Shoreditch is the happy town of London, and you can tell from the wide array of bars and cocktail places in the region. From Japanese whiskey bars to Danish craft beer places, to jazz-era speakeasies, to quirky cocktail bars, Shoreditch has you covered.
The East London region is known for having Michelin Starred wine bars and the most thriving bar scenes in London. Some of the most famed bars include Happiness Forgets, the legendary Gibson, TT Liquor, and, let us not forget, the quirky Book Club.
This article takes you through the most impressive bars and cocktail restaurants in Shoreditch. Get to know which bars offer food and which ones have unique entertainment facilities that provide a memorable drinking experience.
Here are the top 16 best bars in Shoreditch:
Best Bars in Shoreditch
1. Happiness Forgets
- Address: 8-9 Hoxton Square, London, N1 6NU
- Website: Happiness
- Phone: 020 7613 0325
- Price range: Cocktails between £15 and – 28
- Food: YES
- Atmosphere: Warm, cosy, and lively
- What it is best for: Innovative cocktails like the Peach Gold Rush
Happiness Forgets offers nationwide cocktail deliveries with free delivery options for orders that exceed 45 Pounds. Do not expect to get a table at Happiness Forgets since it is a highly popular bar in Shoreditch that is filled to the brim every single day.
Ensure to make your reservations in advance to guarantee a seat at one of their tables. You can arrive at the location using the tube from Old Street or Shoreditch High Street rail. It is located in the basement room in 8-9 Hoxton Square and is open from 5 pm every day.
The bar is inviting with warm and calm lighting. There is a lounge area, a bar table section, and communal-style seating across the venue. The colours on the walls are calm and neutral, giving a more composed feel after a long day of work.
Food is available but is served from 6 pm to 10:30 pm only. The tables are warmly lit with candles to provide a more lively and calm setting. Keep in mind that no standing is allowed on the premises. Some of their fan favourites include the Peach Gold Rush cocktail that comes with buttered whiskey, honey, lemon, and peach wine.
2. Nikki’s Bar
- Address: 39A Hoxton Square, Shoreditch London N1 6NN
- Website: Nikki’s
- Phone: 020 8191 8835
- Price range: Beers between £7 – £17
- Food: NO
- Specials: Two for one happy hour Wednesday and Thursday from 5 pm to 7 pm.
- Atmosphere: Warm, girly, and exciting
- What it is best for: Girls’ night out
Nikki’s bar is a twisted cocktail bar guaranteed to wow many visitors due to its hedonistic vibes. This quirky Shoreditch bar is the place to be if you are looking for a crazy night of fun, party, and drinking.
The menu is full of many selections that range from tequila, vodka, and whiskey cocktails to give you a perfect buzz. Some of the fan favourites include the Blackberry Tangle that comes with melon-liqueur from Neverland, blackberries, soda, and ginger. This is the ultimate comfort drink for the ladies.
Needless to say, Nikki’s is always crowded, and it is recommended that you book a reservation in advance to guarantee your entry. The open space venue is great for socializing with new people, but you can opt to hire the whole space in case you need some private event.
Nikki’s is closed from Sunday to Tuesday but comes with a banger on Wednesday and Thursday with a happy hour special. Get to take two for one on all bottles of Peroni Rosa and all cocktails on the menu. Friday is the day for pop music lovers as Nikki gets to host a sing-along session to your guiltiest pop pleasures.
The drinks menu is filled with beers, ciders, shooters, wine lists, and specialized cocktails. One of the beloved specialized cocktails is the “Hot A.F.”, which comes with spicy margarita, chilli-infused Olmeca Reposado tequila, Jalapeno, Pineapple, lime, Triple Sec, and Tabasco.
3. The Gibson
- Address: 44 Old St, London EC1V 9AQ
- Website: Gibson
- Phone: 020 7608 2774
- Price range: £13 -£15 for cocktails
- Food: YES
- Atmosphere: Stylish, sophisticated, and cool
- What is best for Great cocktails and fantastic atmosphere
The Gibson is the receiver of various awards and accolades, including the Marian Beke “The Industry Most Influential Figures 2021.” It has also been named among the Top500Bars in the world for several years. Top 50 Cocktail Bar ranked The Gibson Bar number 19 on its Top 50 Cocktail Bars of 2019 on top of winning Best New European Bar 2017 from the Mixology Bar Awards 2017.
