A London hotel barman’s favourite London bars.

The barman at the Cavendish - who serves up some pretty decent cocktails himself - recommends some other great London cocktail bars

I’ve often heard that if you want to pick a good Chinese restaurant, pick one with plenty of Chinese customers.  On that basis, I reckon, if you want to know a good cocktail bar, you should ask a bartender.  Since I was already being taught how to make a decent cocktail by Warryn at the stylish Cavendish Hotel, I thought I might also ask for a few tips on where to go.

It turned out that the Cavendish team had recently been on an outing to visit their top competitors, so he was able to give me the lowdown on three other cocktail bars in London hotels “from a professional perspective”.

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He considers the May Fair Bar to have the best “look” of all the cocktail bars he’s visited.  The display is good, the garnishes are excellent and the cocktails are very good too.  Professionals award high scores for the display of glasses, shakers, and bottles – and you want to see a good range of different spirits and liqueurs, not just the obvious ones.

The May Fair Bar gets 10 out of 10 for decor but the staff can occasionally be a bit stand-offish (mainly because they're so busy)

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It’s the atmosphere that’s not quite right in his view. “The bartenders are not talking at all – they’re too serious.  They don’t always have good body language.”  This was something London Hotels Insight also noted in its recent listing of the best London hotel bars where the May Fair Bar did at least top the “most glamorous” category thanks to its aesthetic appeal.

I can tell you from personal experience that Warryn is a very chatty and personable guy.  That’s the way he is personally but he also believes strongly that bartenders have got to be like this. “When people come to sit at the bar, you have to talk to them. It’s part of your job,” he told me.

Top of the tree for London cocktails in his view is the Connaught, whose bartender Erik Lorincz recently won Diageo’s competition for “best bartender”.  However, has Mr Lorincz been headhunted by the new Savoy?  This intriguing tweet (retweeted by the Savoy) seems to suggest so!

As you’d expect, the Connaught scored highly for its cocktail menu.  “It was very bold and exciting – you really wanted to try the cocktails,” Warryn said. “And it’s table service to the max! Really top class.”  Though he did wonder whether bartenders should be wearing suits, preferring a less formal style (he shouldn’t go to the American Bar at the Stafford then!).

The downside of the Connaught is that prices are as ambitious as the cocktails. “I personally think you shouldn’t be paying £15 for a cocktail,” Warryn told me.  Cocktails at the Cavendish are £9.50 for example.

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But in terms of cocktail making, the Connaught scored top marks:  “The garnishes were good, the right glasses were being used, which is important, and the service is top notch.”

The Connaught Bar has flawless service and superb cocktails - but has prices to match

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Holiday Inn was the third hotel on the list and at first it must have looked disappointing; neither the display nor the cocktail menu were quite up to the standards of the Connaught or the Mayfair.  But this bar scored on ambience; it was chattier and a good deal more relaxed.

“We had so much fun in there!” Warryn said; “It’s probably the best of the three if you just want a night out.” Which just goes to show that all the mixology in the world won’t help, if you’re not actually having a good time.

So, I asked, where the cocktail bartenders like to hang out when they’re not on duty?  The answer surprised me.

Aquum in Clapham High Street is apparently the place to go – it has a dance floor downstairs as well as a huge bar.  The cocktail list is well priced (at £7 for most of the drinks) with some fascinating drinks – molecular cocktails à la Heston Blumenthal, watermelon martini, and Te-Killa Mango (mango puree and tequila with a dash of chili to wake it up).

But it is very much a nightclub-style experience – those who like a more serene atmosphere are well-advised to stick to London hotel bars.

For example Antonio at the Egerton House serves a great martini or you might also want to try our recommended London hotel bars with views.

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Photo credits: Cavendish Hotel, Connaught Hotel, May Fair Hotel.

Tagged as: Cavendish Hotel, Connaught Hotel, Egerton House Hotel, May Fair Hotel, Stafford Hotel, The Savoy