The Best Bars for Bank Holidays in London

A converted railway arch that works as hard as the clientele that fills it. The Blacksmith opens at noon on bank holidays, serving proper food until 4pm and pivoting to a full cocktail programme thereafter. The back section has exposed brick, mismatched leather stools, and enough noise to feel festive without becoming hostile. Get there by 2pm if you want a table.

Order: Clarified milk punch with dark rum and house-made pineapple shrub

East London's most reliable bank holiday destination. The beer garden here seats 80, has a retractable canopy for the inevitable drizzle, and runs a rotating tap list that would embarrass most dedicated craft beer bars. The kitchen turns out flatbreads and loaded fries until 6pm. We recommend arriving with a group — the communal tables encourage strangers into friends.

Order: Whatever the guest cask ale is — they source well and rotate weekly

Not a pub, not a cocktail bar — a civilised halfway house that West London does better than anywhere else. Foxcroft & Rye runs an excellent natural wine list alongside approachable cocktails, and the small plates are good enough to justify the prices. On bank holidays the terrace fills with Notting Hill regulars who have been coming here since they opened. The atmosphere is effortless in a way most bars spend years trying to manufacture.

Order: Grüner Veltliner by the glass and the anchovy toast

Southeast London finally has a cocktail bar worth crossing town for. The Meridian Room sits tucked behind Greenwich Market and operates on a short seasonal menu that changes every six weeks. The bar team trained at Dandelyan alumni venues and it shows — the technical detail here is exceptional for a neighbourhood spot. On bank holidays they run afternoon sessions with classic cocktails at reduced prices until 5pm.

Order: Verjuice Martini with cold-pressed Muscat grape and Sipsmith London Dry

Sixteen seats, forty natural wines, and a playlist that sounds like someone raided a Parisian record shop. Atalanta is the kind of bar that Dalston keeps threatening to become but rarely delivers. The owner selects everything personally from small producers in Georgia, Slovenia, and the Jura. Bank holidays extend the hours until midnight — arrive after 7pm when the post-work crowd thins and the serious drinkers arrive.

Order: Skin-contact Pinot Grigio from Friuli and the charcuterie board

South London's answer to the perfect bank holiday local. The Coppice has a proper garden strung with lights, a generous draught selection, and zero pretension — which puts it in a category of its own in an increasingly self-conscious Peckham. Food stops at 4pm but the kitchen window stays open for bar snacks until close. The landlord has been here fifteen years and it shows in every detail.

Order: Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter, served correctly

One of Soho's most serious cocktail bars, operating in a basement space that feels genuinely clandestine. Lyre & Coupe works from a menu of 24 cocktails divided into flavour profiles rather than spirit categories, which sounds affected until you realise it helps you find exactly what you want. On bank holidays they introduce a short specials menu featuring experimental techniques. Book ahead — they seat 30 and the bank holiday regulars know to reserve early.

Order: The fermented agave and smoked mezcal Old Fashioned from the specials

Named for the building's original Victorian owner and decorated to match the conceit. Pemberton's specialises in pre-Prohibition recipes adapted for modern palates — the house Collins uses a house-clarified citrus sherbet that has no business being as good as it is. The bar team are knowledgeable without being pedantic, which is rarer than it should be in Fitzrovia. Bank holidays extend the afternoon session, so the 3pm crowd here is always worth joining.

Order: Improved Whiskey Cocktail with Redemption Rye and Boker's bitters

Shoreditch does not lack for bars, but it does lack for bars with this level of craft and this much personality in the same room. The Harlot's Larder feels like someone took the best elements of a Hackney dive bar and a Mayfair cocktail lounge and forced them to share a building. The result is a genuinely singular experience. Bank holidays here run until 2am with a DJ from 9pm — arrive for cocktails, stay for the room.

Order: The Shoreditch Sling — gin, elderflower, yuzu, and prosecco