There is a snack menu that offers you a starter meal before your night of drinking. Some of the bar snacks include the Scottish smoked salmon carpaccio that is seasoned with House Pickles julienne and served with Quail egg, veggies crips, seasoned samphire, wasabi ricotta & Balsamic caviar. All of this for just 9.5 Euros. Other food items include rock oysters, serrano ham, rye fries, cheese raclette, and clack truffle, just to mention a few.
Gibson cocktails are some of the most unique, with impressive ones like the Aged Gibson Martini and the Redistilled Gibson martini. The Moonwalker cocktail goes for 14 Euros and comes with Marker’s Mark Bourbon, Cointreau, Space-ale, Key limes marmalade, sea salt, and hand-made custard cream.
The Gibson Club is an exclusive member club of the bar that only allows a maximum of 100 members each year. Membership packages start from £49.99 to £99.99. The benefits vary from one club to another. Some of the Club’s privileges include booking priority, discounts at the bar, a Gibson pin, and a bottle of Copperhead Gin, The Gibson Edition. Keep in mind that the membership is only valid for a year.
Read More: Best Pubs in Shoreditch
4. Apothecary
- Address: 36 Charlotte Rd, London EC2A 3PG
- Website: Apothecary
- Phone: 020 7060 5335
- Price range: £9-12 for alcoholic cocktails
- Food: YES
- Specials: Bottomless cocktails for an additional £25 per person during brunch
- Atmosphere: Cool all-day dining and drinking spot
- What is best for Japanese inspired cuisines and drinks
Apothecary serves as a Japanese restaurant but also as a cocktail bar. The Tokyo-inspired décor in the tavern screams of the upbeat and lively nature of Shoreditch. The bar is open from Tuesday to Saturday. Live music is played every Friday and Saturday by the love D.J., who embraces the soul and funk music across the world.
The handcrafted cocktails are not the only drink offerings as you can get rare spirits at Apothecary as well as beers and wines.
The weekend brunch costs £35 per person and brings a complimentary drink and snack upon your arrival. However, if you add an additional £25, then you can get to have the bottomless cocktail. You have the option of sticking to one cocktail or mixing it up between chosen varieties: the signature Coffee Cobbler, Bubbles, classic Bloody Mary with red wine and yuzu kosho.
Visit Apothecary to dine ins a Japanese esq place that does not only rely on its looks but its lovely cocktail menu. The signature drink is the apothecary Highball which goes for £11 and features Taki Japanese whisky, Peach, Elderflower, Citrus stock, and Franklin & Son’s soda. It is embraced as a light and refreshing take on a classic whiskey highball.
5. T.T. Liquor
- Address: 17B Kingsland Road, London E2 8AA
- Website: T. Liquor
- Phone: 020 7183 9503
- Price range: roof terrace drinks from £4.50 – £30
- Food: YES
- Specials: Spirit tastings on Saturdays
- Atmosphere: Friendly, intimate, unique, and exciting
- What it is best for: roof terrace that offers impressive panoramic views of East London.
There is a roof terrace at T.T. Liquor that is more of a garden oasis to relax during the summer. It includes heated and covered booths where you can sit and drink from the roof terrace menu and get some food like the Neapolitan pizza made on-site.
The roof terrace drink menu includes enticing items like the £8 Berlin Calling that comes with Belsazar Rose, Grapefruit bitters, Jasmine top, and London Essence Peach. There is also the French 125 cocktail with Hennessy, Oleo Saccharum, and Lemon, all topped with Moet NV.
On tap, options include the signature brew studio lager, the Guest Tap on rotation, the signature brew roadie I.P.A., and the Umbrella London Rhubarb cider for just £4.50. The T.T. Cellar Bar provides an intimate subterranean cocktail bar that comes with various themes surrounding various interesting themes. There is a rotating cast of monthly guests’ cocktails which makes for an always innovative experience. Visit the bar to taste inventive drinks like the vegan-friendly Clover Club.
Did you know T.T. Liquor is the only bar in Shoreditch with a Cinema? The 52-seater cinema space is located behind the store on Kingsland Road. You can catch up on the regular screenings that take place on film nights, four nights a week.
The music at T.T. Liquor is soulful, with rotating genres around Soul, Funk, Boogie, and everything Disco related. Eclectic varieties grace the calm environment during the live sessions that take place every Wednesday.
