It is no secret that the best place to have a blast with friends or unwind after a tiring day is a beautifully constructed bar with delicious combinations of cocktails. Covent Garden, the luxurious destination with buzzing entertainment, offers some of the finest bars in London's West End.
Most of these pubs with old brick-lined walls and classic beers originated in the 18th century. Some are proud of the traditional tales about their former patrons, while others adopted the modern approach with a new chic style and crafty cocktails with top-notch flavors.
The List of The Best Covent Garden Bars and Pubs
Whether you are looking for a classic pub or a chic cocktail bar, Covent Garden is the place to go with several contrasting pubs. All you need to do is to look through our diverse list of the Best Covent Garden Bars and Pubs and reserve your spot for the next occasion.
Porterhouse
Eve Bar
Mr. Fogg's Gin Parlor
LSQ Rooftop Bar
The Harp
Dirty Martini
Lobby Bar
Blind Spot
The 10 Cases Bistrot and Wine Bar
Be At One - Covent Garden Lyceum
Punch & Judy
Grind
The Cross Keys
The Escapologist
Moto
The Lamb & Flag
Mrs. Riot
The Sun Tavern
La Goccia Bar
The Marquess of Anglesey
1. The Porterhouse
21-22 Maiden Ln, London WC2E 7NA Phone: 020 7379 7917 Visit Website
Set in the heart of Covent Garden, The Porterhouse is one of the largest, Irish traditional-styled pubs in London that has been pouring award-winning beers and cocktails since 2000. Originated from Porterhouse Brewery Company in Dublin, it offers a large selection of bottled or draft beer, impressive gin, and an ever-growing whiskey collection complemented by pub staples with vegetarian and gluten-free options. The Porterhouse's interior is a cleverly designed maze of wooden booths, pathways, and copper fittings, split over three main levels with several mezzanine levels inside that can feel as big or as intimate as you want.
2. Eve Bar
34 Southampton St, London WC2E 7HF
Phone: 0207 199 8373
Visit Website
Hidden beneath his contemporary restaurant Frog, Chef Adam Handling brings London’s own Garden of Eden to Covent Garden called Eve. Inspired by its name, Eve induces you into an extravagantly luxurious, tempting, and indulgent experience with its beautiful leafy recess paired with stained glass panels, religious art pieces, and low lighting. The interior harmonizes with their theatrically created cocktails, led by Sam Orrock, with all kinds of unusual ingredients, such as fermented grapefruit or discarded banana peel, from the above kitchen to follow their philosophy of sustainability. Make sure you try their revamped pina colada called Peat'D Colada.
3. Mr. Fogg's Gin Parlor
1 New Row, London WC2N 4EA Phone: 020 7581 3992 Visit Website
If you are a theatre and art lover in search of a 19th-century-inspired cocktail bar, look no further than Mr. Fogg Tavern and Gin Parlor. Set in the heart of theatreland, Mr. Fogg is a cozy, Victorian-style inn, based on Phileas Fogg, the protagonist of ‘Around the World in 80 Days.” With upholstered seats and patterned walls lined with rich artifacts, it offers an impressive collection of over 200 gins, tonics, and botanicals. You can also revel in delicate, homemade snacks. Some of the highlights of the cocktail menu are Punch of the Bison, Nearing Nirvana, and An Unexpected Beginning.
4. LSQ Rooftop Bar
1 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7NA
Phone: 02039 534 222
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Located nine-story above the hustle and bustle of vibrant streets of London’s iconic 1 Leicester Square, LSQ Rooftop bar is a perfect place to have eclectically crafted cocktails with a panoramic London view. Open from 07:00 am to 01:00 am, LSQ Rooftop has an elegant architecture with walnut wood and brass details highlighted by a deep blue color palette. The venue serves exquisite food throughout the day and turns into a cocktail bar at night with concocted drinks. Some of the unusual elements they use are chili and beetroot. This is the perfect spot if you want to enjoy your drink with a glitzy London skyline.
5. The Harp
47 Chandos Pl, London WC2N 4HS
Phone: 020 7836 0291
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First London pub to win the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) National Pub of the Year competition in 2010, followed by the Pub of the year award in 2016 by CAMRA's West London branch, The Harp is the ecstatically traditional British ale house in Covent Garden. Its small, stained-glass exterior surprisingly contrasts its interior, which is packed with great beer, ciders, and perries harvested from all around the country. Along with its traditional charm, they also hold 10 hand-pumps and guest brews that serve up classic cask ales with delicious bar snacks, making it one of the best pubs in Covent Garden.
