London Cocktail Week 2025: What to Try & Where to Go
If you love cocktails or even if you just enjoy a good drink in great company London Cocktail Week is the kind of event that makes you fall in love with the city all over again. It’s messy, it’s brilliant, it’s creative, and in 2025 it’s stretching across more than 200 bars from October 9 to 19.
But here’s the thing: with so many bars, events, pop-ups and masterclasses, knowing what to try and where to go can feel overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time. So let me walk you through the best experiences, the hidden gems, and how to make your wristband (yes, you’ll need one) pay off.
What’s London Cocktail Week the soul & structure
This isn’t a single venue festival. It’s city-wide. Bar takeovers, curated routes, tastings, masterclasses, immersive pop-ups all over London.
Each participating bar must serve at least one £9 “Signature Cocktail” exclusively for wristband holders, and many also pour £6 tiny cocktails and non-alcoholic / low-alc options to help you pace yourself.
Also: since 2024, London Cocktail Week has shifted into a not-for-profit model the founders want this to benefit bars and bartenders more directly.
First things first the wristband, and planning
You’ll want a wristband. It opens up access to those £9 cocktails across bars. Typically they cost around £16.67 to £20.
Buy it online in advance, because once the festival begins, demand surges. Bars also often sell wristbands in person once the event starts.
When your wristband comes with a festival guidebook + map, use that. Plot your evenings by area (Soho + Covent Garden one night, Shoreditch another, Southbank another), so you don’t waste time crisscrossing London. The guidebook lists all the partner bars and their signature cocktails.
Pro tip: for special events, masterclasses, dinners, themed pop-ups book in advance. These tend to sell out fast, even before Cocktail Week begins.
What to try (and what will make your nights memorable)
Signature cocktails at great bars
Your mission is simple: hit some standout bars and try their signature £9 cocktails. Because each bar picks something that reflects their style so no two will feel the same. The festival website even groups bars by themes (rooftops, design, hidden gems, non-alc).
For example, Satan’s Whiskers (in Bethnal Green) is often listed among the top bars in London. Their style is classic-but-creative, with bartenders who respect the canon yet push boundaries.
When you venture out, don’t just order the signature drink chat with the bartenders. Ask why they chose those flavours, what local ingredients they used. You’ll learn more.
Tiny cocktails & pacing
The “tiny cocktail” is a clever addition: small serves meant for sampling, so you can try more bars without overdoing it. Many venues also offer £6 non-alc / low-alc options during Cocktail Week.
That “zebra-stripe” strategy (mixing full and tiny / non-alc) will help you last multiple nights without collapsing.
Events, pop-ups & masterclasses
If you love learning, there will be workshops and tastings led by award-winning bartenders. These are great for deep dives think whisky & cocktail pairing, layered techniques, flavour blending.
Also, watch for themed bar takeovers where a bar gives over its space for one night to a guest concept (e.g. a brand, a city, a flavour direction). It’s where creativity gets wild.
Connoisseur’s Collection & luxe experiences
For those who want something extra, the Connoisseur’s Collection includes elevated experiences think rare spirit tastings, luxury cocktail dinners, or exclusive locations that go beyond the usual bar stool.
If that side of Cocktail Week intrigues you, plan ahead and be ready to book early.
Where to go (great bars & districts you shouldn’t skip)
Since there are 200+ bars participating, you’ll want to pick a few hotspots rather than trying to chase everything. Here are areas & ideas that tend to deliver:
Shoreditch / Hoxton — experimental, edgy cocktail houses, great for late nights
Soho / Covent Garden — centrally located, lots of options in walking distance
Southbank / Bankside — riverside bars, atmospheric night views
Bethnal Green / East London — check out Satan’s Whiskers there, one of London’s bartender-favourite bars
Mayfair / Knightsbridge — more luxury, hotel bars, high-end flair
In the festival’s “Bar Guide,” you can filter by a bar’s style (design, rooftop, owner-operated, hidden gem) to tailor your crawl.
Also, some bars will do Champagne cocktail specials (often £12) exclusively for the event a fancy detour if you’re feeling indulgent.
Mistakes people make avoid them
Treating Cocktail Week like one big pub crawl. It’s better to pick a shorter route and savour it.
Not booking the special events early (masterclasses, dinners).
Peering eyes on the signature cocktails only explore off-menu suggestions.
Ignoring the tiny / non-alc drinks they exist to help you pace.
Rushing from bar to bar without breaks. Find a quiet bar mid-evening to regroup, hydrate, snack.
How to assemble your nights
Let me walk you through a sample evening:
Start in Soho or Covent Garden hit 2–3 bars there for signature cocktails. Then move east toward Shoreditch for something edgier. Catch a pop-up or takeover. End late by the river or in a quieter bar with a low-alc serve to wind down.
Another night: dive deep into East London bigger bars, bigger experimentation. Use the wristband to mix big and small drinks.
On a third night, treat yourself to one upscale dinner + cocktail pairing in a Connoisseur-level event, then maybe linger in a luxury hotel bar to close.
Switch it up every night you don’t have to dominate one area fully; part of the magic is walking and crossing districts.
Why 2025 feels special
The non-profit shift means the festival is more focused on supporting bars rather than being ultra-commercial.
The inclusion of tiny cocktails and non-alcoholic options shows they’re conscious of balance and inclusivity.
The sheer scale: over 200 participating bars across London this year.
More curated experiences like bar takeovers, masterclasses, Connoisseur’s Collection are being highlighted more than ever.
It’s a year that leans into creativity, community, and pushing the drink experience further.
Final Thoughts
If you only take one thing away: London Cocktail Week is your chance to wander, explore, and fall in love with London’s bar scene not as a tourist, but as someone discovering doors you never knew existed. Try signature cocktails, talk to bartenders, leap into pop-ups, pace yourself, and pick nights you’ll remember.
So equip your wristband, plot your routes, and let London’s cocktail world surprise you. And if you want guides, hidden bar maps, local recs, or suggestions tailored to your area follow me on Instagram @london.yaar. I’ll save you time, help you skip the lines, and make sure your nights are more “best stories ever” than “regrets in the morning.”