Related Read: Best Rooftop Bars in Shoreditch, London
6. Callooh Callay
- Address: 65 Rivington Street Shoreditch, London EC2A 3AY
- Website: Callooh
- Phone: 020 7739 4781
- Price range: All cocktails sell for £12
- Food: YES
- Atmosphere: Lively
- What it is best for: Innovative cocktails
Callooh Callay was one of the first and upcoming bars in Shoreditch when bars were few and far between. The venue offers high-quality service and drinks to its customers. The bar’s success has led to it winning various awards and accolades like the Top 50 Cocktail Bars 2022, 2019 and Imbibe’s best Drinks List of 2020.
Perhaps the most unique naming is in Drinks International’s World’s 50 Best Bars in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016. One huge perk that you will notice about the bar is that all cocktails sell for a flat charge of £12.
This includes the fan-favourite 2 Truths and A Lie that come with Grey Goose vodka, kinobi gin, Muyu Chinotto, Pineapple juice, lemon, milk, spices, moet, and Chandon brut champagne. Other cocktails on the menu include the loveable Casino Royale with Monkey 47 Gin, Crazy Ex with Sassy Calvados, and the Red Flags with Spearhead Scotch Whisky, Tio Pepe Fino Sherry, and regal rogue bold red vermouth.
In need of a cocktail making masterclass? Callooh Callay offers masterclasses where the bartenders get to teach you how to make any classic hit cocktail of your choice. Get to learn the history of the various cocktails and how to make them at your own home. The ingredients are of high quality, and the bartending equipment is high end.
The masterclasses come in two packages: £30 for learning how to make the classic packages and £40 for the history package, which includes one arrival cocktail, history of cocktail drinks, and one cocktail that is made behind the bar with the bartenders.
7. The Book Club
- Address: 100-106 Leonard Street, EC2A 4RH
- Website: Book Club
- Phone: 020 7684 8618
- Price range: signature cocktails from £9 – 10
- Food: YES
- Specials: Double gin and Tonic for a fiver, bottomless brunches and pizza
- Atmosphere: Lively and upbeat
- What it is best for: The best club nights in East London
The Book Club may seem like a quiet and calm bar where you can have a nice drink in a relaxed setting, but this is far from the truth. The bar & restaurant is known as one of the best night clubs in London with their various hip-hop nights and R & B weekends. You can be guaranteed to meet East London’s favorite D.J.s at this establishment.
Food is available at The Book Club with options like the pizza items served from Wednesday to Friday and Saturday from 4:30 pm. Visit the Club on Wednesdays to get the 2 for 1 pizza offer that is available all night long. Some of the pizza offerings include the garlic bread pizza, the marinara, the garlic bread topped with Mozzarella, Pepperoni pizza, and spicy meat pizza with mozzarella, pepperoni, and Jalapeno.
You won’t run out of beers on tap options like the Hackney Hopster pale ale, Broadway Boss Pils Lager, the Estrella Damm, Amstel, Brooklyn, and Kingston Press Cider, among many, for less than £7. Saturday from 12 pm to 4 pm is the time to enjoy The Book Club’s bottomless prosecco and pizza brunch.
The brunch starts with a welcome cocktail followed by a choice of bottomless mimosa or prosecco accompanied by a juicy pizza. Proceed the brunch afterwards with the yummy and sweet dessert pizza that will leave your mouth wanting more. The atmosphere for this affair can only be described as fun, fabulous, and fierce.
8. Old Street Records
- Address: 350-356 Old Street London EC1V 9NQ
- Website: Old Street
- Phone: 020 3006 5911
- Price range: £5 and £6 beers
- Food: YES
- Specials: Cocktail happy hour from 5 pm to 8 pm every day (2-4-1 cocktails)
- Atmosphere: Classy, upscale, and exciting
- What it is best for: Partying till the early hours and the pizza
Some of the best happiest hours you will ever find in Shoreditch will land you in Old Street Records. Get to feast on their amazing pizza options: the Margherita with tomato, basil and olive oil, the Parmigiana with tomato pesto, fior di latter, roasted Aubergine, and garlic.
House cocktails at Old Street Records are to die for with various enticing options like the Raspberry Collins with Bombay Sapphire gin, lemon, and soda. There is also the Bacardi Mojito with Barcadi Carta Blanca rum and lime with mint and soda.
