The 9 best cocktail bars in Shoreditch

Inside One Hundred Shoreditch sits Seed Library, the laid-back brainchild of bar owner and bartender Mr Lyan. Self-described as a Shoreditch cocktail bar that focuses on “stripped back analogue forms”, it’s an equal mix of substance and Shoreditch cool.

As expected, really good cocktails are the order of the evening (and night). Seed Library seems to favour the fruity and botanical variety. Standouts include False Fruit Mix (vodka, rosehip, nettle, woodruff and tonic) and Chive Daiquiri (rum, chive, coconut milk and lime).

To accompany your cocktail, live sets from East London’s Love Vinyl set the tone on the weekends.

Down the stairs, at 5 Ravey Street is where you’ll find the Shoreditch cocktail bar Found. Expect low lighting, intimate spaces and minimalist interiors that are just the right mix of cosy and cool.

Clearly, Found is a bar that’s inspired many a great night and conversation, and what better than a cocktail (or two), to go with that?

Settle down for the night with the bar’s small and select menu, consisting of cocktails (of course), wine, beer and a trio of bar snacks. Standouts include Frothy Lady (gin, peach, elderflower, egg white, lemon, gomme) and Found Cake (amaretto, triple sec, lemon, egg, gomme).

Private events for up to 60 guests are welcome.

If there’s one thing Shoreditch loves, it’s a basement bar. Continuing on that trend is Happiness Forgets, the Shoreditch basement bar serving up great cocktails and a great time.

Be welcomed by warm lighting, comfy stools, and tables and booths to boot.

For a spot of “mixed drinks and mischief”, Happiness Forgets offers a selection of expertly crafted cocktails. Take your pick, though if you’re in need of a suggestion, the classic Tokyo Collins (dry gin, yuzu sake, lemon, grapefruit juice) is a good shout.

You can find them below level at 8-9 Hoxton Square where happiness and a good night out await.

And they all lived happily ever after… Now, this isn’t the ending of a fairytale but rather a brief introduction to one of Shoreditch’s best cocktail bars. Ever After, reader. Reader, Ever After.

As fate would have it, you’ll find Ever After above Happiness Forgets. Think of Ever After as the somewhat chirpier sibling bar to Happiness Forgets’ cool, basement vibe. With hanging plants, wood interiors and a breezy outdoor space, it’s an ideal spot for light lunches and alfresco drinks.

You’ll find this bar on Hoxton Square.

Tucked away on Shoreditch’s Charlotte Road are the restaurant and bar Apothecary East. Since 2021, the izakaya-inspired venue has served up Asian-fusion dishes and drinks. Think kimchi fried rice, pork belly and the popular miso glazed aubergine.

As for cocktails, sip on a selection of expertly-done floral, fruity and sweet drinks. Happy hour comes around at 5 pm - 7 pm every weekday along with £7 cocktails. Might we suggest the crowd-favourite Zen Garden (that’s gin mixed with a green tea and lime cordial and salt minerals), to start?

Setting the tone for the evening, DJs play live sets on Fridays and Saturdays so expect your cocktails with a mix of disco, soul, house and jazz.

While we can’t bring California weather to London, One Hundred Shoreditch can offer the next best thing. Inspired by the sunny and idyllic Palm Springs, the hotel’s rooftop bar and terrace space give visitors a side of city views with their cocktails.

With a pastel pink-tiled bar, cacti lining the windows and a front-row seat to the best sunsets, it’s certainly a dreamy space for drinks.

Speaking of drinks, get acquainted with picks like their Spicy Margarita, Californian Coffee (mezcal, spiced coffee amaro and white chocolate foam), or their classic Shoreditch Sunset (vodka, vermouth, ginger syrup, orange juice, lemon juice and bitters).

Shoreditch Sunset with a Shoreditch sunset, anyone?

Music, good food and great cocktails come together at Old Street Records. With live music every night, this bar is for the ones who can’t choose between their martinis and musical choices.

Between two floors, say hello to hot pizzas and house cocktails, like Sour Records (a blend of whiskey, pistachio syrup, lemon juice and egg white) while the sounds of R&B, jazz, pop, rock and neo-soul set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Happy hour makes an appearance every day from 5 pm - 8 pm - with 2-for-1 cocktails. Across the two floors, the venue is available for private hire for events with up to 400 guests.

Good times call for a great cocktail. Luckily, Mama Shelter has plenty of those.

Inside the Hackney Road hotel, you’ll find two bar spaces. The first, in true Shoreditch fashion, is a mix of decorative art-lined walls, maximalist lamps and light fixtures and at the centre of it all, the bar.

Classic and signature cocktails make their appearance, with options like The Peach Comber (scotch with peach liquor, honey, ginger, lime leaves and raw bee pollen) and Purple P. Martini (vodka, lavender, lemon peel and butterfly pea flowers) brightening up the bar.

For alfresco drinks, head to the Garden Bar. The hotel’s leafy escape is ideal for parties, private dining or a relaxing drink. The space is available for private hire for events with up to 70 guests.

Caribbean culture is encapsulated within these walls. Sip on some classic Cottons cocktails and enjoy its selection of over 300 types of rum. With some dutch courage you may want to show off your best dance moves.

Cottons’ delicious Caribbean cuisine embraces its culinary roots with a range of different marinades and spice rubs. Try The Reggae Rum Punch, their own personal recipe which is topped with Wray & Nephew and laced with grenadine.

There is enough space for you and 99 others to stand, dance and drink together for a lovely night.