What to wear in Soho, London?

14 Great Bars and Nightspots in Soho

The home of some of the best bars in London, Soho is well-known for its vibrant and interesting nightlife and drinking spots that are filled with character. It is a hugely popular nightlife destination and is always filled with bar-hoppers and partygoers visiting some of the most popular nighttime hotspots and imaginative cocktail bars. Many Soho bars now offer tables outside in the streets of Soho, ready for you to enjoy once the industry begins to get back to normal after a year of COVID19 lockdowns.

Many of Soho’s best drinking spots are set to reopen in April 2021 for outdoor drinking only, and many will require you to book a table or visit with them with total Soho spontaneity off the table for the time being. If you are thinking of visiting Soho for a night out in the future, it’s a good idea to contact the venue directly to find out more about the safety measures in place and guidelines for customers to follow during the visit. Here are some of the best bars and nighttime drinking spots to enjoy in Soho.

Swift:

Split across two floors, Swift is one of the best places to drink in the capital. It offers affordable and simple drinks on the menu alongside a range of delicious dark-spirit based cocktails that you can find at the basement bar. If you enjoy cocktails, Swift is an ideal London bar to put on your bucket list but there is something for everybody on offer here, including Irish coffee.

Bar American at Brasseries Zedel:

This venue began life as Dick’s Bar back when the Brasserie Zedel was the Atlantic Bar and grill and Dick Bradsell was the famous man behind the bar. This amazing bar is known for its excellent service both at front of house and behind the bar. Many of the features here have been kept from the early days including the stunning art deco décor and the widely spaced tables that make it a comfortable visit and play a key part in keeping the noise levels down. It’s the ideal place to visit if you enjoy classic drinks, with just under twenty tried and tested favourites on the menu.

Bar Termini:

Offering both coffee and cocktails, Bar Termini is an excellent choice of place to visit whether you want a chilled coffee with friends during the day or want to sample some of the best cocktails in London during the evenings. The coffee here is overseen by Illy’s head of quality, Marco Arrigo, who has trained more baristas than anybody else in the country. Tony Conigliario, who is behind favourites such as Zetter Town House and Colebrooke Row, is in charge of the cocktails.

Blind Pig:

The Blind Pig might be an upstairs area of the celebrated Social Eating House by Jason Atherton, but it’s a destination that is definitely worth visiting on its own. If you want to visit here, it’s a good idea to make sure that you know where you are looking since it’s not immediately obvious from the street level. Look underneath the vintage ‘Optician’ sign for the doorknocker that features a blindfolded pig – and you’re there. Enjoy retro cocktails served in retro décor for a unique and fun experience.

Kettner’s Townhouse Champagne Bar:

This historic Soho hangout might now come under the Soho House group, but they have tried to keep much of the original charm and glamour that was a part of the original champagne bar. While drinking here, you will definitely get a real sense of the glamour of the bar that was once a popular choice of drinking spot for famous people like Oscar Wilde. Surprisingly, despite the glamour and history, you can get relatively cheap drinks here with a glass of blanc de noirs only costing £7.

Basement Sate:

This popular nightspot in Soho offers a range of delicious desserts, a compact list of tasty cocktails and different DJs performing throughout the week. The cocktails are on a roster with some that are truly exceptional and unique along with other tried-and-tested classics that we all know and love, while on the other half of the menu, you will find ambitious and interesting deserts that are always worth a try.

Cahoots:

This quirky bar has a London Underground theme and is unsurprisingly a huge hit with tourists to the area. Although it’s not the most historically accurate bar in the city, it’s not taking itself seriously and is designed to be a fun and unusual place to enjoy a drink or two. The carriage is home to some of the best seats in the house, and the bar has recently extended, offering more chances of getting a table.

Experimental Cocktail Club:

Although the 2010s saw a wave of new bars launching in Soho, the Experimental Cocktail Club is one of the originals. While it might take some time to find this bar, it’s definitely worth looking for. Arranged over three floors of an old townhouse in Chinatown, the bar is opulent and doesn’t care much for trends. It’s expensively decorated with flattering lighting, and of course, offers some of the most unique cocktails that you are going to find in the capital.

Brewdog:

This chain bar and restaurant is probably one that you are already aware of, with the same décor and feel as all the other bars in the UK and the famous, familiar craft beer selection that we all know and love, with something for every craft beer lover or lager fan. However, the best part of Brewdog in Soho is the food, with plenty to offer on the delicious menu.

El Camion:

Sandwiched in between the Mexican-themed Pink Chihuahua beneath and the kitsch Baja Californian restaurant above, El Camion is an ideal basement drinking den with a Mexican theme. If you’re a lover of rum and tequila, you will certainly be able to find your favourite drinks here. It’s open late and the table service is always quick and delivered with a smile.

Lucky Voice Soho:

If you’re looking for a fun night out, it’s hard to do better than this popular Soho karaoke bar located on Poland Street. There are private booths available where you and your group can enjoy karaoke without having to perform for the rest of the club.

Barrio:

Located in the heart of Soho, Barrio is a fun and vibrant Latin American bar that’s the ideal choice for anybody who is looking for a fun party atmosphere and cheap cocktails. The food menu here is also delicious with a range of juicy burgers and nibbles to enjoy alongside the extensive cocktail menu filled with classics and more experimental options.

Disrepute:

Once a famous drinking spot of the rich and famous in London back in the 1960s, Disrepute is now known for being one of the most innovative cocktails bars in Soho. Along with a stunning range of classic and unusual cocktails to enjoy from the menu, you can learn more about the history of the venue with each cocktail accompanied with a short story of its heyday, inspired by some of the most frequent visitors at the time.

Karma Sanctum Soho Hotel:

Inspired by the party history of the Soho neighbourhood, the Karma Sanctum Hotel is a quirky bar that’s working hard to keep the rock’n’roll spirit alive in the area. Whether you’re enjoying the bottomless brunch with a huge range of drinks on offer or enjoying the views over the city with a cocktail from the rooftop terrace, this venue always makes for an ideal day drinking or night out choice.

What to Wear for Drinks in Soho London?

If you’re planning a night out in Soho, what to wear is always going to be one of the first questions that you’ll ask. The truth is that each bar and club will have its own dress code guidelines, so the best option is to get in touch with or visit the website of the venue or venues that you would like to visit to find out more. Many of the classier and more glamourous bars in the area will expect you to turn up in a dress and heels – or at the very least, jeans and a nice top with heels – while some of the more laid-back and quirky bars don’t care what you wear at all, as long as you are comfortable and having a good time.

What to Wear in Soho London Men:

If you’re a guy planning a night out in Soho London, what is best to wear? Again, it will depend on the venue that you plan to visit, so spend some time researching beforehand to find out about the dress code. Bear in mind that trainers or sneakers might not be permitted in some of the more upmarket bars and clubs, so smart shoes are always a good bet. That being said, if you’re planning to visit a quirkier and laid-back bar, what you choose to wear probably won’t be a huge issue.

Which of these Soho bars would you like to visit first?

Get in touch with us