbon. NR.

9 – 10 Stable Street London N1C 4AB, spiritland.com

Rhythm & Brews

As concepts go, amazing coffee, craft beers, great food and good music goes a long way and this small, but beautifully laid out environment is a haven for relaxing, whilst a turntable plays classic records. Browse through a selection of vinyl (including Elvis, The Beatles and more contemporary artists) and have your suggested ‘wax’ soundtrack the whole place, as you enjoy a coffee (from renowned roaster ECC) or a Signature Brew IPA. There are also periodic live music nights too. NR.

22 Walpole Gdns, Chiswick, London W4 4HG, rhythmandbrews.uk

Kioku

A well as being one of London’s best sake bars, Kioku has been modelled around the traditional feel of the original jazz kissa bars from the 1950s. The environment is distinctly relaxed and has a profound living-room feel, where a turntable takes centre stage, and the soothing sounds of modern jazz or gentle breakbeats fill the gaps in conversation. The sake list, or bible, as the bar calls it, curated by ‘Sake Samurai’ Natsuki Kikuya, offers over 100 types to choose from, including classic brands, more modern, craft expressions (among them four created in the UK) aged sake and a distinct focus on rice varietals. Somewhere to explore where the listening bar concept truly began. NR.

57 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BX, kiokubyendo.com

Seed Library

When the creative brains behind the award-winning Lyaness bar enter the chat, you know something exceptional will flourish. Seed Library is a Shoreditch-based listening bar and sibling to the aforementioned Lyaness, located in the cavernous basement of 100 Shoreditch hotel, developed by cocktail specialist Ryan Chetiawardana and his Mr Lyan team. Its focus is on nature in its purest analogue forms: with a simple ethos to unwind in a truly relaxing lounge environment, whilst being served exceptional high-end cocktails, bar snacks to die for and, of course, a selection of vinyl, played through a bespoke vacuum tube sound system. At the weekends you’ll find Shoreditch’s finest vinyl merchants, Diggers Dozen spinning the tunes. NR.

100 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JQ, seedlibraryshoreditch.com

Jumbi

Jumbi’s founders Bradley Zero and Nathanael Colours have poured their heart, soul and incredibly extensive record collections into this wonderfully laid-out listening bar/restaurant, which concentrates on the vibrancy of Peckham and the sounds and flavours of the Caribbean diaspora. With a bespoke single turntable system and vintage tape echo units – the housing created by designer, Don Heston – the aim is to focus on the appreciation of the album as a body of work, rather than creating mixes. Both the music and cocktails are centered around the Afro-Caribbean heritage of the founders. If nights are about true vibe, then Jumbi is right up there with the best. NR.

Unit 4.1, Copeland Park, 133 Copeland Road, Peckham, SE15 3SN, jumbipeckham.com

Jazu

Some would say that the stereo is the true cultural centre of the household and for the founders of Jazu, having finally found a permanent location in Deptford to house their beloved sound system after years of south London pop-ups and residencies, it must feel like they have truly arrived home. After first experiencing a listening bar in Mexico, founders Rosie Robertson and Jimmy Hanmer wanted to keep the concept simple: create a space that would become legendary for its comfort and hospitality. The sound system has been created by south London audio engineer Bosco Taylor and the 3,000-strong collection of vinyl, curated by Hanmer, is as varied and diverse as the cocktails, which come with a strong agave spirit bent: A Mezcal Mule never sounded as good as this…. NR.

No.2 Deptford High Street, London, SE8 4AF, jazudrinks.com

All My Friends

This east London bar and music joint is perhaps the true definition of a hybrid space. Part bar, part record shop, part riverside terrace, this former industrial unit overlooking the Thames has become one of London’s most talked-about locations. Being named after an LCD Soundsystem song will give you a bit of an idea about the vibe here: a killer high-fidelity system of their own, curated vinyl nights from local record collectors and DJs, sourdough pizzas courtesy of the in-house oven, and a wealth of natural wine and craft beers. Something tells me we’re all gonna be friends. NR.

Unit 1, Hamlet Estate, 96 White Post Ln, London E9 5EN, allmyfriends.uk

Sova

A recent addition to Notting Hill's listening-bar scene, Sova – which opened in 2026 – pairs a vinyl-led music programme with a distinctive wine list spotlighting producers from Central and Eastern Europe. Just off Portobello Road, the bar serves Ukrainian sparkling wines, Georgian reds and Croatian whites alongside Slavic-inspired dishes (we loved the raw tuna, served with fiery adjika and chocolate mousse with tangy sea buckthorn). Guest DJs provide the soundtrack several nights a week and they have also curated several custom playlists to bring the vibe home. The result is a chic and intimate neighbourhood spot, perfect for date night or a long-overdue natter with friends. CG.

Sova, 9 Blenheim Cres, W11 2EE

In the 1950s and 60s, Athens’ society swans gathered in a club in the old-moneyed Kifisia quarter, their pastime of choice, endless rounds of koum kan, a devilish Greek version of rummy. At the turn of this century, the venue was absorbed into the Karim Rashid-designed Semiramis Hotel as a restaurant and bar, from which it recently emerged from a tip-to-toe refurbishment by New York-based design studio, Manhattan Projects.

Koumkan, Athens

The makeover breathes new life into Koumkan by creating dramatically staged room sets. Each space is dressed to the nines in a palette that is at turns expensively moody and at others stylishly whimsical, its entirety, the designers say, is meant to evoke the vibe of an inter-war bar in Milan or Vienna. The tone is set at the entrance where a staircase encased in travertine descends from the street level into a pink-hued foyer, its bijou proportions cleverly disguised by floor-to-ceiling mirrored walls.

From this relatively austere entry, Manhattan Projects turn up the dial as it unfolds a sequence of spaces saturated in colour and textures. A darkly moody bar with all the feels of Batman’s lair is swathed in green marble from Tinos, 1960s stainless steel sconces and a futuristic, horizontal chandelier.

This opens out into a vast, cave-like space, its soaring ceiling exaggerated by four metre-high chandeliers of glass rods and mirrored panels that cast dizzying reflections and light – an effect Manhattan Projects describes as an ‘inside-out disco ball’. Framed by Iranian pink travertine, the elongated banana-shaped banquettes, meanwhile, are swathed in a light pink fabric produced by a local artisan who also supplies material to the Vatican and local Orthodox churches.

Against such an exuberant setting, the kitchen works hard to keep up with an eclectic menu touched with French, American, Italian and Japanese influences. Current crowdpleasers include buttermilk fried chicken served up with lime mayonnaise and Oscietra, Petrossian salmon crudo, a brioche of truffled grilled cheese, and a juicy slab of Chateaubriand draped with a yakiniku sauce.

Post-prandial treats range from a knickerbocker of ice cream and marshmallow, and Sacher torte, to lavish cocktails – think Negronis arriving at the table with buttered caramel popcorn, and spritzes with cherry soda – the latter best enjoyed either by the pool just beyond the restaurant, or back in the bar where live DJs obligingly keep the good times spinning till dawn.

