The best pubs and bars in Chelsea, London

Goat and the Chelsea Prayer Room

This New York Italian-style eatery hides a cocktail fiend’s sanctum upstairs. In addition to Goat Drink, the upstairs bar that hosts a weekly mixology masterclass called the Old Fashioned Cocktail Club, there’s the Chelsea Prayer Room – a secret bar protected by an ever-changing entry code. We recommend sipping a Sleepless Beauty (espresso martini with vanilla vodka and chocolate bitters) before succumbing to the prayer room’s A-Z of sinfully good classic cocktails.

Vibe: Heavenly cocktails

Price: ££

Booking is required at the Chelsea Prayer Room for non-members

Barts

The speakeasy-style Barts is full of curious vintage knick-knacks and quite obviously the brother bar of the eccentric Mr Fogg’s, however the former is a lot harder to find (clue: Bart resides somewhere on Sloane Avenue). As long as you know the password at the door, it’s like stepping into an apartment from the 1920s prohibition era. Be sure to try the Criminali-tea – contraband liquor disguised in teapots and served with an all-American sweet treat.

Vibe: Party like it’s the Prohibition

Price: £££

Booking available online

Juju

For the ultimate Made in Chelsea experience, it has to be JuJu on King’s Road. The mahogany, chrome and gold decor in the late night cocktail bar manages to be simultaneously sleek and OTT – an apt reflection of its regulars, perhaps. Raise a toast at midnight with a legendary Midnight in JuJu cocktail: a zingy, muddled blend of Stolichnaya vodka, fresh blackberries, apple juice and Bols blackberry over crushed ice.

Vibe: Unapologetically Chelsea

Price: ££

Booking available online

The Old Fashioned Bar at The World’s End Market

The Old Fashioned Bar on the first floor of The World’s End Market restaurant seems to want its punters to stay a while. The layout is a lot like a distinguished family member’s living room and the menu may take a while to peruse; based on myths and legends, it includes a cigar menu, a whisky tasting map and a library of Old Fashioned variations. You must try one of the oak barrelled blends though, the Aged Vesper is a simple but potent mix of Ketel One vodka, Tanqueray gin and Lillet blanc.

Vibe: Whisky lounge

Price: ££

To book, email [email protected]

Tonteria

Supposedly Prince Harry’s favourite place to party, Tonteria makes for a memorable (well, depending on how much tequila you drink) evening. While this infamous Sloane Square venue serves tapas, it’s nearer midnight when it really starts to show off. Tonteria prides itself on its unique entertainment, which includes male and female dancers, burlesque performances and snake charmers. The cocktails are a spectacle to behold too, each served in a flamboyant vessel. Frozen marg? Yes please.

Vibe: Mexican madness

Price: £££

Booking available online

Beaufort House

A tough day raiding the rails and pounding the pavements of King’s Road surely deserves at least one cocktail break. Beaufort House is the perfect place for such an occasion: its prime corner spot makes it great for people-watching, while the large windows let the natural light flood in. Bubble lovers should look no further than the Champagne cocktail menu, which includes the slightly less guilt-inducing Superfruit Sling: Grey Goose vodka, blueberries and fresh lemon juice, topped with champagne. The Martini menu caters to all palates, too: the Marmalade Lip-licker counts as breakfast, right?

Vibe: Shopper’s pick-me-up

Price: ££

Booking available online

Fifth Floor Bar, Harvey Nichols

Coinciding with Harvey Nichols’ temporary rebranding to ‘Holly Nichols’ – in celebration of female empowerment – the department store’s fifth floor bar has been given a bright new makeover: interior design company Keane Clarkson has introduced warm, earthy tones and pastel pink shades to the usually muted palette. The drinks menu includes a pleasing selection of fizz and the cocktail list is divided according to different areas of London. The Bucks Palace Backyard (Tanqueray Ten gin, limocello, basil, orange and Harvey Nichols Prosecco) is a deliciously zingy pick-me-up. When in Rome…

Clarendon Cocktail Bar, Artist Residence Hotel

Though technically in Pimlico, the bar nestled beneath the charming Artist Residency Hotel in Pimlico is just a short walk from Sloane Square. Housed in an old Victorian pub with exposed brick walls, this New York-inspired cocktail bar oozes with Prohibition-era decadence, complete with red leather seats and dim lighting. Elaborate cocktails are named after classic films, while the exposed brick walls play host to monthly art exhibitions, in collaboration with the Lawrence Atkins gallery in Soho.