November Drinks to Warm Up London 2025 the best hot sips, where to find them and how to get there
November in London is a therapy session in hot cups. The city goes into cosy mode markets light up, bars bring back the heavyweight winter cocktails, and small cafés start pouring the kind of warming drinks that make you forgive the cold. Below are the best places to try the season’s classics (mulled cider, glühwein, hot buttered rum, pumpkin lattes, Irish coffee and more), where to find them, how to get there, and quick tips so your drink actually warms more than your hands.
I checked official pages and trusted listings for each venue or market so the recommendations are current for 2025. Where something is a pop-up or changes yearly I say so honesty first.
1) Borough Market mulled cider & seasonal stalls (trust the classics)
Why go: Borough Market is London’s food-market cathedral. In November you’ll find mulled ciders and mulled wines from specialist traders and the market’s small bars. The London Cider House a permanent market stall/daytime bar is a reliable place for hot cider or spiced warmed cider specials during the season. It’s atmospheric, easy to combine with a market lunch and central for many winter walks.
Where & how: Borough Market, Southwark St, SE1 9AG. Nearest Tube/Rail: London Bridge. Tip: go late afternoon and sip while you browse the stalls.
2) The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town hot buttered rum & theatrical vibes
Why go: This secret-door basement bar (behind The Breakfast Club Spitalfields) is famous for inventive cocktails and a proper winter hug in a glass reviewers commonly note a hot-buttered-rum style serve on seasonal menus. It’s atmospheric, quirky and a brilliant place to shelter from the wind. If you want a full-flavour, boozy hot drink with character, this is a fun London option.
Where & how: Under The Breakfast Club (Spitalfields). Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street/Aldgate East. Tip: the door is theatrical look for the fridge door entrance and the “ask for the mayor” vibe.
3) Peckham Levels & independents pumpkin-spice and local café warmers
Why go: Peckham Levels is the south-London creative hub with rotating cafés and pop-ups. Pumpkin-spice lattes and roasted-pumpkin specials often appear at independent cafe pop-ups on Rye Lane and inside Peckham Levels during autumn; check the events page for exact pop-up dates. It’s less touristy and often serves more interesting, locally made versions (oat milk, real roasted pumpkin puree, and small-batch syrups).
Where & how: Peckham Levels, SE15 (Peckham High St). Nearest rail: Peckham Rye or Peckham Rye Overground. Tip: follow Peckham Levels on socials for the pop-up schedule.
4) German-style mulled wine & markets Winter Wonderland, Southbank & craft beer hubs
Why go: For authentic glühwein and bratwurst pairings, London’s larger winter markets are your safest bet. Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland is the biggest, but if you want something less carnival-busy try Southbank Centre Winter Market or independent German-style brewery stalls like German Kraft (a London craft brewery with German roots) which often do seasonal pours and sausage pairings. These markets and stalls reliably pour traditional mulled red wine with citrus and spices.
Where & how: Winter Wonderland (Hyde Park nearest Marble Arch), Southbank Centre (nearest Waterloo), German Kraft (Elephant & Castle area). Tip: bring a small cup deposit fee in case they use reusable festive mugs.
5) Irish Coffee hotel & pop-up classics
Why go: The classic Irish coffee (hot coffee, whiskey, sugar, cream) is a November staple. While The Dead Rabbit (NYC) has hosted London pop-ups in the past, many hotels and cocktail bars run their own excellent versions. Look for hotel bars and seasonal pop-ups in central London; the cream-top, hot and boozy coffee is the perfect post-market pick-me-up. (I recommend checking venue pages for any Dead Rabbit-branded pop-ups they happen occasionally.)
Where & how: Many central hotels and bars (check listings for pop-ups). Tip: ask for the recipe good Irish coffee uses freshly whipped cream floated gently on top.
6) Hot chocolate & non-alcoholic winter warmers chocolate shops & cafés
Why go: Not everyone wants a boozy night. London’s artisan chocolatiers and independent cafés serve luxurious hot chocolate (single-origin cocoa, thick drinking chocolate) and seasonal non-alcoholic warmers like chai and turmeric lattes. Try specialist chocolatiers and cafés in Marylebone, Soho and Covent Garden for elevated hot chocolate. Tip: if you want Instagram-worthy, seek out chocolate shops that serve hot chocolate in ceramic mugs rather than paper cups.
Where & how: Covent Garden, Marylebone, Soho cafes walkable from Leicester Square, Oxford Circus.
7) Mulled cider trail smaller makers & daytime bars
Why go: If you love cider, follow the small-bar route: the London Cider House and independent cider stalls at Borough Market and seasonal pop-ups often create mulled-cider specials with warming spices (cinnamon, star anise) that are a bit different to the ubiquitous mulled wine. If you want to try several styles, create a mini-trail across Borough Market → Southbank → Peckham in one afternoon.
Quick ordering & pairing tips (so your drink actually hits the spot)
Mulled wine vs mulled cider: wine is sweeter; cider has apple acidity and feels lighter on the aftertaste. Try both.
Hot buttered rum: look for freshly made spice butter (nutmeg, cinnamon) pre-made syrups are fine but less soulful.
Pumpkin-spice authenticity: the best versions use real roasted pumpkin and not just syrup. Ask and support independent cafés that roast in-house.
Irish coffee: always ask for fresh cream and quality whiskey; insist the cream is gently floated.
Non-alcoholic: pick turmeric, chai or spiced hot chocolate at artisan cafés they’re usually more complex than chain offerings.
Travel logistics & a quick tip for weekend escape
Public transport is best - central markets and pop-ups are easiest by Tube/Overground. Check TfL live for any weekend engineering works.
If you’re carrying gifts or travel kit (or planning a short countryside cider route), you might want a car for the day book a rental car here . Driving central London on a November evening is not recommended, but it’s handy for day trips out of town.
Final thought make a mini-bar crawl, but be kind to your morning
November drinks are more than seasonal sugar: they’re a reason to slow down, meet friends under a canopy of fairy lights and savour something carefully made. Choose one indulgent hot tipple for the night and pair it with good food a proper slice of treacle or a roast-apple tart makes many of the above even better.
For live pop-up updates and last-minute stall confirmations, follow @london.yaar I post quick tips like “which vendor still has mulled cider” and the best quiet time to visit each market.