Koumkan is located at Semiramis Hotel, Char. Trikoupi 48, Kifisia 145 62, Athen, Greece; koumkan.com

With 2025 just around the corner, it’s time to make the important decision of where to celebrate the new year in style. Follow the instincts of Wallpaper* readers with this round-up of the most-read bar reviews of the past year. These hot spots around the world span from a minimalist London drinking den to an utterly decadent Las Vegas lounge and a subterranean New York negroni bar. Let cocktail hour begin…

The best bars to make for in 2025

Ama Bar in Vancouver, Canada

To reach Ama, a new Japanese-inspired cocktail and raw bar in Vancouver, one must first locate it. Bathed in orange light, its subtle signage can be hard to spot, but once found, guests are ushered through a discreet orange metal door, up a large staircase and into a space that could easily be a set backdrop for Blade Runner 2049. Designed by Canadian studio &Daughters, with branding by Glasfurd & Walker, the moodily-lit interiors are dominated by polished black granite surfaces, backlit shelves and textured plastered walls with semi-transparent golden mirrors, while the menu offers up inventive cocktails infused with Japanese flavours, such as jasmine and yuzu, as well as melt-in-the-mouth, predominantly raw seafood dishes.

Ama is located at 3980 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5V 4E4, Canada, @ama.rawbar

Bauhaus Warehaus in London, UK

Remy Savage is undoubtedly the mixologist of the moment, and his conceptual bar, A Bar with Shapes for a Name – represented by a yellow triangle, red square, and blue circle – is a Bauhaus-inspired triumph of functionalism and minimalism. Situated on Kingsland Road, between Shoreditch and Dalston, Shapes has swiftly become one of east London’s most buzzworthy destinations. This year, Savage expanded his vision with Bauhaus Warehaus, a sister venue also on Kingsland Road. Despite being a production facility, Warehaus is an inspiring place to drink and unwind, nestled among the shelves of bottles, colour-coordinated crates and stainless steel surfaces.

Bauhaus Warehaus is located at 538 Kingsland Rd, London E8 4AH, @bauhaus_warehaus

Thinking of dining out? See our reviews of the best new London restaurants.

Comblé Bar in Shizuoka, Japan

Comblé Bar, in Shizuoka (a few hours west of Tokyo on Japan’s Pacific Ocean coast), is considered one of the last publicly accessible spaces designed by the late Shiro Kuramata in Japan. Located on the first floor of an unassuming building, the bar features the designer’s hallmark style, blending geometry and sweeping curves with floating elements, a bold colour palette, and striking materials like acrylic, glass, and terrazzo. Opened in 1988, just three years before Kuramata’s passing, it was part of a series of projects he undertook in Shizuoka, a region known for its green tea and traditional crafts. A growing number of fans are making a pilgrimage to experience the space first-hand.

Comblé Bar is located at Seizen Bldg. 2F 2-7 Gofukucho, Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City, @comble.bar

El Minutito in Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico City café-bar El Minutito, designed by architect Lucas Cantú, was envisioned as a sanctuary for the enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures. Mirrors are strategically placed to reflect and expand the space, while wood infuses it with a warm, cosy atmosphere. At the central, custom-designed bar where a bespoke clock elegantly ticks away the minutes, paying homage to the café’s name (‘in a minute’ in Spanish) – guests can savour pastries, pan dulce and Mexican hot chocolate during the day. And, as evening falls, botanas (snacks) are served on dainty plates, while moreish cocktails mark the beginning of the evening as the music picks up pace.

El Minutito is located at Londres 28, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600 Mexico City, Mexico, @el.minutito

The Pinky Ring in Las Vegas, USA

Global design studio Yabu Pushelberg and Bruno Mars joined forces this year to unveil The Pinky Ring, a cocktail lounge and live music venue at the heart of Las Vegas’ Bellagio Resort and Casino, full of decadence and 1970s flair. From the plush velvets paired with marble tabletops to the no-phones policy, every detail evokes opulent nostalgia. Curved furnishings flow through the space, while a mirrored passageway showcasing Mars’ Grammy collection leads guests into the secluded 5,000 sq ft debonair retreat. Signature cocktails include the Mars Mocha (chocolate rum, Cognac, espresso, banana, and toasted sesame froth) or the Hooligan (tequila, Cointreau, agave nectar, lime, and jalapeño with a Tajín rim). Puns most likely intended.

The Pinky Ring is located within the Bellagio Hotel and Casino, 3600 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, United States, bellagio.mgmresorts.com

Sotto in New York, USA

Tucked beneath Lupetto, a chic wood-fired Italian steakhouse in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, lies Sotto – a sleek negroni bar. Infused with the rich aromas of woody vermouth and burnt orange, Sotto’s low-lit, pink-and-gold-toned interiors set an irresistibly sultry mood. Its subterranean setting creates an immersive escape from the hustle above. Studio Parts and Labour accented the interiors with the old-world history of the location; bespoke highlights include a velvet-framed chandelier adorned with a squared grove of hand-dyed tassels and a special Hollywood-style banquette created in a quirky nook. The drink menu celebrates craft amari, featuring sparkling, white, rosé, and red wines, alongside bold and complex cocktails like the signature Lupetto Negroni.

Sotto is located within Lupetto at 1123 Broadway, New York, NY 10010, United States, @lupettonyc

Much of ancient city of Baia may be underwater these days, but there was a time when the sun-kissed spot on the north-west shore of the Gulf of Naples, Italy, was a fashionable resort and the toast of Rome’s well-heeled holidaymakers. Leave it to the Singapore-based restaurateur Beppe De Vito, no stranger himself to creating sybaritic culinary outposts across the island, to pay homage to Baia by reviving those halcyon days with such stylish pomp at his latest, eponymous bar and lounge.

Inside new Singapore bar Baia: soigné aesthetics and alcoholic genius

As locations go, the 5,000 sq ft Baia in Singapore is literally sitting pretty, De Vito and longtime collaborator, the interior designer David Edwards of Aston Design, making the most of the perch atop the sweeping crescent balcony above the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.

For starters, the best seats in the house are strung along the deeply set loggia, lined with timber floor planks and broad arches, for bracing views of Marina Bay, glittery skyscrapers, and the triptych towers of the Marina Bay Sands resorts.

Inside sprawls a double-tiered lounge sprinkled with low-slung sofas that are ideal for louche slouching. The ceiling is festooned with a shimmering pool of pendant glass lamps, whilst the far walls are framed by smaller arched recesses lined with sepia-toned pastoral etchings of old Roman ruins and sea nymphs hiding among flowing seaweed and botanicals.

But as soigné as Baia’s aesthetics are, it’s the bacchanalian cocktails that draw in the crowds. Conceived by local beverage consultants, Proof & Co – the alcoholic geniuses behind nightcap stalwart, 28 HongKongStreet – the drinks menu is ambitious in its fantastical concoctions that give more than a passing nod to ancient Rome.

Each drink is jocularly named – Sorrento Coast, Strombolian, Odyssey and Sunken City, for instance – and each is an exercise in excess, whether tonic mixed with seven-year-old Matusalem rum and Prosecco coffee, barrel-aged gin, bitters and vermouth aged in clay pots, or even an affogato of Ferrand 1840 Cognac smothered with a thick foam of vanilla and chocolate.

All this is sensibly paired with a gourmand’s spread of nibbles, such as Oscietra, platters of truffled chorizo and pistachio mortadella, pizzas laden with trout and ikura, barbecued Iberico pork jowl straccetti, and grilled Bavette steak.

Baia is located at 8 Raffles Avenue, Level 4, Esplanade Mall, Singapore, www.baia.sg

Steps away from the plush Palais Royal district in Paris, Maison 3 is a bar with as much contemporary edge as risqué history. The building, once an avant-garde theatre under the stewardship of actress and singer Agnès Capri – which hosted French chanteuses such as Juliette Gréco, Barbara, and Edith Piaf – eventually became Le Tigre by l'Alternative, an underground nightclub. The venue has since survived countless transformations before its current rebirth.

