Bars
London Speakeasies and Hidden Bars
Behind an unmarked door, a fridge, or a shopfront that lies: the best hidden bars in London.
In short: our top picks are Evans and Peel Detective Agency, The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town and Cahoots. 5 places in total, chosen on merit, with the full reasoning below.
Some of the best bars in London do not want to be found, which is half the fun. Behind an unmarked door, a fridge, or a shopfront that is plainly not what it claims, the city keeps a set of small, dark, properly made cocktail rooms.
| Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Evans and Peel Detective Agency | Earls Court | £££ |
| The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town | Spitalfields | £££ |
| Cahoots | Soho | £££ |
| Discount Suit Company | Spitalfields | £££ |
| Disrepute | Soho | £££ |
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Editor’s choice
Evans and Peel Detective Agency
Why we pick itYou book by pretending to hire a detective, state your case at a desk, and a bookcase swings open to a 1920s basement bar.
For the most theatrical entrance of the lot.
-
The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town
Why we pick itWalk into a Spitalfields cafe, open a Smeg fridge door, and step down into one of the most loved hidden bars in the city.
The classic fridge-door hidden bar.
-
Cahoots
Why we pick itA wartime London fantasy in Soho: a disused Underground station, 1940s swing, period dress, and cocktails in teapots and tins.
When you want the theatre as much as the drink.
-
Discount Suit Company
Why we pick itA tiny former tailoring stockroom off Petticoat Lane, barely signed, with a short and seriously good cocktail list.
A genuinely hidden, serious little bar.
-
Disrepute
Why we pick itA plush, low-lit Soho basement that feels members-club private without the membership.
For a discreet, grown-up late drink.
Before you book
Hidden bars trade on being small, so book if you can and arrive on time. Half the pleasure is the entrance, so do not spoil it by reading too much before you go.
Common questions
What are the top picks in this guide?
Evans and Peel Detective Agency is our editor's choice: You book by pretending to hire a detective, state your case at a desk, and a bookcase swings open to a 1920s basement bar. Evans and Peel Detective Agency, The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town and Cahoots lead the guide, with 5 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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