The Best Bars on the South Bank

Skylon occupies the first floor of the Royal Festival Hall with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Thames. The cocktail list is well-constructed and the wine list ranges from house pours to serious bottles — appropriate for a venue that serves both interval drinks and proper evenings out. The bar section is separate from the restaurant and walk-ins are generally possible before 8pm. The view at dusk, with the Embankment lit across the water, is among London's best.

Order: Classic Martini or house Negroni — both made with care

The Anchor has been on the Bankside since the 1600s and has the structure to prove it — low ceilings, uneven floors, and walls that have absorbed several centuries of London history. Samuel Johnson and James Boswell drank here regularly. The exterior terrace is compact but directly on the Thames path, with the Globe visible from the upper tier. This is history you can sit inside and drink in.

Order: Real ale — the cask selection here is better than most tourist-facing pubs

The OXO Tower Bar on the eighth floor is one of the highest vantage points on the South Bank, with a terrace that gives an unobstructed east-west view of the Thames and the City. The cocktail list earns its prices and the service is attentive without being intrusive. Book a terrace table at sunset for the best version of the experience — the light on the north bank in the hour before dark is exceptional.

Order: Seasonal signature cocktail — the list changes quarterly to reflect the view and the season

The bar on the top floor of Tate Modern's Switch House extension is one of London's best-kept rooftop secrets. The cocktail list is considered and the view from the terrace — directly across to St Paul's Cathedral — is one of the most dramatic in the city. Open until 10pm on Friday and Saturday evenings. Non-museum visitors can access directly via the Switch House entrance. Worth the Tate membership solely for this bar's late openings.

Order: Whisky Sour or whatever the seasonal cocktail is on the current Tate-commissioned menu

Ryan Chetiyawardana's bar at Sea Containers House operates under the Lyaness name now but maintains the same commitment to original cocktail thinking that made its previous iteration famous. The drinks are built around botanical ingredients, unusual spirits, and flavour combinations that are impossible to predict without ordering. The river view from the bar is excellent and the service is among the best on the South Bank. Book ahead for evenings; the bar fills quickly.

Order: Let the bartender recommend based on what you want to experience — the list rewards engagement

The bar on the 31st floor of The Shard needs no help from its cocktail menu to justify the journey up — the 360-degree view of London is extraordinary at any hour, but particularly at dusk. The cocktail list is carefully constructed and the service handles the volume of visitors better than most would expect. Best visited on a clear weekday evening to avoid the weekend crowds and get a window table without the usual competition.

Order: The Shard Sour — a house original that earns its place on a static menu

Understudy is the National Theatre's ground-floor bar, occupying a covered outdoor space under the building's distinctive concrete walkways. The drinks focus on British spirits and the atmosphere draws both theatre-goers and South Bank workers who have discovered that this is a genuinely good bar rather than just a theatre convenience. The covered seating works in most weather conditions and the beer selection is among the most interesting of any cultural institution in London.

Order: British gin and tonic from the seasonal selection

Baltic is a Polish and Eastern European restaurant with one of London's most comprehensive vodka collections — over forty expressions, including several small-batch Polish producers rarely available outside their home country. The bar is separate from the restaurant and welcomes non-diners. If you have any interest in vodka as a craft spirit rather than a vehicle for mixers, this is the most educational bar on the South Bank.

Order: Single estate Polish vodka tasting flight

The Mulberry Bush is the South Bank's most reliable after-work pub — a large Victorian building that handles the weekday evening rush without feeling overwhelmed. The beer garden faces the Embankment, the real ale selection rotates regularly, and the kitchen stays open late enough to be useful. This is a pub that has maintained its identity through significant changes in the surrounding neighbourhood, which is its own kind of achievement.

Order: Current guest cask ale — the handpumps change weekly

Flat Iron Square is a converted rail arch space with multiple food vendors and a central bar that operates as the hub of the complex. Natural wine, craft beer, and cocktails are all available. The outdoor seating between the arches is good in fair weather and the collection of vendors makes it an easy choice for mixed groups with different food preferences. Busier on Thursday and Friday evenings but reliable throughout the week.

Order: Natural wine from the bar list — the selection changes with each vendor rotation