Maison 3, Paris

Far from merely reinterpreting the space, Vernin has transformed the venue into a reflection of his vision. Its enigmatic name, inspired by the symbolic third house of the zodiac – linked to connection and communication – hints at its deeper purpose: to bring people together, celebrate life, and nurture relationships. Not coincidentally, it also reflects Vernin’s passion for astrology.

At this enigmatic music bar, social pretences are left behind at the understated white entrance. The door policy, ensuring a balance of warmth and exclusivity, is managed by Jenny Bel’Air, a legendary figure from Paris’ Palace nightclub. Her presence imbues the space with a hint of intrigue, and nods to the city’s glamorous past while setting the tone for its modern-day revellers.

Inside, the venue is a sensory masterpiece, brought to life by French interior architecture agency Les Beaux Jours. The design fuses textures and eras, from banquettes dressed in sumptuous fabrics by Métaphores and Kvadrat to vintage lighting fixtures. The centrepiece – a dazzling marble bar blending art deco with Memphis flair – anchors the room in intimate sophistication. Handpicked treasures from the Saint-Ouen flea market add a touch of soul, while other playful details include mirror-ball mosaics in the restrooms and a bespoke installation lighting the pocket-size dance floor.

Signature cocktails such as Burning Love, Cock Corico, and Padam Panam stand out among an extensive menu of more than 60 beverages and are best enjoyed during the handpicked artistic performances and live DJ sessions that define the pulse of Maison 3 – phones tucked away in the cloakroom and the focus shifted entirely to the present moment.

Maison 3 is located at 5 Rue Molière, 75001 Paris, France, @maison3.paris

Remy Savage is very much the mixologist of the moment. He began honing his skills at the Little Red Door in Paris – the bar that first set his artistic vision on its swift upward trajectory – before leaping into the London scene in 2017, becoming head bartender at The Langham hotel’s much-lauded Artesian.

Savage’s next move was to create three new conceptual, art movement-inspired bars and bistros: Nouveau in Paris, Abstract in Lyon, and arguably his most groundbreaking so far: London’s A Bar with Shapes for a Name (symbolised by a yellow triangle, a red square and a blue circle), a Bauhaus-inspired experience based purely around functionalism and minimalism. Everything about Shapes is a masterclass in expertly measured simplicity: from the lack of branding on show to the colour-coordinated staff uniforms and utilitarian furniture and fittings.

‘I come from an art history and philosophy background,’ says Savage. ‘The idea is to see how we can use a bar’s atmosphere to talk about art in a non-intrusive way. So everything – the design, drinks, uniform, service, opening hours, price – has to be based on a problem artists were trying to solve.’

Located on Kingsland Road, in the blurry hinterland between Shoreditch and Dalston, Shapes (currently ranked 35 on The World’s 50 Best Bars list) has quickly become one of east London’s most talked-about haunts – which has presented Savage with a series of challenges in how to keep his customers happy (given the queues to get a table and the intricate detailing of the instantly Instagrammable ice cubes).

‘On a busy day, we can create 1,000 cocktails,’ he says. ‘We make all the ice ourselves, and our ingredients are sourced locally. There’s very little that isn’t done by us. As such, we have four people preparing stuff full-time, whether that’s cutting ice, putting little prisms inside the cubes, repairing glassware or recycling glass to make plates out of.’

Bauhaus Warehaus, a production facility that’s also a bar

The solution comes in the form of Bauhaus Warehaus, a sister location also on Kingsland Road. ‘We had been renting an amazing space for all the production so we thought, why don’t we use this space to manufacture during the day, then have this kind of warehouse/factory vibe, still inspired by the Bauhaus mindset, opening at five o’clock – the end of the working day – where lights are dimmed, music is playing, and workers are enjoying a beer,’ he says. ‘And that’s exactly what Warehaus is.’

It’s intriguing to learn what Savage considers to be the main difference between the two bars, given their similarities and proximity to each other. ‘I like this idea of Shapes being the cool younger brother who, even though he is praised by teachers
for being clever, is, deep down, a bit of a dick and a bit pretentious,’ he laughs. ‘I see Warehaus as the hardworking sibling that actually gets stuff done.’

The innovative liquid concepts that are on display at Shapes are also very much part of the Warehaus drinks culture, but they are delivered in a more affordable way, with cocktails priced at £10, many using production leftovers from Shapes. ‘We make a drink called Pastel at Shapes, which requires us to press kilos and kilos of rhubarb every day. At Warehaus, we distil this already-pressed rhubarb and make a gimlet out of it,’ Savage explains. ‘We also have a Shapes espresso martini, which uses a cool brew system. We take the leftover coffee to Warehaus, redistill it, then top it with cream soda.’

Despite being a production facility, Warehaus is an inspiring place to drink and unwind, nestled among the shelves of bottles, colour-coordinated crates and stainless steel surfaces.

It is a testament to a creative vision that has also seen Savage collaborate with Cartier on a fragrance project and with Nude on a bar glassware collection, as well as plan another forthcoming bar opening in Milan (this one focusing on Futurism as its artistic concept) and a collaboration with the Louvre in Paris, which he is clearly buzzing about.

‘It’s very exciting at the moment, we are pursuing a lot more things outside of the gastronomical side of the industry,’ he says. ‘We are more interested in art than we are in drinks, but drinks seem to end
up being what we are better at!’ 

@bauhaus_warehaus, @a_bar_with_shapes_for_a_name_

The Singaporean addiction to K-Pop and Korean TV drama series continues unabated, a state of affairs that reaches its cultural apotheosis in the vast number of Korean eateries scattered across the island. Determined to stand firmly apart from the pack is Odem, a new bijou makgeolli bar and restaurant designed by London-based Nice Projects – also behind the design of restaurant Claudine in Singapore.

Odem: the first artisanal Makkoli bar and restaurant in Singapore

Set within New Bahru – an old high school block transformed into a lifestyle and creative hub – the 32-seater features, literally, a heady collection of the traditional Korean fermented rice liquor paired with upbeat Korean fare.

The design brief, say Nice Projects’ founders Simone McEwan and Sacha Leong, was ‘to create a versatile space where the foliage of the outdoor terrace and the sunlight caters for a lunch crowd, but transforms into a lively and stylish, yet informal bar at night.’

The key to unlocking the bifurcated design is the row of half-charred timber panels that run along the walls. ‘We came across charred timber as a material when i was researching makgeolli wineries,’ Leong says. ‘We realised we could use the pattern to evoke a distinctive, warm cinematic mood. The goal was to capture a sense of place by re-interpreting Korean design and craft.’

Once the visual anchor was in place, Leong and McEwan layered textures – lashings of red linoleum paired with granite table tops, lacquered joinery, metal ceiling, fabric pendant lamps created by Seoul-based AGO Lighting, and slim red-stained timber chairs that were designed in collaboration with Korean design studio, Studio Word.

The bar is clad in handmade ceramic tiles which the designers say allude to onggi, the black earthen pots that are traditionally used to ferment makgeolli.

Meanwhile, Bae Yumi has traded in her toque as the private chef of the Korean ambassador to head up Odem’s kitchen, her MO being modern Korean fare paired with craft makgeolli, among them Yakju, Takju and Chungju. Recent tasty headliners have included soy-glazed brioche slathered with Gamtae seaweed butter; and boneless beef short ribs charred over hot coals and served with a pickled grapefruit salad and chilli vinaigrette.