The two for one cocktail from 5 pm to 8 pm every day are a great attractive option for the bar. You won’t find exciting, happy hour offers like this one as the menu is extensive, and the depths of the services are what the best bars of Shoreditch are made of.
9. Looking Glass Cocktail Club
- Address: 49 Hackney Rd, Shoreditch, London, E2 7NX
- Website: Looking Glass
- Phone: 020 7613 3936
- Price range: Cocktails from £10-12
- Food: NO
- Atmosphere: Classy, upscale, exciting
- What is best for: Cocktails and all-night partying
The downside of this bar is that the food selection is not extensive. However, the wine list and cocktail offerings are extensive and attractive, ranging from £10-12. Some of the cocktail offerings include the Gentleman’s Whiskers which come with roasted apple Bourbon, fennel Vermouth, Pisco, D.O.M. Benedictine, and bitters.
A fan favourite is the Black Forest Bandit with Monkey 47, black forest berries, elderflower, and lemon for just £12. The only accompanying foods you can get at this location are the £3.5 pickles, assorted olives, pistachios, white anchovies on sourdough toast, and the confit Manchego and marinated cherry tomatoes.
10. Black Rock
- Address: 9 Christopher Street, London EC2A 2BS
- Website: Black Rock
- Phone: 020 7274 4580
- Price range: Beers for £5
- Food: YES
- Atmosphere: warm and relaxed
- What is best for: Specialty whiskeys
The Black Rock is a popular bar with several awards and recognition like the U.K.’s Best Specialist Bar by Class Magazine for four consecutive years. It is known to be the bar that revolutionized the whiskey game by challenging conventions and demolishing barriers.
There is a Black Rock Blending experience that offers visitors a history of whisky and takes them through various whiskey styles under the tutelage of whisky educators at the premises. Visit the location to take a sip of the special cocktails like the French Boulevard with Talisker 10, blackberry, pineapple and lillet.
11. Found
- Address: Downstairs, 5 Ravey Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A 4QW
- Website: Found
- Price range: £9.5 cocktails
- Food: NO
- Atmosphere: Lovely, relaxed, gorgeous
- What it is best for: Cocktails and tequila options
Found is where the cocktail rocks and the tequila flow with ease. It is a gem of East London with its inviting velvet curtains, awesome bar, and great lighting.
The most attractive cocktails grace the bar with tempting options like the Frothy Lady with gin, peach, elderflower, egg white, gomme, and Leon. Visit Found to try their version of the Heaven and Hell with cachaca, framboise, jalapeno agave syrup, lime, and raspberry.
12. Bull in a China Shop
- Address: 196 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6LG, United Kingdom
- Website: Bull in a China
- Price range: £12 – 13 Cocktails
- Food: YES
- Specials: Light bites that go for £12 for any three items
- Atmosphere: Artistic and lovely with quirky décor
- What it is best for: World’s best whiskies
This is the bar that is known for its tantalizing Japanese whiskey. Moreover, there is a good selection of food options like the signature chicken that is brined for four hours before being left to marinate for a further 24 hours to improve its taste with a mix of ginger and Asian spices.
Light bites for £12 for any three items from a list of Karaage, Kimchi slaw, Kimchi Jeon, pickled cucumber, edamame beans, corn ribs, market bowls, and Vietnamese noodle salad. Get to drink their speciality cocktails, including the Shinto Daisy, Cosmo sour, Matcha Sour, Kyoto Collins, and the Fools Gold with Balvenie Caribbean cask and chamomile infused vermouth.
13. The Cocktail Club
- Address: Avant Garde, unit 12, 29 Sclater Street, Shoreditch, E1 6HR
- Website: Cocktail Club
- Phone: 020 7580 1960
- Price range: £5 – 12 Iced Teas
- Food: YES
- Specials: Happy Hour, 2-4-1 on everything from Sunday to Friday as from 4 pm till 7 pm
- Atmosphere: Party mood, loud, and exciting
- What it is best for: London’s most sought-after party experience
The Cocktail Club has 13 sites one of which is located in Avant Garde in Shoreditch. It is owned and operated by the famous mixology and TV personnel, JJ Goodman. According to Goodman, the Cocktail Club was opened in 2008 to become a bartender’s paradise.
