Address

35 St James's Place, St James's, SW1A 1NY
Dukes Hotel, St James, London

Best For

The classic Martini, heritage British hotel bar, special occasions

Opening Hours

Mon–Sat14:00–23:00 Sun16:00–22:00

Reservations

Strongly recommended

Dress Code

Smart elegant. Jacket required for gentlemen after 18:00.

Price Range

$$$$ · Cocktails from £24

Martini Bond Heritage St James Special Occasion

Plan Your Visit

Reserve a Table Get Weekly Picks

Reserve via the Dukes website 14 days ahead. Walk-in possible at the bar before 18:00.

Our Take

The Martini That Inspired James Bond

Dukes Bar is a small wood-panelled cocktail room in the Dukes Hotel, just off St James's Park. The bar is small — around 30 seats — and the room is committed to British heritage hotel bar discipline: leather club chairs, dim warm lighting, white-jacketed bartenders, and quiet conversation.

The Dukes Martini is the bar's signature. The bartender brings a small wheeled trolley table-side, retrieves a frozen glass from the freezer, mixes vermouth and gin in front of you, and pours. Ian Fleming drank here in the 1950s and the Dukes Martini is widely cited as the inspiration for the James Bond Vesper.

The total visit — one Martini, no second — typically takes 30 minutes. It is worth doing once. The cost (£24) is justified by the ritual. Pair with The American Bar at the Savoy for a complete London heritage hotel-bar evening.

What to Order

Dukes Martini

Frozen gin or vodka, vermouth swirl, lemon zest. Mixed table-side. The signature ritual. £24 well spent.

Vesper

Gin, vodka, Lillet Blanc. Shaken until cold. The Bond drink.

Old Fashioned

Bourbon, demerara, Angostura. Built classically over a single rock.

Manhattan

Rye, sweet vermouth, Angostura. Stirred 60 seconds.