Odem is located at 46 Kim Yam Rd, #01-17, Singapore 239351, odem.sg

With such an imposing, modernist skyline, Canary Wharf is well known as London’s financial district. However post-pandemic hospitality developments have blossomed in the area, with the latest high-profile arrival being Soma 2.0 – a reimagining of Kricket co-founders Rik Campbell and Will Bowlby’s Soho-based speakeasy bar, Soma. The original location on Denman Street quickly earned widespread acclaim, culminating in being awarded Best Bar at the GQ Food & Drink Awards in April 2022. The new location carries on the same eclectic, but still highly curated feel, with a punchy, vibrant cocktail list that celebrates the diversity of flavours from the Indian subcontinent.

Soma 2.0, a new London bar

At Soma 2.0, each drink has a specific ‘less is more’ theme, using seasonal ingredients alongside a distinctly Indian headline flavour twist. From the refreshing and aromatic ‘Carom’(which brings together East London Liquor Co vodka, lime leaf, carom seed pisco and tonka bean), and the altogether richer, sweet and savoury ‘Mango’ (combining Japanese Toki whisky, lacto green mango, Ancho Reyes Verde liqueur and honey), to the coastal-themed ‘Samphire’ – a non-alcoholic blend of samphire tea, Himalayan salt, ginger and green chilli, painstaking detail and artistic flair are clearly evident in each recipe, developed by the head of beverages, Will Rogers.

It's not just the drinks that demonstrate an eye-catching and innovative feel, though. Designed by CAKE Architecture (whose motto ‘a collaborative approach to space, place and object’ was also the driving force behind the striking utilitarian design applied to east London’s A Bar With Shapes For A Name), Soma’s striking interiors feature an industrial aesthetic with exposed concrete, brightened by a bespoke yellow and red geometric light fixture that, according to the team, is ‘inspired by the vibrant hues of marigold markets’.

With the central bar accommodating up to 50 covers and a separate lounge area with low tables and comfortable sofas (which can be used for private hire), Soma 2.0 mirrors the spontaneity of its Soho sibling, focusing on walk-ups, with very limited space for reservations.

Soma 2.0 is located at 6 Frobisher Passage, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4EE, somasoho.com

Swiss chef Daniel Humm loves New York. He told us so in his 2013 cookbook, I Love New York. Ingredients and Recipes. His vegan restaurant, Eleven Madison Park, has only just hosted the United Nations General Assembly, where it celebrated Pharrell Williams as a new Unesco goodwill ambassador (Humm is also in the fold). This week, though, the chef is celebrating a star addition of his own – the Clemente Bar, named for his friend and fellow NY adoptee, the Italian artist and publisher Francesco Clemente. Humm’s affection for his adopted city is, obviously, only deepening.

Francesco Clemente and Daniel Humm collaborate on Clemente Bar

The pair, who met a few years ago after being introduced by the art dealer Vito Schnabel, have been inspired to bring the bar up to cultural scratch via their shared love of the cosy, club-like confines of Kronenhalle Bar in Zurich. It is, in its way, a cheeky cultural exchange – the important art-filled European hotspot, designed by architect Robert Haussmann in 1956 is itself created in the classic American bar style (expert cocktails, no music).

But then Humm’s vision for Eleven Madison, where he rocked up as a seriously gifted young chef, nigh-on 20 years ago, before declaring his restaurant plant-based in 2021, was always going to be more than a destination for artful cuisine. The chef’s taste for contemporary art meant it soon became a palette for great artworks, too. Olympia Scarry’s glass mosaic at the entrance, Rashid Johnson murals and works by Rita Ackermann and Jeppe Hein point the way to Humm’s most ambitious collaboration so far: the Clemente Bar and counter, which will fill the upstairs floor at Eleven Madison Park.

Within its confines, Clemente, painting directly onto the wall, fully expresses his notion of ‘personal identities as fragmented entities’. These sprawling friezes, rich with gold, see figures embrace and float in dreamlike states, sail in the ocean in pod-like boats and lose their heads to sprouting, golden branches rich with gilded pomegranates.

The fantasy gets delightfully real when it comes to the Clemente Bar menu, created to offer a more relaxed version of seasonal fine-dining classics. At the counter, diners can choose from a multi-course prix-fixe menu. The new cocktail list, by beverage director Sebastian Tollius, of Leek Martini fame, promises fresh mixes with new-era spirits and unexpected raw materials.

As the countdown to opening night quickens, new cocktails are being teased on social media, with regular announcements that ‘bookings are being taken on a rolling basis’, and a magic missive for those who simply can’t wait to visit: ‘New slots will become available every day’.

From 10 October 2024, find Clemente Bar at Eleven Madison Park, 11 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10010, United States, clementebar.com

Sake, often likened to rice wine, is a perfect culmination of the environment in which it is created, with techniques dating back over 2,500 years. The landscape, the water, the people and the unique fermentation process all help to give it a remarkable flavour profile – ranging from fresh and floral, with orchard fruits, all the way to quite earthy and dry notes, making it a great pairing with grilled meats and bolder, spice-led cuisine.

With a London palate now more attuned to the precision and delicacy behind Japanese food culture there’s no better time to start exploring saké with confidence and, hopefully, you’ll find inspiration in these five brilliant bars, which represent just how far – and with such passion – the drink has truly flourished.

See also: where to eat sushi in London.

Explore London's best saké bars

Iné by Taku

The name Takuya Watanabe is already well known in Japanese culinary circles, and the Mayfair Michelin-starred Taku Omakase dining room offers an experience like no other. However, now you can head up to Hampstead to find its sibling, Iné by Taku, which, under the supervision of chef Law Kwok Meng, has a small, not-so-well-hidden sake experience upstairs. In a wonderfully light and traditionally styled environment, which also doubles as a contemporary art gallery lounge, you can try a well-curated list of saké, as well as special masterclass evenings dedicated to specific brewers.

Iné by Taku is located at 16 Hampstead High Street, NW3 1PX, inebytaku.com

Kanpai London Sake Brewery & Taproom

Kanpai was founded in 2016 by husband and wife team Tom and Lucy Wilson and can rightfully brag about being the very first British saké brewer ever since it opened up in its former Peckham home. Now relocated to Bermondsey, you’ll find a wealth of knowledge, precision, tradition and passion behind the drink, with a fine taproom and bottle shop laden with great expressions and a behind-the-scenes tour. Kanpai also offers an opportunity to brew your very own saké during a day-long course, which teaches attendees the ancient secrets of koji and provides a DIY home-brew kit.

Kanpai London Sake Brewery & Taproom is located at 48 Druid St, SE1 2EZ, kanpai.london

Kioku by Endo

Kioku by Endo, a cosy bar in the Raffles London at The OWO, is a treasure trove of incredible expressions. The list, or bible, as the bar calls it, curated by ‘Sake Samurai’ Natsuki Kikuya, sees over 100 types to choose from, including classic brands, more modern, craft expressions (including four created in the UK,) aged sake and a distinct focus on rice varietals, including unpolished, brown rice for a more rustic experience. There’s also a fine menu of Japanese-inspired cocktails too. The environment is distinctly relaxed and has been designed to mimic the almost living room feel of the famous Japanese ‘listening bars’, where a turntable takes centre stage, and the soothing sounds of modern jazz or gentle breakbeats fill the gaps in conversation.

Kioku by Endo Bar is located at 2 Whitehall Pl, SW1A 2BD, kiokubyendo.com

Moto

Moto’s speciality is all about championing smaller, independent brands, which are virtually unobtainable outside of their native Japan, and its ethos is to bring undiscovered gems to the table – including a perfectly formed menu of different saké. Neatly arranged into flavour groups (including aromatic, rich ‘kan-zake’, hot saké and sparkling styles), Moto has really managed to get under the skin of the culture behind the drink and its well-curated bottle shop gives you the chance to build up your own home collection too.