His mission was to have a bar that parties like the best of them with world’s greatest drinks made to perfection. His idea was to make the venue a place where people can dance on the bar and sing to their favourite songs while sipping a perfect dirty martini.
Drinks are not the only thing the Cocktail Club Offers. You can also pay £40 to partake in the masterclasses where you get to iron out your DIY cocktail making skills. The classes take just 90 minutes and you get to have 4 cocktails together with one-on-one session with the club’s master mixologists.
Moreover, there are Saturday Brunches where the Club goes all out to give you the naughtiest weekend parting experience of your life. Visit the bar on Saturday to get treated to shirtless sex gods, show-stopping sing-a-longs, drag debauchery, and bottomless cocktails as well as prosecco.
Read More: Best Late Night & 24-hour Restaurants in London
14. Be At One
- Address: 348 Old Street, Shoreditch, London, EC1V 9NQ, United Kingdom
- Website: Be at One
- Phone: 020 7729 4441
- Price range: £8 – 12 Cocktails
- Food: YES
- Specials: Happy Hour, 2-4-1 on everything from Sunday to Friday as from 5 pm till 7 pm
- Atmosphere: Warm, inviting, and exciting
- What it is best for: Over 100 cocktails to choose from
One thing you are never going to lack at Be at One is cocktail choices. The bar is full of several options from low to no alcohol cocktails to strong tequila and gin cocktails that will cost you less than £ 12.
Frozen drinks include the Iris Disco Biscuit with Baileys, peppermint liqueur, Oreo cookies, and vanilla ice cream. There is also the frozen margarita with Olmeca Altos Blanco tequila, orange liqueur, lime and sugar served with a salt rim.
15. The Flight Club
- Address: 2a Worship Street, London EC2A 2AH, United Kingdom
- Website: Flight Club
- Price range: £9.50 Signature Cocktails
- Food: YES
- Atmosphere: Social and gamely
- What it is best for: Wild and innovative dart games over some great cocktails
There is enough space at the Flight Club to host up to 400 guests. This is a great venue for a sizeable event, party, or celebration. The venue comprises of a basement, the staples, the furlong, the paddock, kitchen, and bar.
Flight Club is known for its dart games. The bar is an innovative space where you can get to play various fast and exciting multi-player dart games. There is insatiable entertainment full of joy with the games for beginners as well as experienced players.
There are only two signature cocktail slushies at the Flight Club. The Coco Fumada comers with Bacardi rum, Aluna coconut run, mezcal, pineapple, coconut, banana liqueur and lime. The other option is the watermelon crush with Katel One vodka, Campari, pinot grigio rose wine, strawberry, watermelon, lychee, and lemon.
16. Tonight Josephine
- Address: 39A Hoxton Square, London N1 6NN
- Website: Tonight Josephine
- Price range: £9.50 Signature Cocktails
- Food: YES
- Atmosphere: Great vibrant atmosphere to go with the girls for a night of hedonism
- What it is best for: Cocktails Forever menu full of innovative cocktails, Free Cocktails
If you are looking for the best food selections then Tonight Josephine may not be for you. However, in case you are down for a great day with friends, surrounded by a vibrant party atmosphere, and non-stop impressive cocktails, then this is your bar in Shoreditch. It is also a great venue for Drag Brunches that the Shoreditch party town is known for.
The bar is named after Josephine De Beauharnais, a 19th Century Empress of the French who happens to be the first wife of Emperor Napoleon I. She is known for not being one of the well-behaved women of her time as she regularly engaged in a hedonistic lifestyle. Her parties were filled with the most prestigious aristocracy of her time who enjoyed a similar sybaritic living.
Tonight Josephine is dedicated to similar spirited Josephine gangs who want to seize the best nights of their lives. With a huge assortment of signature cocktails, the bar is praised closer to its famous sister venue in Waterloo.
It is one of the most Instagrammed bars in the UK from its bright and lively décor to its innovative drinks like the Pink Flamingo that has a new take on the Paloma (Olmeca Reposado Tequila, lime, and grapefruit soda.)
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Final Thoughts
From £5 beers to £9 cocktails, Shoreditch in East London is filled with multiple bars and cocktail places that won’t fail to quench your thirst. Visit the Book Club for an unforgettable night of all-night partying or go to the T.T. Liquor to drink on a roof terrace that offers impressive panoramic views of East London.