Mayfair's best bars

Extravagant, excessive, epicurean, expensive: you could use many words to describe London’s most affluent postcode (and not all of them begin with E). However, ‘innovative’ might not have always been on that list – that is until a flurry of investment resulted in a stream of new bars and clubs that intend to shake things up.

Of course, there are still some absolute classics worth visiting – so, in our edit of Mayfair’s best luxury bars (which joins our ever-popular list of Mayfair’s best restaurants), we present a mix of the old, the new, and the unmissable. Here’s our top 10.

Bar Antoine

You’d be right to expect big things from a bar by Yannick Alléno – after all, the chef has amassed over 17 Michelin stars (including one at the bar’s co-joined restaurant, Pavyllon London). And at Bar Antoine, big things are delivered – both in terms of flavours (the Penicillin Nouveau, served in a miso cup, practically thwacks you around the face with its somewhat salty, vanilla-infused whisky) and the exquisite décor (even the lamps are wearing blue and white stripes). Take your time to explore the cocktail menu fully; there are some truly interesting drinks here.

Insider’s tip: if the weather agrees, ask for a table on the Twilight Terrace and order the poached salmon – it’s summer on a plate.

Vesper Bar at The Dorchester

Should you have pulled up a barstool at The Dorchester in the ‘40s, you might have been joined by Ian Fleming, who featured the hotel in several of his Bond books. And now The Dorchester has returned the favour with Vesper Bar, named after 007’s favoured Vesper Martini. The swanked-up space is everything you’d want from a Mayfair cocktail bar – from the extravagant, green-and-gold interiors to a creative cocktail menu inspired by nostalgic scents (order Sunkissed Summers – it tastes like Capri has been poured into a glass and topped with foam and rhubarb).

Insider’s tip: book The Snug for a private event. It’s an intimate space hidden by a tasselled curtain from the rest of the bar.

The Rivoli Bar

This is what you think of when someone says, ‘the best bars in Mayfair’. It’s smothered in gold and conjures the ambience of a bygone era via swirly Merano glass chandeliers and etched 1920s emblems. However, such style comes with a heavy price tag; expect to pay £30 for a sandwich here and upwards of £100 for a bottle of wine – but it is The Ritz, after all.

Insider’s tip: if The Ritz were a cocktail (which it is), it would be a mix of Champagne, gold-infused Grey Goose Grand Marnier, and peach. It would also be, we can report, utterly delicious.

Caviar Kaspia

You came for the caviar and corresponding bragging rights for being on the invite-only list. However, private members’ club Caviar Kaspia also has an elegant cocktail bar that is becoming one of Mayfair’s most sought-after spots. The décor is a mishmash of jewel-toned velvet, animal print, and gold (it’s far sleeker than it sounds), and you can drink pretty much anything you like – although, given the emphasis on caviar, Champagne, and vodka are practically pre-requisites.

Insider’s tip: stay for dinner and order the twice-baked potato – it’s a cult classic for a reason.

The Games Room at Mount St. Restaurant

Ordinarily, we’d recommend The Audley as one of our top places for a drink in Mayfair. However, the posh pub has been trumped by the arrival of Mount St. Restaurant upstairs, which is home to not one but three bars – and all are available for private hire only. You could go for the sunshine yellow Italian Room, but we prefer the attic Games Room. Small and cosy, it has fringed lighting, tasselled chairs and, ahem, female-inspired carpets – plus a well-stocked bar ready to make any drink you please.

Insider’s tip: steal a few private moments in the just-for-two mini lounge – the ceiling is, bizarrely, covered in tentacular erotica.

The Dragon Room at Isabel

If you can resist the temptation to be drawn into the gold-lit glamour of Isabel proper, The Dragon Room – hidden in the basement – is great for late-night libations. Inside feels a bit like a fancy living room, with carpeted floors, navy velvet sofas, and mirror-topped tables. Cocktails are mostly classic and err on the expensive side, but the amaretto sour is good – as is the music, provided by DJs from 10pm.

Insider’s tip: chase a Saturday night of cocktails with brunch at Isabel, available on Sundays from 12pm.

The Donovan Bar

You’ll find this photography-filled bar in Brown’s Hotel. Its pedigree is summed up by its bartender: Salvatore Calabreso. Known as ‘il maestro’ in the industry, he is the creator of the Breakfast Martini and once held the world record for the most expensive cocktail ever created (£5,500 if you were wondering). You’ll find both on the menu at Donovan, which is named after '60s photographer Terence Donovan and is fittingly filled with his works.

Insider’s tip: if you’re not in the mood to splash five grand on Salvatore’s Legacy, try something from the new Evoke cocktail menu – a selection of tipples designed to provoke physical sensations in the drinker.

The Connaught Bar

Everybody knows it, everybody loves it – and if you haven’t been, what on earth are you waiting for? We are, of course, talking about The Connaught Bar, which is frequently named among the world’s best bars. Even if you don’t like martinis, order one for the theatrical experience of the martini trolley arriving at your table. Otherwise, kick back in the Cubism-inspired interiors and leave your cocktail choices to Master Mixologist, Agostino Perrone.

Insider’s tip: can’t decide what to drink? Go for The Decisive Moment from the new Tempo menu (rum, annatto seeds, Campari, pineapple juice, and apple kefir water).

The Dover Bar

The Dover occupies a curious space between utter popularity and total mystique – it has no Instagram presence whatsoever yet somehow everyone is talking about it. And the same goes for its bar – a long slice of lamplit magic stretching between the curtained entrance and the restaurant itself. As per the retro vibe of the dining room, the bar feels wonderfully ‘70s, with a wall of glowing bottles and three barmen whirling around in clackity synchronicity. And the best part? Unlike the main restaurant, no reservations are required.

Insider tip: this is the kind of to order – and enjoy – a cosmopolitan or a martini (and there are eight varieties of the latter on the menu).

Dear Darling

Dear Darling launched itself as a place to ‘explore your deeper, darker desires and unravel your true nature.’ And there’s certainly more here than meets the eye. Under the guise of a lavish living room, the lounge’s walls are filled with wildly erotic paintings – and then you head down a stairway hidden in a wardrobe to find a red-lit room whose décor wouldn’t be out of place in Fifty Shades of Gray. One to bring your friends to – and definitely not your mum.

Insider’s tip: the basement room is now only accessible to Dear Darling members as part of its just-launched private members’ club.

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