Knowhere Special, Kentish Town

Squeeze through a thin corridor, adorned with washing lines and graffiti, and a basement bar, lined with arched alcoves and brimming with a random array of vintage charms and curiosities awaits you (as does a hearty welcome from the resident Jack Russell). If you're looking for cool cocktail bars in London, look no further. Proprietors and bar veterans, Ash Clarke and Helen Gay, use both old-school and modern mixology methods to create daring cocktail recipes. 
Unorthodox is the word here; frankincense and cider reductions feature as ingredients, while drinking vessels range from Strongbow cans in paper bags to glass chalices. 
Each drink comes with an edible accompaniment; for instance, the Grow Your Own Martini (a combination of infused pink peppercorn vodka, vermouth, cucumber and a home-made syrup) is served up with a gastro-chemically engineered beetroot ‘yolk’. 
For those looking for something a little less outlandish, standard cocktails are also on offer as well as wine and beer.