Moto is located at 7 Maiden Ln, WC2E 7NA, motoldn.com

Sake Collective

Yuya Yamamoto, CEO of Spitalfield’s Sake Collective – part bottle shop and bar – has meticulously collated a list of over 100 different sakés, with 30 of these available on a highly engaging bar menu, which helps to demystify the drinking rituals behind it. The saké is cleverly grouped by flavour and arranged on a neat sliding scale between Sweet and Dry, with the suggested serving temperature: chilled, room temperature or warmed. It’s the small details like this that make all the difference, elevating your saké knowledge and experience to another level.

Sake Collective is located at 144 Commercial St, E1 6NU, shop.sakecollective.uk

Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood is a piano bar mecca. Its proximity to the theatres of Broadway means there’s no shortage of audience appetite for ‘dinner and a show’ or talented musicians ready to tinkle the ivories. Joining the list of options is So & So’s, an intimate bar and lounge inside new New York hotel Romer Hell’s Kitchen, where live-music enthusiasts can enjoy a menu of family-style dishes like Oysters Rockefeller and K-Pop Fries, along with cocktails with locally inspired names, from The Big Apple to Bodega Cat, while being serenaded by a roster of performers.

So & So’s Piano Bar, New York

New York design studio Goodrich imagined the space as an elevated rendition of a typical neighbourhood bar, applying a bold red and blue colour palette and combining contemporary patterns with vintage decor to make the space feel familiar and different. ‘The name So&So’s implies the familiarity of a neighbourhood fixture, a place so ingrained in the local culture that people are on intimate terms with it,’ said Goodrich.

Guests arrive at an unassuming blue door, newly cut out of a side-street brick wall, through which they enter into a dimly lit corridor that draws them into the main area. This space is designed around a raised stage for nightly performances, set against a backdrop of upholstered panels and custom-designed decorative lights. A blue-lacquered upright piano anchors the stage, chosen to create a more informal vibe than a baby grand, while a small bar is located on the far side for slinging drinks during showtime.

Half-moon banquettes face the stage, and small tables accompanied by plush swivel chairs populate the centre, giving everyone an optimum view. Lamps with fabric shades and thin metal arms arc over the banquettes’ marble-topped tables, adding to the warm glow across the interior. ‘The sumptuous banquettes, upholstered walls, and custom lighting provide echoes from past generations of New York nightlife, while the welcoming energy creates a space for the whole neighbourhood to connect and commune,’ says Goodrich.

Further seating for those looking for conservation can be found on the other side of a partition wall, though a portal in the middle still allows views and sound through. Surrounding the interior are tufted walls covered in a red camouflage fabric – providing a visual break between the blue ceiling and built-in leather seating – and a bespoke crimson carpet patterned with entwined ‘S’ and ‘&’ symbols as a nod to the venue’s name and hand-drawn logo. ‘The brand design plays with the concept of “high and low”, incorporating a mix of references to local bars that have been in NYC for decades,’ Goodrich explains.

Tourists and locals may be spoilt for choice in the area, but So & So’s combination of distinctive interiors and a wide variety of programming – from pianists to DJs and open-mic nights – offers a unique experience for those who wish to extend their night out after a Broadway show, and are ready to sing along.

Find So & So’s Piano Bar at 302 W 52nd St, New York, NY 10019, United States, @soandsosny

A shabby back street in London’s Bethnal Green might not have been the most obvious choice for a French-inspired restaurant and chic cocktail bar, but 20 years after restaurateurs David Waddington and Pablo Flack launched Bistrotheque on the first floor of an early 20th-century industrial warehouse of brick, concrete and steel, the party is still going strong – more so now with the opening of their latest project, The Cockatoo, on the ground floor.

The Cockatoo by Bistrotheque, London

The ground-floor space, legendary for its drag cabaret shows, has been transformed by London-based studio Nice Projects into a standalone restaurant and performance area that can be reconfigured in a flash to cater for private events and dinners. The plan is also to open up the 105 sq m space for dance parties with live performers and DJs drawn from a predominantly queer cabaret scene, such as Bistroteque-favourites Jonny Woo and Dan Wye, aka Séayoncé.

Given a brief to create a flexible layout, Nice Projects’ Sacha Leong and Simone McEwan developed a modular banquette system on lockable wheels, which they paired with green mohair velvet and translucent polyester grating for the banquettes. Extant columns and lit fringe capitals are clad in mirror mosaic, the shimmering confection framed by a sassy fringe ceiling curtain, the latter made of 250m of fringe threads painstakingly zipped to metal grating.

The result is a fresh space that nevertheless cleaves close to its antecedents. As Leong and McEwan point out, ‘Bistrotheque is an east London institution that is now 20 years old. It’s had many successful iterations in the past, so it’s a special space for the creative community.’

Meanwhile, The Cockatoo’s kitchen is headed by Bistrotheque’s head chef Blaine Duffy, whose Mexican-inspired menu features the likes of grilled steak paired with ancho chilli butter, spring onions and lime, and a refreshing salad of grilled jicama, radish, corn and citrus. Traditionalists may prefer to show up on a Sunday for the classic roast and Yorkshire pudding.

The Cockatoo by Bistrotheque is located at 23-27 Waddeson Street, London E2 9DR, thecockatoo.london

Mexico City’s El Minutito is not just a café and bar; it is a tribute to universal moments of kinship and draws inspiration from the conviviality of Italian standing bars, the communal spirit of sharing tapas, and the warm embrace of old-school Mexican cantinas. Designed by Mexican architect and co-founder of Tezontle studio, Lucas Cantú, the space was envisioned as a sanctuary where locals and travellers could come together to enjoy life’s simple pleasures.

El Minutito, Mexico City

El Minutito has been custom-designed down to the smallest details, integrating a few unique pieces in a yellow-accented interior. Mirrors are strategically placed throughout to reflect and expand the space, creating a sense of openness. Wood infuses the project with a cosy and natural atmosphere, while off-the-shelf aluminium and brass profiles highlight intricate details.

At the heart of the establishment lies a custom-designed bar adorned with brass detailing and a bespoke clock that elegantly ticks away the minutes, paying homage to the project’s name (‘in a minute’ in Spanish). Here, guests can savour pastries, pies, cookies, traditional ‘pan de dulce’ and freshly prepared sandwiches. ‘Much like the fast-paced espresso culture in Italy, everything at El Minutito is fast and ready to go,’ Cantú points out.

As the day unfolds, guests can transition from sipping coffee, teas or Mexican hot chocolate to ordering cañas, vermouth and wine. Small botanas (snacks) are served on dainty plates, while cocktails and carajillos (a coffee drink) mark the beginning of the evening as the music picks up pace. ‘El Minutito is a social hub,’ Cantú says. ‘It’s a celebration of connection where strangers become friends over a shared moment.

El Minutito is located at Londres 28, Juárez, Mexico City, @el.minutito

A version of this article appears in the July 2024 Design Directory Issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.

Nowadays, tippling in Madrid bars seems incomplete without some flavoursome design to nibble on. With a wave of recent openings, designers and architects are crafting aesthetics that pair perfectly with what’s poured into your glass. Whether channelling edgy, industrial chic or nostalgia, these bars feature inventive approaches to design while incorporating elements of the Spanish capital’s history and traditions. Here are some of the key players shaking (and stirring) up Madrid’s drinks scene.

