Smart Traveller

London nightlife is a great mix of classic amusements and cutting edge entertainment, from tiny gig venues to dance floors hosted by some of the world’s best DJs. Cocktail bars, traditional London pubs, late night dining, all night clubs, buzzy riverside drinking establishments and bars with some of the most spectacular views are just some of what is on offer in this well known nightlife hotspot. If you’re visiting, or just want to get to know the best of the town you live in, then here are some suggestions on where to start…

Friday and Saturday nights in the capital can be a pretty raucous affair as the offices let out for the week and everyone celebrates the start of the weekend. Around the City, most of the traditional pubs – such as the Jamaica Wine House, just off Cornhill – tend to get full from around 5pm, or you can head for cocktails with a spectacular view at somewhere like Vertigo 42, the champagne bar at Tower 42. The areas around the City – Bank, St Pauls, Liverpool Street, Chancery Lane – provide entertainment for the suited and booted, including an array of high-end pubs and restaurants and some loud and mainstream bars and clubs. The latest place to be (and be seen) is Catch Champagne bar at the Andaz hotel on Liverpool Street which stocks more than 70 Champagnes and specialty Bellini’s and is open until 1am on weekends.

For those looking to tap into London’s hipster vein, the East End is the natural place to start. Hackney, Shoreditch and Hoxton are full to bursting with a whole range of establishments, from hardcore rock pubs to edgy bars. The Book Club on Leonard Street and the Queen of Hoxton on Curtain Road are owned by the same management and provide late night drinking and dancing (the music at Book Club is generally edgier), or head to Bar Kick on Shoreditch High Street for some epic table football matches with your pints. Legendary pub clubs such as The Old Blue Last and The Horse and Groom are East End boozers turned into live music venues and dance spots, whilst East Village, Cargo and XOYO provide club nights ranging from dubstep to indie rock.

Live Music is a London institution and there are some legendary venues here that have hosted everyone from jazz legends to international superstars. The 100 Club on Oxford Street has its roots in the Punk revolution but has also played host to numerous big bands just starting out, such as Oasis and The Clash, whilst The Dublin Castle is a sweaty Camden music spot where Amy Winehouse used to pull pints behind the bar. The Shepherds Bush Empire, Brixton Academy and the O2 Centre are some of the larger music venues in London, with lineups that host the biggest and brightest stars in the music scene, and you won’t find a better nightly jazz offering than at Ronnie Scott’s in Soho.

London’s cocktail bars are some of its proudest achievements in terms of nightlife and you will find a great selection of establishments here that are incredibly fussy about their blends. Callooh Callay on Rivington Street has an extensive cocktail list and a consistently excellent standard of drinks, or for pure prohibition high jinks head for Nightjar just off the Old Street roundabout.

In Islington, 69 Colebrook Row is as unique for its miniscule space and white suited waiters as for the delicate cocktails blended entirely to patrons’ tastes, and at any one of the London Hawksmoors, if there is enough space at the bar you can sample the kind of old school cocktails that should come with a limit of two.

Clubbing in the capital has become quite polarised in recent years with super clubs such as Fabric and Ministry of Sound continuing to successfully host the larger nights, whilst smaller venues like Public Life (situated in a converted public toilet) offering some of the most interesting parties. The Paramount Bar is one of the best places to go to for those looking for high end clubbing and the whole of the West End is a Mecca for London’s glitziest mainstream late night spots. The Great Suffolk Street Warehouse is probably the complete opposite, with temporary bars and portaloo toilets, whilst Cable, Corsica Studios and Plastic People supply a steady stream of underground dance nights.

London has such a diverse nightlife scene that it’s impossible to capture it all in one go, which also one of the great joys of heading out for the night here. Time Out have the best guides to drinking and nightlife in the city if you want to plan your night out, else just head to one of the spots above and see where the night takes you! Whether you’re looking for a pub into which to enjoy a pint with a noisy gig, or a fancy bar and an all night club, the options are plentiful and the local crowd is always up for it.