6. Dirty Martini
11-12 Russell St, London WC2B 5HZ Phone: 0207 632 2080 Visit Website
If you are a martini lover seeking a posh and premium place in the vibrant West End of London, Dirty Martini is the perfect location for you. Located in Covent Garden's famous Piazza, Dirty Martini offers a customized range of martinis alongside your personal favorites with modern, innovative flavors that burst into your mouth. Their impressive happy hours from Mondays to Friday make it the perfect place for chic late-night parties or elegant celebrations. Make sure you reserve a booth for yourself and your friends as the bar can get packed quite quickly after working hours.
7. Lobby Bar
One Aldwych Hotel, 1 Aldwych, London Phone: 20 7300 1000 Visit Website
London’s original contemporary and highly celebrated hotel, One Aldwych, holds an active drinking haven, The Lobby Bar, in the heart of Covent Garden. From morning meetings and brunches to after-hours drinks and festivities, The Lobby Bar provides a bright and breezy surrounding accompanied by modern architecture and art where you can enjoy beautifully crafted bespoke cocktails and delicate appetizers. Their new extraordinary list of seven cocktails and two mocktails crafted in collaboration with Floral Street and its inspiration of modern floral scents are a must-try.
8. Blind Spot
45 St Martin's Ln, London WC2N 4HX Phone: 20 7300 5588 Visit Website
Blind Spot is an enigmatic yet stunning late-night speakeasy behind the façade of a boutique tea counter at St Martin's Lane Hotel, veiled by a door with a shiny golden hand-shaped handle. It offers signature-styled cocktails inspired by British Empire, its ancient tea trade, and regular jazz nights. Head to Blind Spot from 5 pm to 1 am for their vast cocktail bar menu. The menu makes you travel around the globe and brings you all kinds of divine flavors from their 25 selected destinations, including NYC, Sydney, and Mumbai. Some of the highlights of the cocktail menu include Grey Goose Le Fizz, Jasmine Margarita, and Padua Negroni.
9. The 10 Cases Bistrot and Wine Bar
16 Endell St, London WC2H 9BD Phone: 020 7836 6801 Visit Website
If you are looking for a relaxed wine bar with a diverse range of wines, then The 10 Cases is the place for you. Encapsulated in its name, The 10 Cases only has 10 tables and the food menu changes every month. Their ideology revolves around trying new things rather than holding onto the ritualistic ways. That’s why they only order 10 different wines when they run out of stock. Order a Mushroom Risotto, Lamb rump, or White chocolate mousse and enjoy the reservation-free outside terrace after a busy day at work. The cozy Bistrot is open all day from midday Monday to Saturday.
10. Be At One - Covent Garden Lyceum
23 Wellington St, London WC2E 7DA Phone: 0207 240 9889 Visit Website
Set in the West End area of nightlife buzz, near the Covent Garden tube station, Be At One is the best place to stir it up and get the party going with its cozy interior and old-school barstools mixed with bar sing-alongs. It is a popular option among theatre lovers as it is located right across from the Lyceum 'Lion King' Theatre. Their brilliantly crafted cocktails by skilled bartenders will surely make you miss your theatre show. Legendary happy hours start from 4:00 pm to 07:00 pm every day of the week.
11. Punch & Judy
40 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8RF Photo: 02073 790923 Visit Website Built in 1787, Punch and Judy is named after the first recorded puppet show. London’s iconic 18th-century pub is worldwide for its masterfully-brewed cask ales and wine collection enclosed in an old, stone-work building with all its historic charm. Punch and Judy, from their extensive collection of wines, intricately created cocktails, or their passion for Gin and Vodka, holds something for everyone with an excellent balcony view of Covent Garden piazza and its street performers. Open from 11 am to 11 pm, their new range of Coca-Cola Signature Mixers, are particularly crafted to match premium dark spirits are a must-try!
12. Grind
42 Maiden Ln, London WC2E 7LJ Phone: 020 3019 1801 Visit Website
If you are into experimental coffee cocktails, then Grind is the place for you. With a historic location on Maiden Lane, Covent Garden Grind is a brisk, electric cocktail and espresso bar just a little distance from Covent Garden Piazza, connecting it to street crafts, music, and performers. Grind has expanded its roots across London with modern coffee roastery and cafes since its first opening in Shoreditch in 2011. Its richly roasted, aromatic coffee, classic cocktail range, and wines have made it one of the busiest pubs in London. Do not forget to try its killer Espresso Martini.
13. The Cross Keys
31 Endell St, London WC2H 9BA Phone: 20 7836 5185 Visit Website
With exaggerated florals ornated in the stone arches and Victorian golden pillars, The Cross Keys gives a blended feel of a parish church and village inn that provides tranquility in the bustle of Covent Garden. The long-narrowed, low-lit interior is filled with old eclectic paintings, mirrors, and brass instruments, including a collection of Beatles memorabilia and Elvis Presley's signed napkin. The Cross Keys is one of the best places for crafted beer in Covent Garden, with an exquisite selection of wines and spirits. It also caters to sports fanatics with large television screens on big game nights.