Madrid bars serving up style

La Analógica

US-born Nico Paredes worked in the music industry for several years before moving to Madrid from Nashville in 2022 – and he soon opened this indie music-themed bar, where his collection of 200 vinyls spin on the Technics SL 1650 record player. The walls display vinyl covers by artists ranging from The Strokes and Radiohead to Jungle and Lana del Rey, while each cocktail on the menu is inspired by a different album, including ‘Antics’ by Interpol and ‘King of the Beach’ by Wavves – all also exhibited. The space’s dark blue and orange colour theme is inspired by the cover art for ‘Invisible People’ by Chicano Batman, with leather sofas and vintage chairs sourced by furniture provider Francisco Segarra completing the retro look.

La Analógica is located at C. del Espíritu Santo, 15, laanalogica.com

Bar Trafalgar

With a façade inspired by an Edward Hopper painting, this bar has been capturing the nighthawks of Madrid’s Chamberí neighbourhood since it opened in 2022. Designed by architect Marta Banús, the space revolves around a large, curved, peninsular bar, whose counter has a zinc-looking finish created by metalworkers in the town of Valdepeñas, recalling Spanish traditions of old. The pool table is complete with a stainless steel cover that doubles up as a table surface, and artworks sourced from Madrid’s Estampa Gallery hang on the industrial-looking exposed walls. Meanwhile, the bar stools, blue velvet seats and cream-coloured leatherette sofas are the architecture studio’s own bespoke designs.

Bar Trafalgar is located at C. de Alburquerque, 14, bartrafalgar.es

La Estrella

Dark, star-filled skies are what inspired the design of this new two-floored cocktail joint, whose name translates to ‘the star’. With the help of Verbena Design Studio, the owners created a space that exudes a sense of nostalgic glamour, with velvet seating and 1970s Italian brass wall lights. Murals by the artist Ignasi Monreal made of blue and white ceramic tiles depict images of dreamy hedonism, which the designers say evoke the spirit of Madrid’s nightlife. Downstairs, the upholstered ceiling and distressed mirrors are dotted with stars, while the walls are filled with historic artworks sourced second-hand from Madrid’s Ritz hotel following its recent refurbishment, adding to the old-world aesthetic.

La Estrella is located at Calle de la Estrella, 3, @laestrellamadrid

Fat Cats Cocktail House

Inspired by the Fat Cat Burglars, a notorious gang of thieves who stole from wealthy elites around the US in the 1960s and 1970s, Alejandra Pombo studio wanted to design a space reminiscent of the luxurious homes of these robbers’ hapless victims. The bar’s entrance recreates the window of a jewellery store, a nod to the allure of looted jewels. Inside, the designers say, the carpeted floors and the fabric walls create the feeling of a 1970s American mansion, while the mirrors in the side of the bar, the corridor and the surface of the diamond-shaped tables suggest there’s nowhere to hide for even the most risqué among us.

Fat Cats Cocktail House is located at C. del Infante, 5, fatcatsmadrid.net

Gilda Haus

A high-gloss, metallic shade of pearl orange floods the floors, ceilings and walls at this new bar serving cocktails and gildas (pickled goods on skewers – a Madrid favourite). Designed by Codoo studio, the space oozes fantasy and indulgence, from the velvet curtains to the fabric carpets. Touches of light create nuance and texture within the monochromatic palette, such as the office-style tube lighting found in bright, concentrated blocks around the ceiling. The lightweight stainless steel chairs and tables are recognisable as those used on the terraces of classic Madrid bars: the designers say that placing such ubiquitous items in an otherwise highly stylised space brings avant-garde design together with the simplest of traditions.

Gilda House is located at C. de San Mateo, 6, @gildahaus_

ISA

With offices across the US, London and Bangkok, AvroKO studio designed the five different spaces of this Asian-inspired cocktail bar, located in Madrid’s Four Seasons hotel. One seating area features Japanese kintsugi-style decoration on the walls, while floral patterned fabric covers the walls and ceilings of the plush, romantically lit central lounge; Madrid-based artist Sandra Val created a ceiling fresco in the main bar area, and the speakeasy-style red room features a circular banquette and a sake barrel in the middle, surrounded by a variety of vintage chairs. The cocktails feature ingredients like lychee, jasmine, kumquat, shiso, ginger and lemongrass, while a selection of nigiri, sashimi, gyozas and more are available on the food menu.

ISA is located at C. de Sevilla, 3, fourseasons.com

Persimmons

The cocktails at this Georgia-inspired bar revolve around the traditional chacha, a traditional Georgian distillate, which this new Madrid establishment produces from the glossy, orange-coloured fruit that lends it its name. The persimmon is celebrated in the design too, such as in an artwork by Georgian artist Tinatin Tskhadadze, or in the colour of the restaurant’s most eye-catching table, designed by Olga Rusakova of Chapter One Studio. Swirls of the persimmon’s rich colour are also found in the marbled surface of the bar’s dark onyx counter, which is illuminated from within. Spread across two levels in the Salesas district, the space features items by nearby suppliers, like lighting by Ovalamp and tables and chairs by G69, while the bar stools are from Interiorismo, a Georgian outlet selling Spanish-designed furniture.

Persimmons is located at C. de Bárbara de Braganza, 2, persimmons.com.es

Yeite

The designers at Plantea Estudio say they wanted to create a ‘primitive’ look in this discreet, intimate new hideout in the Conde Duque neighbourhood, which they perfectly delivered. The space’s centrepiece is a monolithic stone block acting as the bar, and next to it, guests can enjoy signature cocktails and sophisticated snacks at low, circular tables (made of the same heavy granite) with space-efficient wooden stools that mimic the simplicity of old Madrid taverns. Together with the Pirelli rubber tiling on the floor and the stainless steel bar stools, the look is sturdy and utilitarian, but the space’s most striking feature is the Yves Klein blue on the walls – brilliant and evocative in the daylight, while deep and alluring in the evening. Look out for Alvar Aalto lighting pieces too.

Yeite is located at C. del Conde Duque, 14, yeite.es

When the sun is shining in London, there is simply no better place to be. Rather than flocking to the city’s many parks or terraces, take things sky-high and enjoy a pour in one of London’s lesser-known rooftop bars. The capital has no shortage of sophisticated options, all boasting delicious views – so soak up the sun with the Wallpaper* guide to immaculate rooftop drinking, all summer long.

The best London rooftop bars

Amano Rooftop Bar

Amano Rooftop Bar – hidden atop the first UK hotel of German group Amano – is something of a show-off, with views of the Thames, the London Eye and even The Shard from its vantage point on the seventh floor. It’s the perfect spot for a pre-or post-theatre drink, with a menu featuring enticing options such as the Attraction, a blend of Ojo de Dios Mezcal, Cointreau, blood orange juice and honey, and the irresistible Addiction, a mix of PiggyBack 6-year aged whiskey.

A tapas menu is also available, comprising Spanish bites like Stuffed Manzanilla Olives, Croquetas de Jamón and Gambas al Ajillo. Global architecture studio Woods Bagot was tasked with the delivery of the hotel’s entire architecture and interiors, including the elegant terrace.

Amano Rooftop Bar is located at Hotel Amano Covent Garden, Drury House, 34-43 Russell St, amanogroup.com

The Berkeley Rooftop Bar

Located between Knightsbridge and Belgravia, The Berkeley hotel’s rooftop bar is a lofty treat, initially reserved for staying guests but currently open for all to enjoy, until the end of the summer season. The space, courtesy of the in-house Maybourne design team, tempts with privileged vistas of Hyde Park’s treetops.

