Bars
The 6 Best Bars in Victoria
Victoria after dark: royal hotel cocktail rooms, self-pour wine, a rooftop over the station and London's first craft-beer pub.
In short: our top picks are The Goring Cocktail Bar, Boisdale of Belgravia and Vagabond Victoria. 6 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Victoria gets written off as a place you pass through, all commuters and coach stands, but the drinking here is quietly excellent once you know where to turn off Buckingham Palace Road. This is Belgravia money meeting station-side energy, so you can swing from a Royal Warrant cocktail bar to a craft-beer pub in ten minutes flat. The best rooms reward people who book ahead and walk a couple of streets past the obvious. These are the bars worth getting off the train for.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Goring Cocktail Bar | Victoria | ££££ |
| Boisdale of Belgravia | Belgravia | ££££ |
| Vagabond Victoria | Victoria | £££ |
| Market Halls Victoria | Victoria | ££ |
| The Alchemist Victoria | Victoria | £££ |
| Cask Pub & Kitchen | Victoria | ££ |
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Editor’s choice
The Goring Cocktail Bar
Why we pick itA resident pianist, wingback chairs and cocktails built from herbs grown in the hotel's own garden, served under a Royal Warrant.
hotel cocktail bar
-
Boisdale of Belgravia
Why we pick itA Regency townhouse with a Negroni bar, a vast Scotch list and live jazz six nights a week under Jools Holland as patron of music.
whisky and jazz bar
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Vagabond Victoria
Why we pick itOver a hundred wines hooked to self-pour machines: swipe a card and taste a measure or a full glass, with cheese and charcuterie to match.
self-pour wine bar
-
Market Halls Victoria
Why we pick itAn Edwardian arcade turned multi-bar food hall, topped by a retractable-roof terrace that looks straight down over the station concourse.
Worth knowingA big hard-surfaced hall with communal seating only: conversation is difficult at peak times and there is no privacy whenever you visit.
food hall rooftop bar
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The Alchemist Victoria
Why we pick itMolecular-mixology cocktails arrive smoking, colour-changing or set alight, directly opposite the station for a loud, theatrical start to the night.
Worth knowingIdentical to every other branch of the chain, loud enough to block conversation once full, and the theatrical drinks rarely reward a second order.
theatrical cocktail bar
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Cask Pub & Kitchen
Why we pick itLondon's first dedicated craft-beer pub, with ten handpumps, around twenty keg lines and a spirits list that shames most hotel bars.
craft beer pub
Before you book
Victoria station sits on the Victoria, District and Circle lines plus National Rail, so everything here is a short walk. Book ahead for The Goring and Boisdale, especially on live-music nights; Vagabond, Market Halls and The Alchemist all take walk-ins. Aim for early evening on weekends before the after-work crowd from Nova and Cardinal Place fills the place.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
The Goring Cocktail Bar is our editor's choice: A resident pianist, wingback chairs and cocktails built from herbs grown in the hotel's own garden, served under a Royal Warrant. The Goring Cocktail Bar, Boisdale of Belgravia and Vagabond Victoria lead the guide, with 6 places in total, all chosen on merit.
How does Lamplit London choose its recommendations?
Every place is chosen on merit, after first-hand visits where possible, with no pay-for-placement. Read our full method at https://www.lamplitlondon.com/how-we-choose/.
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