London has 5 speakeasies in the BarMagazine directory, and Blind Spot London leads the pack. This guide covers the speakeasies specifically; the full London picture, all 54 bars of it, lives on the city page. Each listing is verified, with the address, opening hours and what to order.
Hidden speakeasy inside the St Martins Lane hotel, entry is by shaking the golden hand door handle. The list is globally inspired: spin the globe and drink from Harare to Havana, Turin to Kingston. 2-4-1 cocktail hour daily 5-7pm (to 9pm for hotel guests); bar bites from jerk chicken to gochujang prawns. Closed Mondays.
An unsigned, reservation-only subterranean cocktail lounge near Shoreditch High Street station, one of London's original molecular-mixology speakeasies. The retro 1960s, Czech-inflected room hosts experimental cocktails tailored to each guest's preferences.
A basement speakeasy on City Road that has spent fifteen years at the forefront of London's cocktail scene, peaking at No.2 in the World's 50 Best Bars 2013. The menu is organized by historical era, The Old School (1899–1933), Mid-Century Mixology (1934–1980) and Modern Classics (1981–2015), full of theatrical serves built on rare and vintage spirits, from a lavish Singapore Sling to a five-rum Zombie. Live jazz, blues, swing and funk play every night from 9pm, with the cover charge going directly to the musicians. Smart casual, 21+, one floor below ground.
Order this: Singapore Sling (Ford's gin, Mount Gay XO rum, Fen Chiew baijiu, jasmine & yuzu, Bénédictine, pineapple, cherry beer)
A modern, minimalist take on the speakeasy beneath Kricket in Soho, from the team behind the modern Indian restaurant upstairs. Drinks draw on the Indian subcontinent, makrut lime leaf, chaat masala, palm jaggery, around a statement stainless-steel counter, with smooth jazz early and hip-hop as the night deepens. Best Bar at the 2022 GQ Food & Drink Awards; 1 PIN in The Pinnacle Guide 2025. Limited reservations; first-in-line queue as the evening progresses.
Order this: Leaf (Opihr gin, makrut lime leaf, curry leaf, pink peppercorn — Gimlet style)
Raffles London at The OWO's subterranean speakeasy occupies rooms 006 and 007 of the Old War Office, once high-security vaults for the identity papers and mission reports of MI5 and MI6 agents. Access is invitation-only (hotel residents), photography is forbidden, and the £150 Spy Bar Tasting Experience, three cocktails, three canapés, is the bookable way in. In the hotel's words: it's classified.
These are the speakeasies specifically. The full London guide ranks the best bars of every style, and the directory lists all 54 with a map and filters.
Best bars in London