14. The Escapologist
35 Earlham St, London WC2H 9LD Phone: 20 7240 5142 Visit Website
Hidden in an underground basement, The Escapologist is a surreal cocktail bar with a lustrous interior in a psychedelic color scheme with red and gold lights and surprises at every corner. Their drink menu consists of mind-boggling concoctions of cocktails created by expert mixologists that entice your taste buds with every sip. Whether it's for birthday parties, date nights, or late-night parties, The Escapologist offers a new degree of celebrations. If you are looking for an escape from a monotonous day, The Escapologist is the place to be.
15. Moto
7 Maiden Ln, London WC2E 7NA Phone: 20 8076 9512 Visit Website
Moto, a Japanese beverage bar, and shop, is UK’s first independent sake place located in Covent Garden. It serves crafted sakes, vintage bottles, and popular brands obtained right from the brewery. With minimal space, Moto features a Japanese-style minimal wood bar lined with vivid sake bottles, which are charmingly inviting. For occasional sake drinkers, Moto categorizes its menu into different flavor profiles: light, rich, earthy, and sparkling. Pair your favorite sake with their Japanese bar bites nekomanma (a warm bed of rice topped with soy-cured yolk and bonito tuna flakes) or tempura fried chicken for an incredible experience.
16. The Lamb & Flag, Covent Garden
33 Rose St, London WC2E 9EB Phone: 020 7497 9504 Visit Website Located in a part of Covent Garden with a violent past, Rose Street, The Lamb & Flag is a historically rich, Grade II-listed pub that acquired recognition by hosting bare-knuckle fights and earned an intense nickname “Bucket of Blood” in the 18th century. Today, this original brick-walled building offers seasonal ales, dark spirit, crafted lager, and an exclusive whiskey collection. Head to The Lamb & Flag between 12 pm to 12 am and have your desired drink in the same place where Charles Dickens, the famous writer, used to hang out.
17. Mrs. Riot
10 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8PS Phone: 20 3004 4139 Visit Website
With enticing cocktails, live music, and dazzling shows all jam-packed under a cheeky and bohemian-styled venue, Mrs. Riot is an entertainment den that offers jovial uproar every day of the week. It is an experience-led lounge with an exciting cocktail bar inspired by the iconic feminist Kitty Clive. It offers carefully crafted wines and signature cocktails with Mediterranean platters and salty snacks. The retro atmosphere is combined with London punk style. There are also several international musicians performing at night. Indulge in the unlimited drinks they offer on Saturdays and be ready to have a wild night.
18. The Sun Tavern
66 Long Acre, London WC2E 9JD Phone: 0203 609 7857 Visit Website
Owned by The Morton Scott Pub Company, The Sun Tavern is a contemporary-style pub with symmetrical, art deco architecture in a black and gold palette. Set in the lively Covent Garden, it is an excellent place to pause and relax with a pint of great beer or a glass of exquisite wine in its casual bar or enjoy a home-cooked dinner on the upper floor with a cozy burning fireplace. Their new menu is packed with inventive cocktails, martinis, and a wide selection of wines for you to try.
19. La Goccia Bar
1 Floral St, London WC2E 9FB Phone: 20 7305 7676 Visit Website
La Goccia Bar is a quiet, secluded Italian place hidden behind a velvet curtain in the serene courtyard of Petersham Nurseries Covent Garden. Inspired by evolving nature, seasonal florals, and the nursery's incredible horticulture heritage, La Goccia has a bloomy interior composed of actual flowers in every corner. From the walls lined with floral paintings to the bar made up of real leaves, the cocktails in La Goccia Bar are carefully created with natural herbs, botanicals, and edible flowers. They also offer fine Italian wines, organic coffee, and loose-leaf tea, which you can enjoy on a calm evening.
20. The Marquess of Anglesey
39 Bow St, London WC2E 7AU Phone: 020 7240 3216 Visit Website
With its perfect location near the Royal Opera House, West End Shows, and Covent Garden tube station, The Marquess of Anglesey is a traditional pub in London that suffered during the Blitz. However, it was reconstructed impressively with a contemporary interior decked up with modern and historical pictures. The main bar is a great place to have craft beers or a range of ales, whereas the first floor’s cocktail and dining area provide a spectacular setting to have a pre-theatre feast with a wine from its great collection. Their Fish and Chips are highly recommended.
Final Thoughts
With the variety of Victorian gin parlors and high-end tavern bars in the entertainment hub of London's West End, we have gathered here the best bars in Covent Garden.
Let us know via the comment section if you think we missed any top bars in Covent Garden, and it will surely make it to our list.