The venue’s current collaboration with premium tequila brand Patrón promises a Mexican-inspired taco menu and refreshing cocktails, with favourites including a trio of tacos or the ‘make your own’ guacamole offering. A post-dinner treat? Turn to the rooftop’s soft serve ice cream machine, or head to the lobby to nab the remaining pastries at Cédric Grolet’s Chef’s Counter. Discover a sun-bathed mural by artist Chiara Perano along the way.

The Berkeley Rooftop Bar is located at The Berkeley, Wilton Pl, London SW1X 7RL, the-berkeley.co.uk

Brooklands Terrace

When it opened in autumn 2023, Brooklands restaurant and bar added yet another layer of sophistication to the glamorous Peninsula London. Since then, its more recently opened terrace has emerged as the cherry on top of the Peter Marino-designed hotel. The Michelin-starred restaurant – named after the Surrey racetrack eponymous with British racing and aviation heritage, and helmed by chef Claude Bosi with Francesco Dibenedetto as chef de cuisine – takes guests on a journey across the British Isles through a three-course menu: one designed to be served within 60 minutes, or ‘Concorde speed’ as the team promises.

This same aviation reference is repeated across Brookland’s elegant interiors, courtesy of London-based Archer Humphryes Architects. Whether visiting the restaurant’s new terrace for the fleeting possibility of catching central London bathed in a technicolour sky, the bar’s expertly crafted seasonal cocktails, or the sleek design touches (among them a mirrored steel sculpture by Richard Hudson), Brooklands promises a soothing setting where luxury is the order of the day, every day.

Brooklands Terrace is located at The Peninsula London, 1 Grosvenor Pl, peninsula.com

Flute

Nestled on the corner of Broadwick Street and Berwick Street, Broadwick Soho, designed by Martin Brudnizki, arrived last year as a sensory feast, combining Jazz Age opulence, Italian inspirations, a touch of English eccentricity, and a hint of disco fabulousness. Its rooftop dining bar and terrace, Flute, is hailed as the hotel’s ‘crown jewel,’ offering stunning views of London’s rooftops.

With its maximalist design – including animal-print upholstery, cork walls, mirrored ceilings and a palm-frond carpet – Flute blends perfectly into central London’s vibrant entertainment scene. The central bar, featuring an onyx top, serves up a dynamic range of cocktails and sharing dishes, accompanied by a ‘sensational’ soundtrack.

Flute is located at Broadwick Soho, 20 Broadwick St, broadwicksoho.com

Kaso

If you seek serenity amid the creative chaos of east London’s Shoreditch, Kaso will likely not be your best fit. Yet if you want to tune into the area’s frantic pulse and finish your day on a beat, book a table at this new Eastern Mediterranean restaurant and bar on top of One Hundred Shoreditch hotel. With a menu created by Turkish chef Ilknur Celik, Kaso brings the flavours of the ‘East Med to the East End’ through hot and cold mezze dishes and traditional small plates that are best shared – pair this experience with fresh botanical-infused cocktails such as the signature ‘Kaso Spritz’.

Like the rest of the hotel, the design of Kaso was led by the Lore Group’s creative director Jacu Strauss, who accented the space with lush foliage, both outdoors and inside, mauve marble touches, and earthy hues. Don’t miss Kaso Sounds, a weekly DJ roster spanning old-school classics to hip-hop.

Kaso is located at One Hundred Shoreditch, 100 Shoreditch High St, onehundredshoreditch.com

Mercer Roof Terrace

The Mercer Roof Terrace, situated in the Vintry & Mercer boutique hotel in London’s City, offers views spanning from the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral to the glass tip of The Shard across the Thames. At both the indoor and outdoor areas, guests can enjoy the best of British cuisine (including seasonal set menus) paired with an impressive selection of wines that include rare English Sparkling varieties from regions like Sussex and Kent.

Alternatively, seasonal favourite cocktails include the Nelson’s Square, made with rosemary-infused Ocho Reposado tequila, St. Germain, grapefruit juice, sugar and lime juice, or the Cucumus Melo, featuring Ramsbury vodka infused with cantaloupe. The venue, designed by hospitality design specialist Studio Moren (previously Dexter Moren Associates), aims to be a ‘bolthole’ within the city, transporting guests to a different time and space.

The Mercer Roof Terrace is located at Vintry & Mercer, 20 Garlick Hill, vintryandmercer.com

Mortimer House

Mortimer House, part of Maslow’s collection of elegantly designed members’ houses, workspaces, restaurants and bars across London, boasts a lesser-known 40-seat rooftop terrace and bar on its sixth floor, offering views of Fitzrovia. The art-deco-inspired event space, designed by New York-based firm AvroKO, will begin to be available for private parties throughout the summer of 2024 – with executive chef Tom Cenci at the helm.

Alongside a selection of favourite sparkling, white, red, rosé and orange wines, the drinks menu also offers a variety of house cocktails, including the popular Negroni made with Bombay Sapphire, Karminia Rosso and Campari, or the Aviazione, which consists of Bombay Sapphire, Luxardo Maraschino, Crème de Violette, Prosecco and lemon.

Mortimer House is located at 37-41 Mortimer St, mortimerhouse.com

Sabine Rooftop Bar

Sabine Rooftop Bar provides a respite from the lively city streets below, offering a privileged, close-up perspective of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Decorated by Irish studio Garuda Design, the bar boasts a glass-domed roof and a vibrant outdoor terrace that fills the space with natural light. The design brief called for a fun, colourful, and youthful ambience, with an abundance of cascading greenery to establish a garden retreat atmosphere.

The bar’s new summer cocktails feature the City Summer, made with Hennessy V.S.O.P, Melonade, homemade honey water, pink grapefruit juice, lemon juice and grapefruit bitters, as well as the Coco Breeze, crafted with Belvedere Vodka, Melonade, Coconut Syrup, Mionetto Prosecco, Fever Tree White Grape and Apricot Soda.

Sabine Rooftop Bar is located at 10 Godliman St, sabinelondon.co.uk

Yasmin Soho

Yasmin Soho, previously only open to 1 Warwick’s members, is now welcoming non-members for the first time. Situated on the sixth floor of 1 Warwick’s member’s house, Yasmin offers an intimate rooftop restaurant, bar and terrace with panoramic sights of Soho’s skyline.

Executive Chef Tom Cenci presents a menu of Middle Eastern-inspired sharing dishes, such as charred flatbread with spiced dips and delicious skewers, alongside cocktails that include options like the Horizon, crafted with Lychee, Luxardo Bianco, Cocchi Americano, plum and prosecco, as well as the Grand Bazaar, which includes Evan Williams, Mancino Rosso, Beesou, Cadello and fig. Described as ‘a secret sun-trap for relaxed lunches, cocktails at sundown, late-night dining, and revelry,’ Yasmin’s decor was courtesy of LA studio Fettle and sees luxurious upholsteries and Mediterranean influences.

Yasmin Soho is located at 1 Warwick St, yasminsoho.com

Shiro Kuramata famously viewed his designs as transient, fragile, fleeting, never expecting the immateriality of his creative vision to last for long. Today, as Kuramata anticipated, few of the countless interiors that he dreamt up have survived since his death in 1991.

Get spirited away at Comblé Bar

One space, however, is still around and now back on the creative radar: a cocktail bar called Comblé, in the city of Shizuoka, a few hours west of Tokyo on Japan’s Pacific Ocean coast. Located on the first floor of an otherwise nondescript building, the bar displays Kuramata’s signature use of geometry and sweeping curves fused with floating components, a bold palette and striking materials such as acrylic, glass and terrazzo.

The bar is one of the few intact Kuramata-designed interiors known to still exist, and a growing number of fans are making a pilgrimage to experience the space first-hand. Its reopening coincides with a revival in interest in the designer’s work: his first solo retrospective in Tokyo in more than two decades, ‘A Microcosmos of Memory’, recently finished at the Setagaya Art Museum, before heading to the Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art & Design.

The bar first came to life in 1988, just three years before Kuramata’s death, and it was one of a series of projects that he worked on in Shizuoka, a scenic region famed for its green tea production and traditional crafts. A desire by Kuramata to keep the space as a ‘cube’ underpins the design, with two transparent plastic sheets folded together creating the large, arced curve of a ceiling that appears to float – an effect enhanced by backlighting the material.

A lighting system by Ingo Maurer can also be found on the back wall, while the terrazzo floor contains light-emitting diodes. There are playful blocks of colour, embodied by a vivid red aluminium wall panel, a curvaceous counter in yellow fibre-reinforced polymer, and the blue legs of the circular bar tables. Equally eye-catching are the bar stools, with their near-invisible half-moon backs of transparent acrylic, as well as a missing component in one of the four legs.

The bar is believed to be one of the few remaining Kuramata spaces open to the public in Japan. Umenoki, the Tokyo sushi restaurant designed by Kuramata in the 1970s, is currently closed, while another sushi restaurant, Kiyotomo, was relocated to the M+ art gallery in Hong Kong a decade ago.

The bar’s owner, Masahiko Nakayama, says, ‘The bar never feels old. Even after 30 years, it still feels fresh. I love how, despite the presence of numerous materials and different colours, it doesn’t feel chaotic. Instead, it presents a harmonious world.’ For him, the goal is simple: to offer visitors a peaceful, relaxed and calm experience in this unique space. ‘Of course there are local residents that are frequent visitors. There are also lots of customers from the design, interior and architecture worlds. And there are many pure Kuramata design fans. People come from all over Japan to see the bar.

Comblé Bar is located at Seizen Bldg. 2F 2-7 Gofukucho, Aoi Ward, Shizuoka City, @comble.bar

A version of this article appears in the June 2024 Travel Issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.

Two Fifteen, the new cocktail bar at New York hotel Public, found in the lower half of 215 Chrystie Street Tower, has quickly captivated guests for its burlesque-inspired décor. Whether you fancy a pre-dinner apéritif or an elegant nightcap, Two Fifteen’s sultry interiors provide an atmospheric backdrop.

Inside Two Fifteen, a moody bar with a sexy style

The brainchild of hotelier and Studio 54 co-founder Ian Schrager and entertainment impresario Nur Khan, Two Fifteen offers a vibrant and intriguing environment for socialising. Both nightlife connoisseurs agreed that to move forward, one must look back, eventually deciding to draw inspiration from the 2000s, specifically their previous collaboration for Rose Bar at the Gramercy Park Hotel.

Founded in 2006, Rose Bar quickly became one of the city’s top destinations for cocktails and live music, including performances by Guns & Roses, Rufus Wainwright, Jack White, The Black Keys, The Cult and more. ‘Finding a nightlife magnate as good as Nur is like finding a needle in a haystack,’ says Schrager.

Two Fifteen marks an exciting reconnection between Khan and Schrager. ‘Working with Ian, once again, to create a boundary-pushing concept encompassing downtown’s eclectic energy is a dream. The space brings a mature and edgy cocktail-driven experience reminiscent of the early aughts to life,’ says Khan.

The bar’s interior doesn’t fear opulence, with a colour palette kept to minimal black while accents come from detailing such as crystal chandeliers and tumbling ruby-coloured gems. The lounge is dimly lit through warm lighting from surrounding wall panels and a moody vibe is set with a modern fireplace below a large glass installation in cool shades of blue.

Like Rose Bar, Two Fifteen will also host a variety of regular musical performances by rising stars in the music scene from wide-spanning genres.

Noting the boudoir-esque setting, master mixologist Charlotte Voisey carefully crafted the cocktail menu in four stages: work your way through ‘Champagne Cocktails’, ‘Modern Twists on Classics’, ‘Drinks with Vibrant Colors’ and ‘Spirit-Free’ options.

A cocktail tray service, bottle service and tableside preparations are also available for an elevated hospitality experience. A must-try is the made-to-order Gold Bellini inspired by the original Bellini of 1940s Venice. Of course, with a Two Fifteen twist, Hendrick’s gin is used for an additional flavour boost, and the cocktail is decorated with raspberry and edible gold.

To complement the drinks menu, an abundance of light bites are offered, including oysters, shrimp cocktails, and fresh ceviche.

publichotels.com

Sensual, nostalgic and a little disorienting – that’s precisely what stepping into Ama, a newly opened cocktail lounge and raw bar in Vancouver, feels like. Nestled within a two-storey 1970s walk-up, the 52-seat eatery by partners and brothers Yianni and Petro Kerasiotis and Takuya Motohash remains concealed from the street until its sign illuminates. Guests are then ushered through a discreet coral-red cage door and a large staircase which ascends into the main space, distinctively suffused with a retro-futuristic orange glow akin to Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049.

Ama Bar, where reality and fantasy collide

Darcy Hanna and Emma Sims, co-founders of studio &Daughters, had a clear vision from the start as Ama’s design team: they sought to design a space where ‘guests could have a transformative experience’, which, therefore, guided all creative decisions. The Canadian duo began by sealing off two windows to eliminate natural light and draw all focus to a substantial U-shaped bar at the room’s centre, where the chef now prepares sushi and is visible to and from the guests. ‘This interplay of observing and being observed is accentuated by semi-translucent mirrors lining the exterior walls, creating a great sense of intimacy,’ recount Hanna and Sims.

The bar top is clad in polished black granite and its surface is concealed in a reflective material that catches the surrounding light, which induces a sense of gentle psychedelia. Flanking the bar ends are two imposing pillars that frame backlit shelves displaying sake bottles and spirits. Warm textured plastered walls also feature nuanced semi-transparent golden mirrors. Rectilinear cutouts, volumes and voids enhance spatial symmetry. At the same time, a bulkhead along the perimeter walls unifies the space increasing natural flow, integrating banquette seating, a coat check, a wine wall with a decanter station, the back bar and a waiting bench.

Contributing to the magical atmosphere is the overarching restaurant concept. Ama, meaning ‘sea women’ in Japanese, honours the traditional female divers who have been harvesting seafood and pearls for centuries in Japan. Hanna and Sims reveal that the concept for the main dining area preceded the naming: ‘Graphic design studio Glasfurd & Walker truly interpreted the essence of the room, as well as the food and beverage offerings, all which eventually inspired the overall concept of Ama. And, in many ways, the luminous quality of the space seeks to evoke the precious pearls the divers seek.’

Upon being presented with the naming, branding and conceptual direction, Hanna and Sims decided to revisit the entry and stairwell design to incorporate elements that directly celebrated the divers. ‘We accomplished this by enveloping the entire stairwell in a deep cold dark blue tone. Additionally, a custom optic light installation hanging from above mimics the bioluminescence of undersea creatures and the movement of bubbles. At the top of the stairs, a lightbox acts as a beacon bearing a glowing image of a diver washed in blue.’ From the cocktail menu, created by Troy Resch, to its elegant and mouth-watering dishes, Ama truly showcases the flavours of Japan in an otherwordly setting where reality and fantasy blur.

Ama Bar is located at 3980 Fraser Street, Vancouver

@ama.rawbar

A version of this article appears in the May 2024 Milan Preview Issue of Wallpaper*, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.